It was a little more than two years ago when Ricky May arrived on campus as the Tigers new head football coach. And since that time, all he has done is to guide the Tigers to what will be three straight playoffs appearances. And now add to that list, two straight undefeated conference seasons if the Tigers can defeat Lavaca tonight at Alumni Field. Oh, and if that is not enough, add a perfect 10-0 record this year if the Tigers defeat the Arrows tonight. Not bad….not bad at all.
Coach May would be the first person to read this and to tell me that it is not about him, but rather about the kids and the program. He would also be very quick to pass credit along to his assistant coaches. But over the course of the past three seasons, I have had the privilege to get to know Coach May, and he has become one of the coaches in this state that I admire the most. In fact, in open disclosure to our readers, I consider him a dear friend. I have tremendous respect for not only his coaching ability, but the man himself. He is a man of strong Christian faith, and he does not attempt to hide it. He is the type of person and high quality coach I would want my own son to play for. That is the biggest compliment I know to give to any coach.
So tonight, the Charleston Tigers and their coach go for a perfect, undefeated season. And, again, Charleston should win at home tonight in front of the Tigers faithful. But a perfect season, especially with Charleston’s tough strength of schedule in the non-conference portion where it plays three tough 4A teams, is quite a feat.
It is a challenge to keep a teen of young teenagers focused from week-to-week for ten weeks. But I go back to May’s first year where he inherited a team that was decimated by injuries, and somehow, he kept the team together, playing hard, and into the playoffs. I have joked with him, telling him that year may have been his best coaching job.
A Charleston victory tonight will wrap-up an undefeated, conference championship in 3A-1, and will see the Tigers play at home next week as the conference’s top seed going into the state playoffs. I look for Charleston to make noise in the playoffs this year. They will have home field advantage, and this year’s Tigers team has playoff experience from last year when they went two rounds deep into the tournament. Charleston was placed into the toughest quadrant of the tournament last year, and this year, it appears the path may be more favorable to the Tigers.
Charleston cannot overlook the Golden Arrows tonight. They are well-coached and will come into the town with nothing to lose. Lavaca will play hard against the Tigers. and Charleston will have to take care of business to put a bow on an undefeated season. I expect Charleston, a well-disciplined team under Coach May, to do exactly that, and celebrate at the end of the game having gone a perfect 10-0.
Resident Press will have a recap of this game as well as a first round state playoff preview next week. But until then, dress warm, and go out and celebrate the Tigers being perfect in 2021!
