Tipton gets back in routine ahead of Lincoln matchup

Tipton wide receiver Dylan Kuttenkuler makes a catch during last Saturday's game against Helias' JV team in Tipton.
Tipton wide receiver Dylan Kuttenkuler makes a catch during last Saturday's game against Helias' JV team in Tipton.

TIPTON - The Tipton Cardinals are looking to get back in the win column after a 27-14 loss to Helias' JV team last Saturday.

Tipton (1-1) is set to face the Lincoln Cardinals (1-1) at 7 p.m. today in Lincoln.

Lincoln is coming off a 41-0 loss to Windsor last week. Even with having their last game on a Saturday, Tipton coach Tony Braby said the team is back to its normal weekly schedule.

"We hit it Monday, so it is back to the regular routine," Braby said. "We will be OK heading into the Lincoln game."

The two teams played each other in a Jamboree with both teams scoring once. Braby said Lincoln has not changed its philosophy too much through the years.

"They are definitely well coached and they will throw the ball and run it equally as well," Braby said. "There is just not a lot of weaknesses there. They've got good size in their lineman, the skill kids are still very good at catching the ball."

Braby said the game could come down to who has the ball last. On defense, Braby said they will have to defend the pass well.

"We are going to have to play really well against them. They can throw the ball, they scored a long touchdown pass against us in the Jamboree and we did not defend it very well," Braby said. "But our run defense did a great job against them in the Jamboree, so we are hoping to keep that going."

Braby said he thinks his team matches up well against Lincoln.

"(Lincoln's) looked very stout against us and we were able to have a couple of plays that were able to get us back into the game," Braby said. "Some misdirection that caught them by surprise with the running but we have been running the ball well, throwing the ball well this past Saturday against Helias JV. So we think we match up well real well with Lincoln we just have to play solid and not make a lot of mistakes."

Braby said they are not looking at any injuries that can keep anyone out for significant amount of time.

"I think we are going to have to play solid, sound, assignment (football), especially on defense," Braby said. "You've got to be solid. You can't make mistakes when you play some one of that caliber."

Avoiding mistakes will be important in a potentially close game.

"The kids only know one thing on that team and that is winning," Braby said. "In the past few years they have not lost many games at all. So they are going to come out fired up. They did lose to Windsor so they are going to want to get back on track and prove to everyone that they are still some one to contend with.

" We need to just play good, solid football and not make mental mistakes and do the things that we do right and hopefully have a shot at the end of the game to win."