No one from across the state is happier to start district play than the Many Tigers.

While Many has dominated almost all of its competition in the last decade, district play has been a place in which the Tigers have been especially dominant.

Many has won 39 straight district games and 10 straight district titles.

The Tigers (0-5) enter district play looking for their first win of the season when they head to Lakeside (5-0) on Friday at 7 p.m.

These two programs find themselves on the opposite ends of their usual spectrums.

Many is usually vying for the No. 1 seed in their respective playoff bracket, while Lakeside is typically a team on the playoff bubble needing to make a run in the back half of the season.

But a young Tigers squad is rebuilding after losing 26 seniors from a quarterfinals squad in coach Dillon Barrett’s first season.

Lakeside coach John Ware has remade the Warriors in his hard-nosed image in his first season. The Warriors’ five wins match or surpass their regular-season win totals since 2018 (six wins).
Lakeside did win five contests in 2022.

Before a 26-22 win against Montgomery this past week, Lakeside’s first four wins have been by at least 15 points, including a 32-14 win against Arcadia to begin the season.

Lakeside built a 19-0 lead against Montgomery before fumbling on the goal line, which sparked a Montgomery rally that made the game competitive again.

It’s the first time in program history that Lakeside has started 5-0.

It’s certainly the first time in a long time that Many has suffered an 0-5 beginning for a program that’s been to six state championship games and won three since 2013.

Many suffered through a 69-7 defeat at the hands of Class 5A Alexandria Senior High, which built a 41-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Tigers hope to rekindle the good vibes of their historic district performance.

Before the visit to ASH, Many’s offense showed marked improvement with point totals of 35 and 40 points in its previous two outings against Leesville and St. Mary’s.

But the defense has allowed 40 points or more four times this season, including 60-plus in its last three games.

Lakeside is a new member to District 3-2A and might not have the “fear” of the Many name on the front of the jersey.

Many must rebuild its foundation one brick at a time, and the Tigers aim to lay that first brick this week in district play.