Deshler tops Russellville in season opener
Deshler senior Garrett Reid is well-known for his on-the-field craftiness by fans of Tiger athletics.
Reid performed a hidden ball trick to get an out as part of Deshler’s state championship series during baseball season.
Those skills were put to work again Friday night when the Tigers found themselves down 14-7 to long-time rival Russellville in the 2025 varsity football season opener.
A red zone touchdown by Brady McKinney put Deshler a point after away from tying the contest.
But head coach Patrick Malone said after the game that he knew the Deshler offense was moving the ball well during the drive, and the Russellville defense had several players with their hands on their knees looking tired.
So, Malone made the call to go for two. With only 2:41 remaining in the contest, the conversion attempt would likely decide the outcome. And it did.
Quarterback Price Thornton threw a backwards pass to Reid in the flat. It looked as if Reid was set to make a double pass, but instead he pump faked and created enough space to run into the end zone.
The Tigers led the Golden Tigers 15-14, in what would turn out to be the final score.
Deshler hosted Russellville at Howard Chappell for the 99th overall meeting of the two, dating back to Oct. 5, 1923, a 38-0 victory for the team from Tuscumbia.
Russellville had won the last two meetings of the teams.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Malone told the Deshler radio crew after the game. “There were a lot of doubts about how we would perform tonight. We had a great turnout by great fans who support us.”
The radio crew said both sides of the stadium were packed for the contest, with people standing and lining the fence around the field.
The Golden Tigers looked to get off to a hot start by returning the opening kickoff, but it was called back due to a penalty.
Russellville still managed to end the drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass, with the PAT making it 7-0 early in the opening quarter.
Deshler did not take long to answer, however, as Thornton took the Tigers’ first snap from scrimmage 71 yards to the end zone.
Tripp Brooks knotted the game at 7-7 by sailing the point after through the uprights.
Brycen Williams ended the next Golden Tiger possession with an interception, but a fumble by the Tigers gave the ball back.
Russellville would get lucky on its next possession when a short pass bounced off one receiver right into the hands of another in the end zone for a touchdown.
The Golden Tigers ended a long first quarter up 14-7.
The teams traded possessions across two scoreless quarters before Dayton Sanford made an interception to give Deshler possession at its own 36-yard line.
The drive stalled at midfield as the Russellville defense forced a turnover on downs.
The Golden Tigers moved the ball to the opposing 21-yard line but were held to a field goal attempt.
The kick was no good, and the Tigers found life for the first time since the first quarter.
The drive ended in the go-ahead conversion, giving Deshler its first lead of the game at 15-14.
The Golden Tigers had one final chance to put a drive together and regain the lead, but a sack by Sanford after a bad snap left Russellville with a long fourth and 27.
A pass and catch made it close to the line to gain, but Williams tackled the receiver just short of the first down.
Deshler need only go into victory formation form there, and the Tigers earned their 400th home victory at Howard Chappel Stadium.
“Credit our defensive staff,” Malone said. “They were making some great adjustments early on. I’m tremendously proud of our character. I’m proud of our community and Deshler football.”
The Tigers, now 1-0, will begin Class 4A, Region 7 play by hosting Hatton on Aug. 29.
This will be the first game of the 2025 season for the Hornets, who topped the Tigers 28-21 in the first-ever meeting of the two teams on the gridiron last year.
The game ended up having playoff implications, and each win counts in a nine-team region.
