COLUMBIA — Battle senior Dreyton Tyler has picked up where he left off last season as the receiver followed a big junior season by scoring four touchdowns in his first game of his senior season.

A 5’9, 170-pound slot receiver, Tyler helps Battle spread out the field and gives the Spartans’ offense more options, running or throwing the ball.

The team is coming off a 68-14 win in week 1 over Mexico and a 54-26 win over Holt on Friday to improve to 2-0 this season.

“We have a young core with the experience on the field but we are figuring things out quick,” Tyler said. “I’m working on getting quicker with my feet and make my routes faster so that the other three-wide receivers will get open more and quicker.”

Tyler says he has played football for as long as he can remember and first began playing in the Columbia Youth Football League. A fan of both Tavion Austin from West Virginia and De’Anthony Thomas from Oregon, Tyler says his older brother Drew Tyler has been an inspiration in his football career.

“He had a brain injury and a stroke during surgery, so when ever I get on the field I make the most out of it,” he said.

At last report, Tyler did not hold any offers, but had drawn interest from a wide range of college programs, including Western Illinois, Southeast Missouri State, Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State.