While the 2019 Golden Eagles football season was far from a successful one on the scoreboard or in the record books, many positive things did occur this season.  Despite a disappointing 2-8 record, the 2019 team showed resiliency throughout the season.

Under Head Coach John Franco, who returned to Tyrone this season after a seven year gap, the underclassmen players are hoping to build on that never-quit attitude and are already looking forward to next year.

“This year we laid groundwork for the next teams coming up. I didn’t want to sacrifice the senior class this year. I tried everything I could to give them a good season they deserved but that just didn’t happen.  However, the groundwork we laid is going to keep building and keep getting better for the next few years to come,” said Franco.

One of the biggest challenges that this year’s team faced was a rash of injuries to key players. None was more damaging to the team than the loss of junior Tommy Hicks to a broken leg in the second game of the season against Central.

“The first game we held our own, it came down to the wires and I feel like that set the tone for the rest of the season. Since the second game injuries were a killer and I think that had a big impact on the team overall. Other than that we balled out and I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” said Hicks.

While many teams might have backed away from games when faced with this adversity, the 2019 Golden Eagles team charged into it head on, and despite the losses, made plays the rest of the season.

“We never put together two halves. In a lot of games we gave teams a run for their money and made them play tight against us. But in the end we just never put together two halves the entire season,” said senior Brandon Homan.

Most games started or ended strong, but the team overall didn’t play to its potential for an entire game.

While the team this year was great at bouncing back and staying in it, the underclassman are hungry for a chance to put Tyrone back at the top of the Mountain League.

For the current juniors, next season will be their last chance to have a winning season. With major play makers on offense and defense returning, the new team has already started to get ready.

Tyrone’s future success depends on how well the underclassman they can carry the torch and get Tyrone football back on the map. The strength of the team was brought into question this year, especially for many of the linemen, going against opponents twice their size.

Senior offensive and defensive lineman Kaleb Snook is challenging the lineman to make the best of the off-season and hit the weight room hard.

“The line needs to improve overall. Next year I have zero clue what it’s gonna look like. It could change in a heart beat, new kids could come in, but we all need to be in the thousand pound club this year if we want to have a successful line.  It can’t be two people – it has to be all of them.”

Junior Brandon Lucas was one of the bright spots this season. Lucas is already looking forward to his senior season. “I think we’re bringing back a lot of talent everywhere  and I think we should go far, as long as everyone puts in the off season work,” said Lucas.

Junior Defensive End Alex Weaver agreed.

“I hope to see more people in the weight room and more people getting bigger and stronger if everyone really wants it as much as they claim,” said Weaver,  “I also hope to see more big kids come out for football and join the team.”

Despite their losing record, senior tight end and linebacker Broc Zimmerman had fun during his high school football career and is confident that the underclassman will bring Tyrone back to the win column next year.

“While I’m gonna miss this season, I really hope the next few years to come make Tyrone football a team to really be scared of again.”