New name, new season for Tiger gridders
Sporting a new name, the GO (Genesee Orleans) Tigers will begin Northeastern Football Alliance play Saturday against the Buffalo Gladiators at 5 p.m. at Orchard Park High School.
“We changed our name to better reflect where our players come from Orleans and Genesee counties,” said Tigers owner Harold Suhr.
The GO Tigers (formerly the Lyndonville Tigers) went 8-2 during the regular season and 9-3 overall last year losing in the playoff finals 29-22 to the Troy Fighting Irish.
“It’s going to be a rebuilding season for us,” said Suhr who noted that the Tigers veteran ranks have been depleted by a number of retirements including offensive lineman Tim Conley, defensive lineman Jon Ostrander and linebacker Joey Suhr, as well as the loss of several players to league newcomer the Lockport Rampage.
“We’re very short of veteran players,” said Suhr. “We’ve got a lot of good young kids but it will be a rebuilding year for us.”
The Tigers open their 11th season with three straight road games including at the Gladiators, at the Jamestown Chiefs on June 7 and at Southern Tier Diesel on June 14 before the home opener on June 21 against the WNY Dragons at Pembroke Town Park.
The Tigers other home games include June 28 against the Chiefs, July 26 against the Nickel City Kings and August 23 against the Gladiators.