Especially in the past couple of decades, the Charleston High School Tigers have had a superb varsity football resume in state athletic Class 3A.
Since 2001, CHS had earned a reputation as a perennial 3A contender by qualifying for the state playoffs 18 consecutive years, winning more than a dozen region championships and appearing in six state championship games, where they were victorious in 2011.
The list goes on.
Yet, despite their many successes in 3A, Charleston has no skins on the wall as a member of Class 2A, where because of a drop in student enrollment they now find themselves for the first time.
“2A football is really good around this area,” observed CHS head coach Scott Martin, starting his seventh year at the helm of the Black and Gold. “We have to prepare each week and be ready, because there’s going to be some good competition.”
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The Tigers are coming off an 11-3 season that ended in a home quarterfinals playoff loss.
During this offseason, Charleston topped Class 5A powerhouse Lake Cormorant in a spring scrimmage and participated in summer 7-on-7 tournaments at Bruce, Memphis and Mississippi State, finishing third at MSU.
Last Friday, CHS dropped a 21-6 decision to Class 6A Oxford High in a jamboree contest in Lafayette County.
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The Tigers return seven starters on both sides of the ball — including the entire offensive line — which has Martin feeling pretty good about his team’s chances.
“My expectations this year are high,” he noted. “When you’ve got that many returning on offense and defense, you hope you can kind of pick up where you left off.”
Among notable senior returners, according to Martin, are defensive tackle and tight end Alfernee Hankins (6-0, 225); defensive back, quarterback and wide receiver Kristian Gammage (5-9, 166); linebacker and running back Cameron Chambers (6-0, 180); linebacker and running back Ronquavious Greer (6-1); linebacker and tight end Jamar Taylor (6-1, 204); wide receiver Nathan Randolph (6-1, 190); offensive guard and middle linebacker Tyler Tellis (5-11, 202); and center Willie Foster (6-1, 272).
Others include sophomore A.J. Wren (5-7, 168) at wide receiver, strong safety and cornerback; junior Enochius Harris (5-10, 186) at defensive end and tight end; junior Dontavious Cashaw (6-1, 285) at offensive and defensive tackle; junior Lucas Edwards (6-1, 255) at offensive and defensive tackle; and junior Brandon Smith (6-2, 265) at offensive guard and defensive tackle.
Edwards, Tellis, Foster, Smith and Cashaw are the returning O-line starters.
Handling the specialist chores this year will be a pair of returning starters. Bradford will handle the punts and Hankins will be kicking off.
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Martin said Gammage may have the edge as starter at quarterback, although sophomore Chris Bradford (5-10, 149) will be in the mix, too.
“We’ll probably be splitting a lot of time between those two,” the coach said. And because of their athleticism, both also will be on the receiving end of some passes.
“When Chris is at quarterback, Kristian will probably be a receiver, and vice versa,” Martin noted. “They both will be on the field.”
Senior Keyshun Cashaw (5-7, 188) will get the nod at starting running back, sophomore Markevious Prince (5-9, 140) will line up in the slot, Randolph and senior Anthony Harris will set up at wide receiver and Hankins will be the starting tight end.
Martin said he is “excited” about Prince, whom he mentioned as having had good offseason workouts. “I expect him to step up on offense and do some good things,” he said.
However, the coach added, “All of our guys have worked hard. I’m real pleased to see them step it up a notch and have a great work ethic.”
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Among up-and-comers to watch for, the coach noted, are a quartet of sophomores including Clay Taylor (5-9, 133) at wide receiver and safety, Quinterrius Suggs (5-7, 137) at wide receiver and cornerback, JaMicheal Batteast (5-10, 148) at backup center and safety), and Maquarious “Mac” Kimble (5-9, 200) at tackle and defensive end.
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If it could be said that these Tigers have an Achilles’ heel, a case could be made for the defensive backfield.
“We’re kind of lacking there right now,” noted Martin. “Our safeties and corner spots, that’s where we were very young last year. At one time last year we had two freshmen starting at corner. Now we’re breaking in two other guys.”
Because of the relative inexperience in that area, the coach said it was a point of emphasis in the offseason.
“We spent a lot of time this summer working and getting those guys ready to play,” he explained. “We’ve got kids who are practicing hard, and that’s all you can ask for.”
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With their reputation preceding them, the Tigers are one of the Class 2A favorites out of the north.
Like Charleston, M.S. Palmer High School in Marks dropped from 3A to 2A and is in Region 3-2A with CHS.
“One of us is probably going to be picked to win our division this year because we were 3A,” Martin noted.
The Tigers’ schedule this year features a few familiar names and plenty of new ones.
“We always play a tough schedule, and our schedule this year is still tough,” said Martin.
Seven of the 11 squads on Charleston’s 2019 schedule were not there in 2018.
Among the familiar faces on the agenda are cross-county rival West Tallahatchie High School. The Tigers will battle the now Class 1A Choctaws in the season-opener Friday night at 7 in Webb.
“That’s always a good battle between us as in-county rivals,” Martin noted.
The road opener will set the tone for the season, as Charleston has seven games away from the friendly confines of Tiger Stadium.
“We’ve got four home games, which is just a bad draw this year,” the coach said. “That’s just the way the schedule fell. Next year we’ll have seven home games, which will be a big deal.”
The Tigers will also travel to Yazoo County, Senatobia, Scott Central, O’Bannon, Leland and M.S. Palmer.
Charleston will host North Panola — the team that knocked CHS out of the playoffs the past two years — as well as Corinth, North Side (formed by the consolidation of Broad Street High School in Shelby and John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in Mound Bayou), and Coahoma County.
Martin said Scott Central, in Forest, is the defending 2A state champion, which will be a measuring stick of sorts for the Tigers in their new class.
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Coaching responsibilities for the 2019 Tigers fall on the shoulders of eight men.
In addition to being head coach, Martin will serve as offensive coordinator, will coach the offensive line and will help with the defensive line. LaDon Taylor will be the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.
Russ Smith will take oversight of tight ends and defensive ends, Jerry Richardson and Kam Myers will coach wide receivers and defensive backs — Richardson also will coach the QBs — and Rashad Deeberry will hone the running backs and linebackers.
Athletic Director Michael Hargett will be a floater, while former CHS assistant coach Ben Shank will volunteer on an as-needed basis.
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In the final analysis, Martin said the fate of the 2019 Tigers rests in great measure on the play of the offensive and defensive lines.
“Our key is how well are our linemen going to play,” the coach noted. “We’ve got every one of them coming back, so my expectations are high. Defense is the same way. My expectations are high for our defensive front and linebackers. Our linebackers are returning and our ends are coming back. Our defense is built on those guys and our offense is built on the offensive line.”
Martin’s emphasis on the performance of his linemen is a reflection of his deeply rooted belief that the success or failure of a football team begins in the trenches.
“I think that’s where you win championships, up front,” he noted. “If you can control the line of scrimmage, that means you can run the ball. If you can control the line of scrimmage on defense, that means you can stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback.”
Martin said his expectations this year are “to go deep in the playoffs and, hopefully, make a run to the state championship like every team wants. I’d be lying if I didn’t think we would, but I think we need to get better and better each week.”
IN THE PHOTO: Pictured is the 2019 Charleston High School Tigers varsity football team. In front (from left) are Alfernee Hankins, Kristian Gammage, Keyshun Cashaw, Cameron Chambers, Chris Bradford, Ronquavious Greer, Jamar Taylor, Markevious Prince, A.J. Wren and Anthony Harris. In the second row (from left) are East Tallahatchie School District Athletic Director Michael Hargett, Clay Taylor, Quinterrius Suggs, JaMicheal Batteast, Rod Obannon, Terrance Hill, Antrekus Drain, Tee Cosby, C.J. Edwards and Tracy Truly. In the third row (from left) are assistant coach Rasheed Deberry, Terrance Marco, Jaylon Brooks, Laderious Drain, Zaron Brooks, Kenthadeas Davis, Korvel Murray, Corterrius Johnson, Quinterius Goliday, Enochius Harris and Tre’marcus Davis and assistant coach Jerry Richardson. In the fourth row (from left) are assistant coach Kam Myers, Dontavious Cashaw, Quintavious Davis, Lucas Edwards, Maquarious Kimble, Tyler Tellis, Zeke Davis, Perry Herron, Jakobe Williams and assistant coach Russ Smith. In back (from left) are head coach Scott Martin, Willie Foster, Demarcus Cashaw, Brandon Smith, Jordan Browley, Kavarrion Brown, Deonte Boyd, Devin Ledford and assistant coach LaDon Taylor. Player Nathan Randolph is not pictured. (Photo by Kelly Paris)
