A great way to open up the Playoff season for the Thun Tigers as they defeated the visitors from Lugano by a big score. The visitors had to 
come four hours by bus to take on the purple clad Tigers on their home pitch at Lachenstadion on the banks of Lake Thun.
The Tigers were just too much for the tired Rebels from the canton of Ticino. The defense stopped the opening drive and forced a short punt giving the Tigers good field position to start. It only took a few plays and Thun had jumped out to a lead.
This pattern continued throughout the first half as the outmanned 
Rebels were unable to mount any serious attack on the Thun defense. The visitors also found out that there was little they could do to stop the 
versatile and well balanced Tiger offense.
Nic continued with his outstanding season under center with his accurate throwing and timely scrambles – pushing the home team to a big halftime lead. Lugano just had no answer for the three-headed monster that is the Tiger running 
game. Timeo, Noah and Luca were just unstoppable carving out huge chunks of yardage everywhere on the field.
The receivers were also very active with everyone chipping in catches and key blocks everywhere. To say the offensive line was good would be understating the power they show on the field. Mathieu and Marcel have coached these guys to play at a high level and they do.
Defensively the Tigers were just stifling … Albin’s crew completely closed off a pretty good offensive group that did a good job of utilizing formations to try and confuse our defense. But that just wasn’t going to 
happen with our two experienced safeties – Renato and Daniel making adjustments and insuring that we were aligned correctly throughout the game.
Albin has great support with his defensive coaches – Toni and Rolph. They help their 
positions throughout the game and free him up to concentrate on calling the game.
Really the Tiger defense chipped in with several big plays – interceptions, sacks, fumbles and solid tackling. Plus, a blocked punt that resulted in a touchdown.
Honestly, just a very solid team win from beginning to end!
***
A really neat thing about coaching football is you make friends everywhere. A few years ago I assisted coaching the Swiss Junior National Team in the European regional championships in The Netherlands. It was a tremendous experience.
Now, on the Lugano team there were two players who played for the Swiss Junior National team and they contributed to a big win against the Dutch in Amsterdam! After the game we had a great visit. Also reconnected with one of the talented Rebel receivers (who by the way is a plastic surgeon in his real life)!
It was fun to see our players on the Tigers who also played on that Junior National team of Switzerland see their old friends who played for Lugano. We may be opponents on the field – but there is no doubt about our close friendship we developed a few years ago!
***
Although I am scheduled to leave before the next playoff game a week 
from now – this team is destined to continue on their march forward. They play with great passion
and have a great sense of togetherness as a team. This community can certainly be proud of the Tigers.
I have learned so much from the entire Tiger organization – the club management, coaches and players of the U16, U19 and the big guys of the “Erste Mannschaft!” Just been a great experience!
As Ric Flair would exclaim “Whoooo!”
A few more days in my second homeland and it will be time to start some new (mis)adventures. As the late great Jerry Jeff Walker had said … “Just 
keep on for keepin on!” No doubt that that is going to happen!
Just “Keep On!”