The first-ever matchup between Houston and Pierce City was a classic. We’ll see what the encore has in store Friday night.
The Tigers, who won last year’s meeting 42-39 on a trick play in overtime, host the Eagles to open the 2025 season. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.
HHS is a much different team than last year’s version that carried the momentum of the thrilling opening win to a 4-0 start. The Tigers return just one offensive starter – senior quarterback D.J. Riley – to the same position.
Pierce City will look different, too.
The Eagles, who emphasized a physical offensive line and strong running game last year, plan to spread out the offense and play faster under second-year coach Jim Genzler.
“Everyone I talked to said they were super fast on the track in the spring. Everyone thinks (in southwest Missouri) they are loaded with athletes.”
HHS Coach Eric Sloan
One of those players is wide receiver and defensive back Landen Stanphill, a returning all-conference player who Genzler said was the team’s fastest athlete. In the backfield will be Cruz Ibarra, who moves from the offensive line to running back for this year’s team. He’s one of four returning offensive starters.
“He looks to be a little bit violent,” Sloan said of Ibarra. “We’ll have to do a good job with him.”
Sloan said Pierce City will run a zone blocking scheme and give its athletes opportunities to read the defense and make plays. In Friday’s jamboree, the Eagles scored three times against Fair Grove – last year’s Class 2 state runner-up.
To counter, Sloan said the HHS offense will need to establish extended drives and maintain possession of the ball. He expects to use multiple players on offense and multiple formations around Riley.
“We have to figure out a way to get more people involved,” Sloan said. “We’ll have to share the ball and get creative.”
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TIGER TIDBITS
- Freshman OL/DL Blake Sanders (ankle) and sophomore WR/DB Jackson Morgan (knee) will not play Friday. Senior TE/LB Mason Dodson is probable with a shoulder injury.
- HHS had back-to-back 1,000-yard passing seasons in 2023 (Wyatt Hughes – 1,129) and 2024 (Riley – 1,004) for the first time since the 2007 and 2008 seasons – both by David Weybright, who passed for 1,393 and 2,440 yards, respectively.
- Sloan is trending in a winning direction entering his 11th season with the Tigers. The last three seasons the Tigers have a combined 18-14 record – the best stretch since the program advanced to back-to-back state semifinals in 2004 and 2005.
- New football district assignments were released Friday morning by the Missouri State High School Activities Association. The Tigers were placed in Class 2 District 3 with Ava, Fair Grove, Forsyth, Liberty, Springfield Catholic and Willow Springs.
STORY TO WATCH
The HHS running game… what’s it look like this season? With three of the top four rushers – Jordan Arthur, Bryson Jordan and Layne Seago – gone to graduation, how will the Tigers disperse carries this year? The obvious top candidate is Riley, who was second on the team with 71 rushes (Arthur had a team-best 130) for 458 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. Will he get more carries from his quarterback position this year? What will Sloan create to get Riley in the open field?
“I don’t need to think of him as a quarterback. I need to think of him as an athlete. He’s a natural runner,” Sloan said of Riley. “We’re going to let him read defenders. We’ll call whatever play ‘read’ and if they collapse on the running back, he’ll pull it and run.”
In the backfield at RB1 will be junior Aaron McCarthy, who had 22 carries for 84 yards and one score last year. Will he take a majority of the attempts or will the Tigers have a running back-by-committee approach? Freshman Tucker Venn figures to be in the mix along with seniors Eli Newsome and Caden Guerra.
Watch the game at houstonherald.com/live.
MARQUEE MATCHUP
HHS volleyball at Bakersfield • Sept. 8: The Lady Tigers begin the 2025 campaign with a 1 hour, 20 minute road trip to southern Ozark County. The team will look to bounce back after losing four of its five sets in Tuesday’s preseason jamboree with Willow Springs and Cabool – teams HHS defeated during the summer. Last year, the Lady Tigers defeated Bakersfield in straight sets as part of a 3-0 start en route to its fourth straight 20-win season.
AT A GLANCE
Sept. 4 • HMS football vs. Thayer, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 5 • HHS football at Springfield Catholic, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 • JV/C volleyball home tournament
Sept. 8 • HHS JV football (split squad) vs. Springfield Catholic, 6 p.m.
Sept. 8 • HHS JV football (split squad) at Liberty, 6 p.m.
Sept. 8 • HHS volleyball at Bakersfield, 5 p.m.
Sept. 8 • HMS volleyball vs. Eminence, 5:30 p.m.
WHAT CAN WE INCLUDE?
Have an idea? Question? Sports information we can share out? Email Jeff at jmcniell@houstonherald.com.