The Commerce Tigers will look to get back in the win column Friday night when they travel to Mount Vernon for another important district matchup.
Commerce (4-3) is coming off a 35-22 loss to second-ranked Malakoff, a game that featured explosive plays from running back Ky'Mani Graham but also exposed some of the Tigers' offensive struggles.
During this week's edition of Tiger Chat on KETR's The Lede, Tigers play-by-play announcer Kevin Jefferies said there were reasons for optimism despite the defeat.
Commerce quarterback Aiden Brown had an unusually difficult outing, completing just one of nine passes for negative two yards. Still, the Tigers remained within striking distance for portions of the game.
"Commerce still looked reasonably competitive for much of the game," Jefferies said. "I feel like if Commerce plays a little better, they're competitive in that."
Graham provided two of the game's biggest highlights, including a 99-yard touchdown run and a 95-yard kickoff return for a score. He finished with 163 rushing yards.
Jefferies said the Tigers have demonstrated the talent to compete with strong opponents, but turnovers, penalties and inconsistent execution have prevented them from reaching their potential.
"Commerce has been plagued with some turnovers and some penalties in each game," he said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining discipline and composure.
Mount Vernon presents another challenge
The Mount Vernon Tigers enter Friday's contest with a 5-1 record and a balanced offensive attack.
Quarterback Jackson Gray has thrown for 859 yards and nine touchdowns, while running back Bryson Fountain has accumulated 770 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Receiver Brayden Baker leads the team's receiving corps with 222 yards and four touchdowns.
Mount Vernon's only loss came against Canton, which also defeated Commerce earlier this season.
Jefferies expects a competitive matchup between two teams looking to establish momentum in district play.
"Mount Vernon is a very well-balanced team," he said. "They can throw, they can run, they're good on defense. It's a good squad overall."
With district leaders Malakoff and Winnsboro also facing each other Friday, the Commerce-Mount Vernon matchup could have significant implications for the remainder of the district schedule.
Establishing the running game
For Commerce, Jefferies believes the path to victory begins with establishing Graham as a consistent rushing threat.
A productive ground game could create additional opportunities for Brown, whose ability to run makes him one of Commerce's most dangerous offensive weapons.
Defensively, Jefferies would like to see more pressure from the Tigers' front seven, potentially reducing the workload on key players who contribute on both sides of the football.
"Get your basic running game going, and you get pressure with your front seven, and you start from there," he said.
Commerce visits Mount Vernon Friday, October 16, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Kevin Jefferies and Ryan Fulkerson will have the call on Eighty-eight-nine, K-E-T-R, with pregame coverage beginning at 6 p.m.
Listeners can also hear the complete Tiger Chat conversation from this week's edition of The Lede.
