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The Union County Fightin’ Tigers (9-1) are gearing up for a challenging matchup against the Pahokee Blue Devils (7-3). They will host the second round of the FHSAA Class Rural Championship on Nov. 22.
The Tigers are coming off a dominant 42-20 victory over Holmes County, while Pahokee secured a 42-0 shutout win against Chipley. This sets the stage for a thrilling contest between two teams riding high on momentum.
Keys for Union County
Senior quarterback and linebacker Trenton Klein, a dynamic dual-threat force, is perhaps the star of this Fightin’ Tigers squad. Offensively, Klein has thrown for 21 touchdowns and rushed for five more, averaging roughly 45 rushing yards per game. He also leads the defense with 6.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries, and an average of 7 tackles per game.
During the win over Holmes County, Union County’s success in the trenches contributed the most to their blowout. The Tigers quickly took control of the game and effectively sealed the victory by halftime, leading 20-0.
A potential chink in their armor is turnovers, with Klein throwing two interceptions in the opening playoff game. In a tighter game against a better opponent, costly giveaways can spell doom for any team.
That being said, over 520 yards of offense and stellar defensive efforts are about as good a start as you can ask for. Coach Andrew Thomas spoke on his takeaways from the previous affair.
The Threat of Pahokee
With a deadly capacity to execute on quick deep ball opportunities and a well-coached unit, the Tigers will need to stay on their toes. A specific point of emphasis from Thomas was the need for efficient tackling to limit extra production on a down-to-down basis.
The combined score of their last two games is 69-0, showing the momentum that Union County currently carries. They average 481.7 all-purpose yards per game with a notably dominant rushing core.
