Week 1 preview: Valley seeks 3rd straight win over Wawasee

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Tippecanoe Valley at Wawasee, 7 p.m.

Tippecanoe Valley will start their 49th season of football by playing their 500th game in school history.

However, this is just their third game against Kosciusko County rival Wawasee, a team they had never played prior to 2021. Valley has kicked off the rivalry by winning the first two meetings by a combined score of 68-7.

It also ended their drought in season openers. Prior to adding Wawasee to the schedule, Valley had not won a season opener since 2021.

Wawasee is coming off back-to-back 1-9 seasons, and they have not had a winning season since 2014. Their only win in each of the last two seasons was against Plymouth.

The Valley 4-3 defense will try to corral returning quarterback Mason Shoemaker and top returning rusher Brandon Kelly.

Offensively, Valley scored 62 touchdowns from scrimmage last year – 50 rushing, 12 passing. Players who graduated accounted for only five of those 62 touchdowns.