Tipton looks to break three- game losing streak tonight vs. Slater

Tipton's Kodie Dick races past North Callaway's Matthew Blair (22) and Dawson Wright (3) into the end zone for a touchdown during last month's game at Tipton.
Tipton's Kodie Dick races past North Callaway's Matthew Blair (22) and Dawson Wright (3) into the end zone for a touchdown during last month's game at Tipton.

TIPTON - There are 10 teams in Class 1 that still boast an undefeated record through the first four weeks of the football season.

The Tipton Cardinals would like to drop that number down to nine.

Tipton will try to snap a three-game losing streak tonight when it hosts the Slater Wildcats. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

The Cardinals (1-3) are coming of a 52-12 loss last Friday to Knob Noster.

Slater (4-0) is coming off a 68-28 win against Norborne/Hardin-Central in an 8-man football contest. The Wildcats won their first three games against Santa Fe (38-14), Polo (14-8) and Missouri Military Academy (44-16) in 11-man games.

In last Friday's win, Dustyn Case and Keegan Zdybel each had 119 yards rushing for the Wildcats, and Zdybel scored three touchdowns.

Zdybel, Slater's sophomore quarterback, added three passing touchdowns: two to Brody Jacobson and another to Latrell Johnson.

The Wildcats added two defensive scores on interceptions returned by Zdybel and Jacobson for touchdowns.

For the season, Zdybel has eight rushing touchdowns and seven passing touchdowns. He had a rushing score Week 2 that gave the Wildcats an overtime win against Polo.

Tipton coach Tony Braby said the Cardinals have to do a better job of tackling. He also said the offense needs to do a better job with pass protection.

Braby said the Cardinals are working on getting back to basic fundamentals when it comes to pass protection.

"We were having trouble picking up the blitzer by our running backs," he said. "Sometimes we like to swing our running back out into the flat and that was the game where we needed to leave him in the pocket to help protect the quarterback."

Braby also noted Tipton's backup running backs are going to need to be ready, in case starter Jaden Griffin - who suffered a shoulder injury during last Friday's game but is expected to play tonight - needs to come off the field for a rest.

"We don't know how much he can do," Braby said. "So we are always going to have to have a plan B for his position."

Braby also said quarterback Blake Fischer will also have to make faster decisions and get the ball out of his hands quicker against a Wildcats defense that is allowing just 16.5 points per game.

Through four games, Fischer is among the area's top passers with 851 yards

On defense, Braby said Tipton is looking to have a smaller, quicker group of linemen on the field from time to time. The team also plans to be more aggressive on defense.

"Going with the smaller lineup with speed and quickness and see if that helps a little bit," Braby said. "If nothing else we will have a two platoon defense, where we have the bigger line defensive team and the smaller, quicker team and just use them to stay fresh. We are hoping that with this platooning and getting two groups of defensive lines in there that will make them a lot more effective."

Slater and Tipton are both in Class 1 District 5. Through Week 4's standings, Slater is the No. 2 seed with 44.56 points, while Tipton is fourth with 30.81.

Last Friday's win did not count toward Slater's district standings because it did not occur at the 11-man football level.

Slater is off to its best start since 2005, when the Wildcats won their first four games and seven of their first eight.