NHS preparing for Silver Tiger Game like any other week

Diehard Nevada High School football fans might be upset when they first hear it, but the 2021 Tigers are preparing for Friday night’s clash with Lamar like it’s any other game.

When those same fans find out why, though, they should feel even better about their favorite team’s chances.

“I’m not a big rivalry guy,” admitted NHS head coach Wes Beachler, whose team is 3-0 entering this year’s Silver Tiger Game (as is Lamar). “People have told me, ‘They’re going to dig down a little extra for Lamar.’ Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa. If they’re digging down a little extra for Lamar, are they not going to give that much against Monett next week? I’d have a problem with that.”

It’s a mentality shared by every senior on the team — each of whom was in diapers the last time Nevada beat Lamar.

“You’ve got to approach it like any other game,” senior center Jackson Dryer said. “We don’t want to be saying that we’re going to grind a little more against Lamar, because we should be doing that for every other team.”

Still, Dryer admitted it’s a goal to beat Lamar in his final opportunity.

“It’ll be fun. There’s going to be a lot of people here. This is for the Silver Tiger. We want to bring Oscar home,” he said.

Nevada owns the better series record, 37-24-2, since the first Silver Tiger Game on Thanksgiving day 1933 — but has not beaten Lamar since 2004. The two teams did not play each other between 2006-2017, and Lamar has won it each year since it resumed in 2018. Last year, Lamar won the Class 2 state title.

But the two teams are eerily similar in 2021, and not just because of the identical records. They each run a similar offense and defense, and even their quarterbacks have the same last name (Beshore).

“Of course, we’re familiar with them. They’re familiar with us,” Beachler said. “The people in town have elevated the game to them a little bit just talking about it. For a lot of these guys, it’s another Big 8 opponent. One of our goals is to be Big 8 West Conference champions. This is another step in that direction. If we can get this one, that puts us one up on Cassville and Lamar, and that’d be pretty big.

“Our senior leadership’s been real good, and they understand that the biggest task at hand is who we’re playing this Friday night. They don’t get overly caught up in a lot of that. They’re caught up in playing well no matter who we play.”