At first glance, the 2022-23 football season looks like another disappointing season for the Tigers.

The team went winless throughout the season for the second year in a row.

While for some, 0-10 has become a familiar feeling, that sentiment is newer, as the school holds 30 state football titles overall, a record. The final two came in the ‘03 and ‘04 seasons under head coach Bernie Cox. 

The team dominated the state for many decades, holding a state title in every decade in the 1900s until the ‘90s. 

However, as nostalgic as football fans can be, it’s hard to ignore the shortcomings of the team in recent years.

Since the hiring of Coach George Shelton in March 2021, the team has been winless through two seasons, with a record of 0-20.

One problem seems to be conditioning. The team seemed to hold on in the first few drives of some games, while even striking first against North Little Rock on Sept. 23 with a safety, before eventually losing the game 53-8.

The team seems to be a talented football team for the first few drives of some games, but eventually be outlasted in the end. The ending results of most games do not depict the grit and grind of this team, who appears to be tough and strong, at least at the beginning of games.

However, a football game is not one quarter. A four quarter game requires you to be able to physically and mentally handle the pressure and fatigue that comes in short bursts during a football game.

Central is a large school, competing in the 7A Central conference; but with quantity comes more pressure and harder teams. Five of the ten teams the Tigers played this season are currently ranked in SBLive Arkansas’s Power 25 high school football rankings. These teams include Little Rock Christian, 14th, Bentonville West, 9th, Conway, 3rd, Cabot, 2nd, and Bryant, 1st. Four of these Five teams are in the 7A classification with the Tigers, and the top three teams in the state play in 7A Central with the team.

The school has, however, seen improvement over the last two seasons.

The team scored 92 points overall this season, an improvement from last season’s 70 points overall, with their closest game coming against Pine Bluff, losing 36-38.