A Promising Start
Salem’s football program has quietly turned a corner, posting a 4‑7 record that marks the third straight season of incremental improvement and the highest win total the Tigers have recorded since the 2020 campaign that produced six victories.
Head coach Neal Myers has made it clear that the team’s philosophy is simple: each game is an opportunity to get better, and the cumulative effect of those small gains is what fuels the program’s momentum.
Returning standouts such as Sylis Dubois, who earned second‑team all‑conference honors at running back last year and now takes over as quarterback, and Brody Ray, also an all‑conference running back, give the offense a dynamic core.
The offensive scheme is built around an explosive, versatile attack that can strike from any angle, with tailbacks Paxton Deason, Will Land and Ryan Cunningham sharing carries and tight ends Max Schloemer and Ryan Halinar providing reliable targets.
Defensively, Salem will continue to run a 4‑2‑5 front, a scheme that has proven relentless, and nine players return from the previous year. Key contributors include Titus White, who earned second‑team all‑conference honors on the defensive line, and Drake Smith, an honorable‑mention linebacker who will anchor the second level alongside Ray and the Halinar brothers.
The Tigers will host a jamboree on August 21 against Cuba, St. James, Lutheran South and Jefferson R‑7, followed by a home opener on August 28 versus St. James, as they aim to peak during district play and turn a winning season into a reality.