By By Adam Robinson
Sports Editor
Today is the day that T.R. Miller Tiger football players, coaches and fans have been waiting for and Tiger head coach Jamie Riggs wants to win the game.
At 5 p.m. in Montgomery at the Cramton Bowl, the Tigers of Brewton will take on 2008 3A state champion Leeds Green Wave.
Riggs said that this past week as been pretty much like a regular game week minus the days being different.
Riggs said he has been really pleased with the way his team has prepared, but when asked whether the goal was to go out and win the game, or practice, or play a lot of people, Riggs said it was all of the above.
Riggs also said that the game neither makes nor breaks the Tigers season, but he believes that between this game and the game next week against Escambia County, his team will learn some things about themselves in a hurry.
Last year, the Tigers missed the chance to play Leeds in the class 3A state championship game in Birmingham as the Tigers lost to Cordova in the semifinals. Leeds went on to beat Cordova to win their first championship in school history.
Riggs said Leeds quarterback (No. 10, Rush Perkins) a 5-9, 160 lb. senior, is an excellent player and was the MVP of the state championship game last year.
The Green Wave shut out eight of their 15 opponents last season and gave up only 66 points all season while scoring 571 points and going 15-0. Of the seven opponents that scored, three were held to seven points or less with the most coming against Cordova in the finals at 21 points.
Riggs said that the defense lost 2/3 of the players on defense, but they are just being replaced with people who are not as experienced.
As far as his team, Riggs said he thinks they are on pace to do what they want to do.
Health-wise for the team, Riggs said Dakota Shultz would be out with a hamstring injury.
Riggs added that he needs a good crowd to follow the team Saturday to Montgomery.
T.R. Miller and Leeds will tangle in the Champions Challenge at 5 p.m. today in Montgomery.