ARLEY – Since 2013, the Meek Tigers have made a steady climb in being victorious on the gridiron.
From three wins in 2013, the Tigers raised the bar and got five victories in 2014. The progress continued in 2015 with a 7-4 record, just falling a point short to Decatur Heritage in the first round of the AHSAA Class 1A playoffs.
Decatur Heritage would go on to a semifinal berth for the first time. The 29-28 victory against Meek served as a stepping stone for the Eagles to make a serious run through the postseason for the first time.
Seeing their win total climb the past three seasons, the Tigers are looking for more in 2016.
Reclassification by the athletic association has Lance Archer's Tigers in Region 7 this season after spending the past two years fighting it out with opponents in Region 6.
Meek was 3-3 in the regional standings last season, good enough to punch a ticket to the playoffs for the first time in three years.
The Tigers see a different group of opponents in regional play with Decatur Heritage now joining them in Region 7. Before the Tigers get into the regional segment of the schedule, Archer and his group will spend the first two Friday nights on the road.
Meek opens the season Aug. 19 at Phillips High in Bear Creek. The Tigers shut out the Bears last season 28-0.
On Aug. 26, the Tigers journey into Fayette County to play the Hubbertville Lions. Hubbertville was a regional foe the past two years. Last season, the Lions came to Arley and squeezed out a 10-6 victory.
The home opener is also the regional opener for the Tigers on Sept. 2. It's a battle with county rival Lynn. The Tigers tore apart the Bears last year by the margin of 70-7.
Decatur Heritage and the Tigers battle in the River City on Sept. 9. It will be the first time the two schools play in a regular season contest.
A pair of non-regional games will be coming to Meek Stadium in the middle of September. The Tigers host Gaylesville on the 16th and get the Vina Red Devils from Franklin County the 23rd.
After that, the rest of the season for the Tigers will be regional games. Meek entertains R.A. Hubbard Sept. 30 then starts the first weekend of October with a game at A.G. Hicks Stadium vs. the Addison Bulldogs.
County rival Addison is back to 1A this year after the past two seasons competing in Class 2A. Meek is trying to end 10 consecutive victories by Addison. The last time the Tigers walked off the field with a triumph over the Bulldogs was 2002 when they produced a 9-0 final score.
The Tigers battle Southeastern out of Blount County on Oct. 14 and see the regular season come to a climax on the 21st with a regional game at Sumiton Christian in Walker County.
A strong second half in 2015 propelled the Tigers to the playoffs as they won five of their last six games, carried a three-game winning streak to the playoffs and produced 142 points in that span.
This will be Archer's seventh season in command of the Tigers.
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