Tigers return home to face Nyssa

One team will get their first win of the season this Friday night in Community Stadium. That is a fact.

The team that comes out on the wrong side of things will remain winless and searching for answers as the season drags on — it’s La Grande (0-4) facing off against Nyssa (0-3).

These two teams have taken very different paths to this point in the season. But here they are both in the same boat at the midpoint of the year.

Nyssa hasn’t really competed in each of its three losses this year, while La Grande has yet to play a complete game.

The Tigers have faced four very good football teams that all look to compete for league titles, excluding Vale which has dropped three straight games since defeating La Grande.

The problem for the Tigers this season is playing only one good half of football.

Every game thus far, there have been times when La Grande has looked like a team where they could compete to win the game — but they can’t sustain that play throughout.

Now enters Nyssa, a team that has only scored 28 total points this season, 20 of which came in one game. The Bulldogs have given up a total of 168 points so far this year.

Nyssa lost 70-0 to Parma (Idaho) Sept. 11, and then were bullied in a 53-20 loss to Baker the following week.

This week’s game could go one of two ways: each team could hit their stride and it could be a high-scoring game, or the Bulldogs and Tigers will continue to struggle with inconsistent play and the game is a stalemate until late.

La Grande head coach Matt Wolcott has said that his team has matched up well with every team they’ve played this season, but the Tigers might match up with Nyssa better than any other previous foe.

Outside of Vale, the combined record of La Grande’s  opponents this season is 8-2,  Bulldogs enter with three losses Friday. The Tigers haven't had it very easy so far.

With league play coming in two weeks, the Tigers need to take advantage of every opportunity they have to secure a win, as both Baker and Ontario have at least three wins apiece.

It could be now or never for the Tigers’ football team.

But at least one thing is for sure — somebody is going to walk away with a win this week.