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The Green Forest Tigers won four football games in 2023. While that might sound like a modest total, it was the most for Green Forest in a decade.
Now, the Tigers seem primed for more.
Heading into their fifth season under head coach Greg Tibbitt, the Tigers have experience. They have talent. And now they seem to have depth.
“It’s been our best summer since I’ve been here,” said Tibbitt, whose first season at Green Forest was 2020. “We have some expectations, and the kids have risen to that challenge.”
As of Monday, July 22, Tibbitt said there were 52 players on the Green Forest roster, with regular daily participation of 35. Among those, Tibbitt said, are “eight or nine starters” on each side of the ball.
In the backfield, senior Ridge Gordon-Swofford has been the focal point of the Tigers’ offense the past two seasons. Gordon-Swofford topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark last season and scored two touchdowns as Green Forest beat Berryville 16-6 in the Carroll County Super Bowl to finish the season.
Gordon-Swofford gives the Tigers a bruising inside run game. He’ll be joined this fall by sophomore Ywa Hay Moo, whose speed could give Green Forest a potent outside threat.
Senior Mason Meador, who took over at quarterback early last season, is entrenched as the starter heading into the fall.
“Barring injury, it’s Mason’s job,” Tibbitt said. “We’ve gone to the Shotgun and he’s had a really good summer.”
Senior Brityn Gilliam will likely be one of Meador’s top targets as a receiver and also is a solid defensive back for the Tigers.
Green Forest has plenty of experience up front on both offense and defense.
Senior Isiah Lopez, a two-way tackle, is a threeyear starter for the Tigers. Juniors Luis Bathen and Aksel Ochoa both started last season as sophomores.
“We’re going to be big up front, and strong,” Tibbitt said.
Moo is part of a talented group of sophomores who add depth for Green Forest.
“The young kids have kind of stepped up,” Tibbitt said.
Tibbitt is optimistic that Green Forest can compete in the rugged 4A-1 conference after a steady building process over the past few seasons.
“Hopefully, those baby steps will start to pay off,” he said. “We’ve kind of been down around the bottom. Now, we feel like we have a chance to be in the middle and maybe compete for a playoff spot.”
The Tigers will travel to Siloam Springs for a scrimmage on Aug. 23 before opening the regular season on Aug. 30 at Hollister.
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