The Charleston High School football Tigers this year will seek to punch their ticket to a fourth straight state championship game appearance, a feat unmatched in any sport in school history.
In four seasons of action under head coach LaDon Taylor, the Tigers went 1-2 in state title games, winning just the second state crown in school history. The first, a 34-8 beatdown of Hazlehurst, came in 2011 under then head coach Tony Vance.
In 2024, the Tigers (12-3) won their region and North State 2A for a third consecutive year before falling in the state title game, 38-6, to Heidelberg in a rematch of the 2023 state championship contest that was won by Charleston (13-2) by a final score of 26-22.
In 2022, CHS (11-4) dropped the state title game to Scott Central, 42-12.
Charleston previously appeared in three consecutive state title games under head coach Scott Martin in 2014, 2015 and 2016, losing the three by a cumulative total of 14 points.
The 2025 Tigers have a new head coach, Rasheed DeBerry, who for several years had served as the team's defensive coordinator before Taylor stepped aside this past offseason.
To reach the ultimate goal, the Tigers must navigate a revamped schedule that includes four teams they did not face a year ago — DeSoto Central (6-5), Mobile Christian (3-7), Leland (2-7) and J.Z. George (2-7) — and a new region lineup that after realignment includes J.Z. George, M.S. Palmer (2-10) and the familiar Northside, who at 10-4 finished as last year's runner-up to Charleston.
Charleston kicks off the 2025 season on Sept. 5 by hosting the North Panola Cougars (2-8) at Tiger Stadium, where fans will notice new fencing and a brand new track surface. CHS defeated North Panola 34-14 in 2024.
Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.
