There are not very many teams in the 3A that the mighty Charleston Tigers consider as their rivals. Booneville has been a solid series for the Tigers, and Mansfield keeps pushing Charleston to the limits, but they’re not really rivals for Charleston. The history isn’t there in those games. The decades of bad blood aren’t there. But if you drive down Highway 22 just west of Charleston, you find the town of Lavaca. Now, Lavaca, that’s a true rival for Charleston.
The last time Charleston fell to the Golden Arrows was in 2006. Even though the Tigers have owned the Golden Arrows in most every matchup, the Battle of HWY 22 is still one of the hottest tickets in the 3A-1. Both teams rolled into the game with a single conference loss, scaring their records, so on paper, the rivalry game could have been a good one. The scoreboard isn’t a piece of paper, though, and Charleston again cruised past Lavaca with a 42-0 Highway 22 shutout.
Charleston didn’t waste any time getting on the board against their rivals as Garred Smithson took the ball 30 yards to set up a Tigers touchdown. The extra point was no good, but Charleston had plenty in the tank to make up for an extra point. Quarterback Carter Little hit Garred Smith soon after for another score from 9 yards out. Again, the extra point attempt was no good, but still not a problem. Busted coverage by Lavaca’s defense gave Carter Little another shot downfield this time to Maddix Terry for a 67-yard touchdown.
With an 18-0 score in the first quarter, Charleston aimed to put the game away before halftime. That meant it was Bryson Wibbing time. Carter Little found Wibbing on a short hitch route, and the rest was all Wibbing as he twisted and turned his way free through the Golden Arrows’ defense for a 74-yard score. It didn’t take long from there for Charleston to set the mercy rule against the Golden Arrows as the teams entered halftime with Charleston owning a 35-0 lead. The second half was all Charleston as their second string racked up another 12 points on the Golden Arrows while their defense stuffed every target Lavaca shot for to end the game with a 42-0 victory.
Offensively, the Tigers were the epitome of balance. Quarterbacks Carter Little and Lukas Burleson completed a combined 13 of 15 passes to seven different receivers. The passes went for a total of 250 combined yards and three touchdowns. Coincidentally, seven different players rushed the ball in the game to gain 234 total yards and two scores. But Charleston didn’t just play an offensive game; their defense is what pitched the shutout. The Tigers’ defense sacked Lavaca’s quarterback four times and created eight tackles for loss in the game. Sixteen total Tigers got in on the defensive action, too, showing Charleston’s depth on their roster.
Charleston will revel in their victory for a short period and then begin to prepare for a trip to Cedarville. While the Tigers will be focused on their upcoming game at Pirates Cove, they will also have another game etched in their mind. Mansfield versus Booneville. The Tigers aren’t completely out of the 3A-1 Championship conversation, and the winner of the Mansfield and Booneville game will be the fate sealer. If Mansfield wins, they will almost have a lock on the 3A-1. But if Booneville is victorious, then Charleston has a shot at creating a three-way tie the following week when they host the Bearcats.
