Valley Back on Top and Undefeated So Far

Last season was an atypical one for the football team.

Friday nights, Patch runs a rolling scoreboard that updates high school games across Iowa. Check in with us. And we'd love to see your photos from the game. Just click on the upload photos button to share them.

*

A 6-3 regular season finish and an early exit from the playoffs at the hands of crosstown rival is something the program would like to forget.

This season the Tigers are back to where they want to be: 6-0 headed into the final stretch of the regular season beginning this Friday against

The first of those six wins came by way of a 28-21 triumph over Dowling, a game that senior defensive lineman Nick Buchanan claims has been the highlight of the season, so far.

"I'd say the high point of the season was beating Dowling," he said. "It was fourth and inches and we stopped them on a QB sneak. I feel like there hasn't really been a low point considering we're 6-0. I hope there is no low point."

Head coach Gary Swenson seems content with the way the season has gone thus far for his Tigers. But like a head coach would, he says there's still work to be done.

"I think we're still a work in progress," said Swenson. "But we're relatively healthy and I like the way we're playing. We were a little up and down early, but that's to be expected. I think we're pleased with where we sit at this time."

The Tigers have been so successful because they are running the ball better then anyone in the conference. After five games, the Tigers had only attempted 62 passes, whereas they had run 195 times. Swenson says being run-heavy isn't necessarily planned, it just happens.

"If running helps us win, that's what we're going to do, and we've got two good tailbacks," said Swenson. "We have no design going into a game, but if running every play helps us win, then we're certainly going to do that."

Senior running back Trey Lewis has been playing varsity since his sophomore year. Through five games, he led the conference in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. 

"He's having a better year from the standpoint of staying on his feet and keeping his balance" said Swenson. "I think he leads us in scoring this year, and I would expect that to continue."

Mason City, and high schools round out the schedule and stand in the way of and a perfect regular season. The current perfection has the Tigers ranked very high in multiple Iowa high school football publications. But Buchanan said the boys pay little attention to that.

"I feel like we know, but we don't really pay attention to it at the same time," Buchanan said. "I feel like we can compete with anyone no matter if we're ranked or not, and that's what matters."