Tigers face Archie for state title

JON DYKSTRA/TIMES-TRIBUNE
Worth County junior running back Landon Wilmes runs for a touchdown on last Saturday in Oregon.

GRANT CITY, Mo. — There have been two teams this season that stood above all else, and Thursday night in Columbia, we get to see which of the two leaves a state champion.

The Worth County Tigers and Archie Whirlwinds have stood atop the 8-man landscape since the beginning. Take away a Week 1 loss, only Worth County has dominated at the same level as Archie.

The Tigers have more than earned their stature in the 8-man universe. The banners are numerous, and the passion for football in that community is almost unrivaled. The cocktail of hard work and love is what makes them successful and why the joke of, “Everyone goes through down times, except Worth County” is consistently used throughout 8-man football.

But whether through bad luck or missed opportunities, the Tigers’ hunt for a state has evaded them successfully since 2017. Worth County has been ever so close with an incomplete pass in the district championship game last season and a six-point loss the season before.

The Tigers haven’t forgotten the last two years, but they also believe that 2023 is what matters — and that their experience in these situations gives them the edge.

“I feel like most of the pressure is on them,” Tyler New said. “A lot of us have been here and gone to state before. We know that environment and we’ve played on that field before, so I think most of the pressure is on them.”

It was two seasons ago that Worth County was one drive and/or a torn ACL from adding another state title. That season, it was also a team that dominated the WEMO that stood in their way.

Archie brings a similar team to Columbia. The Whirlwinds bring one of the state’s best quarterbacks, an explosive offense and a defense that has talent on all three levels.

“To start, we have to slow their running game and their running game begins with Briar McIntire,” Worth County coach Jon Adwell said. “We have to be able to read their guards, set the edge and play the cutback lanes.”

McIntire’s 2023 stats aren’t spectacular, but that has more to do with the level at which the Whirlwinds played this season. The senior quarterback carried the ball just 147 times but averaged a career-high 11 yards per carry and 36 touchdowns.

While New and McIntire are more than capable of throwing the ball, the two all-state quarterbacks have done the most damage with their legs. But Thursday’s matchup will be the biggest test the linemen for Worth County and Archie have had this season.

“From the looks of them on film, their line looks really good,” Bo Collins said. “They have been able to get pretty good push on opposing teams’ linemen, and they pull a bunch.”

Archie has been just as dominant on the defensive end of the ball this season. McIntire joins Brock Smith and Brayden Daniels as all-state defensive players this season. The Whirlwinds finished just ahead of Worth County this season, finishing with a state-best nine points per game allowed on defense.

“We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing,” New said. “Up front, they’ve been amazing in the playoffs opening up holes for us.”

As for the preparation, the Tigers received an assist from Northwest Missouri State this week. Worth County spent its final two days of practice at their facilities. Adwell said there isn’t a true method that can be used when preparing for a state title game.

“Every group is different,” Adwell said. “We have kids on this team that played two years ago, but we also have a lot of kids on this team that didn’t. I’m sure they’ll be nerved up before the game, but once we get going, they’ll settle in and keep the mentality that we fear none but respect all.”