The Central Tigers went 7-4 in 2024 and made it to the Class A, Division II playoffs.
The Tigers are looking for bigger and better things in 2025, which will begin with a 7 p.m. Friday road game against the Heavener Wolves at Harvey Stadium.
“Going into 2024, we graduated a lot of guys from the previous year, which put several young guys on the field,” Central coach Jeremy Thompson said. “That experience from last year going into this year is going to pay off. We had a great summer with strengthening and conditioning. Coach (Cody) Prater did a good job with them in the weight room. I feel like we have more veteran guys stepping onto the field this year than last year.”
Last year, Braxin Goodson took the quarterback reins from graduating senior Joseph Lee. You will see Goodson back at QB, but not all the time.
“We will look a little bit different,” Thompson said. “(Goodson) is an amazing athlete. He can do a lot of things on a football field. Right now, I’m going to move him around. You’ll see him at quarterback, in the backfield (as a running back) and as a slot receiver. You’re going to see Braxin at a few different spots.”
These moves are going to allow Kiefer Bailey to see some time as the signal caller for the Tigers.
One thing is for certain about Goodson and Bailey.
“You’ll see one or the other (at quarterback),” Thompson said. “Both guys will be on the field at the same time. We’ve always had an athlete at quarterback who can run. Right now, we’ve got a lot of tools and weapons on the field. We’re going to spread the ball around.”
Central will be blessed by key skill position players returning — Ryker Miller, Aiden Smith, Gavin Randolph, Joe Brooks and Aiden Cawhorn. Randolph, Brooks and Cawhown will spearhead the group of wide receivers.
“Right now, we have a lot of speed,” Thompson said. “We have Gavin, Joe and Aiden. We have a new addition, Paitton Merrill — who did good on the basketball floor and is a good athlete — out there as well. Brycen Chandler-Eisman has worked hard, offensively and defensively, and is going to be a force for us at the wide receiver position.”
Miller and Smith, along with Goodson, will be in the offensive backfield for the Tigers.
“We’re using Braxin, Aiden and Ryker,” Thompson said. “We’ve also got Mekko Ariza playing our H-back. (Ariza) was a lineman a year ago, but as we speak he’s back there (at Hback). I’m ready excited about the depth we have on offense at the skill positions. We lost some good ones (to graduation). There’s been a lot of guys step up.”
Braxton Prewett and Leland Kelsey are the two offensive linemen back from last season. They will be joined by several “new guys” — Malachi Bird, Colby Henning and Matthew Berton, who Thompson said, “It’s now their turn.”
Most of these aforementioned offensive linemen are going to have to go both ways as defensive lineman as well for the Tigers.
There is one more individual Thompson is excited about being a part of the defensive lineman group — Mason Blalock.
“I’m super excited about (Blalock),” he said. “He’s going to be a senior. He’s been working hard as a defensive lineman at the nose (guard) position for us for a long time. Mason has stepped up. He’s earned it. This is his time to get on the field. He’ll be in that defensive line rotation, too.”
The Tigers have good depth among their linebackers.
“Meeko (Ariza) is a linebacker,” Thompson said. “Leland Kelsey will be there. At inside linebacker, we have Meeko, Leland and Aiden Smith. Those three are a great rotation at any point in time. At outside linebacker, We have Ryker Miller, Joe Brooks and Brycen Chandler-Eisman. I expect Brycen to step up big for us on that side (defense). I wouldn’t call him a new arrival, but Kaw-Liga Lewis is a freshman, who is 6-1 and 190. I feel like with his size, I think, defensively, I look to see him getting on the field and getting in that outside linebacker rotation. We’re excited about having him. Depth goes a long way. We really have a good combination at the right spots. I think our depth is better at the linebacker positions.”
Goodson, Bailey and Randolph will spearhead the defensive backfield for the Tigers.
Here are the members of the 2025 Central Tigers football team. Front row, from left — Paitton Merrill, Braxin Goodson, Ethan Perez, Ryker Miller, Duke Caughman, Clayton Jones, Mekko Ariza, Leland Kelsey, Braxton Prewett, Dawson Walters, Dakota Jackson and Mason Blalock. Second row — Manager Sarah Buchanan, Malachi Bird, Matthew Berton, Colby Henning, Gavin Randolph, Rowan Contente, Brycen Chandler-Eisman, Joe Brooks, Chandler Winkworth and manager Haley Callahan. Third row — Grady Taylor, David Turner, Aiden Cawhorn, Aiden Smith, Kiefer Bailey and Kage Poindexter. Fourth row — Justice Sayre, Muhammad Salar, Ian Greer, Jace Money, Kaw-Liga Lewis, Mason Louthan, Riley Walters and filmer Jayson Standige. Back row — Coaches Scott Chapman, Paul Whitley, Jeremy Thompson, Garrett Caughman and Cody Prater.
