Stadium made history the past 2 years, but is still searching for first state playoffs berth

New coach, new system, but the Stadium High School Tigers have the same drive to win, and are hungry to improve.

The program is looking to continue its strong offensive play under new coach Ronnie Allen, after four-year coach Thomas Ford departed to coach at NCAA Division II Simon Fraser in Burnaby, British Columbia.

“Coach Ford and his staff, they built a great culture here of team leadership,” Allen said.

Under Ford’s direction, Stadium reached the district playoffs in consecutive seasons in 2016 and 2017, posting a winning season in 2016 for the first time since 1993.

Allen is hoping to keep that positive trend going with college recruits in skill positions, such as senior running back Nazje Briscoe (140 carries, 1,370 yards, 17 touchdowns in 2017) and senior wide receiver Xavier Mason (66 catches, 1,080 yards, 11 touchdowns).

Mason verbally committed to Sacremento State in July, while Briscoe has an offer from Simon Fraser.

“We have a very seasoned running back with Nazje,” Allen said. “We got a great receiver in Xavier.”

Mason expressed optimism about his team’s chances this season with a new system in play.

“I think we’re going to look pretty good,” he said. “When we know our plays, we’re going to be legit because these plays are different and nice, and I don’t think anyone is going to stop us this year.”

On defense, Stadium has strong players such as senior two-way lineman Bailey Elder, another Division I recruit who has offers from 19 schools, including several in the Big Sky, Ivy League and Pac-12.

Elder was also confident about the new system, giving the Tigers an edge in applying defensive pressure.

“We’re switching to a 3-4 (defensive scheme) this year so I’m going to be playing some more defense,” Elder said. “We’re kind of switching our philosophy a little bit. We’re going to be a blitz-heavy team. We’re going to put a lot of pressure on the quarterback, and hopefully cause a lot of turnovers.”

Briscoe has high expectations for the Tigers, and aspirations of going even further than his previous seasons at Stadium.

“This end goal, honestly this season, is to just I would say go 1-0 each week,” Briscoe said. “In long term, to win a playoff game for the first time in Stadium history.”

The Tigers have never advanced to the state playoffs.

“Honestly, it would mean everything,” Briscoe said. “It would be just something that no one would forget, and it would just be written in the history.”

This story was originally published August 17, 2018 at 3:56 PM.