Back on top: Charleston Tigers hold off Heidelberg to clinch first state title since 2011
OXFORD — For Charleston, the nightmare streak is over.
After falling short in five-straight championship berths, the Tigers built a 12-point halftime lead and held on to beat Heidelberg 26-22 and claim the 2023 MHSAA Class 2A State Championship Friday night at Ole Miss’ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
It was Charleston’s second state title in school history and first state title since 2011.
“We don’t really throw the ball much, but it was there for us to take and Devon (Olive) did a good job of getting the ball to our receivers,” said Charleston coach LaDon Taylor. “Finally got over the hump, and it feels good. Especially after last year, when my dad had a stroke and couldn’t make it. Tonight, I was able to bring him here with me and get a gold ball for him and for these awesome fans we have.”
For a while, it looked like the Tigers (13-2) might turn Friday's championship game into a complete blowout.
Charleston scored on their opening drive of the game, as Olive found Kashwaun Drain on a 11-yard touchdown pass to take an 6-0 lead with 8:06 left in first quarter.
After the Tigers recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Olive hit Deondre Riley on a 14-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead 12-0 with 5:55 left.
But Heidelberg (11-4) fought back, trimming the Charleston lead to 12-6 as quarterback Chase Craft scrambled 65 yards to the end zone with 5:34 on the very next play from scrimmage.
On Charleston’s next possession, quarterback Latese Edwards fumbled at the goal line and Heidelberg’s Alrekus Graves picked up the loose ball and raced 99 yards to the end zone and a successful two-point conversion gave the Oilers a 14-12 lead with 8:01 left in the second quarter.
The Tigers responded as Olive found Omar Wilson on a 23-yard touchdown pass and a successful two-point conversion gave Charleston a 20-14 lead with 5:10 left in the second quarter.
After forcing Heidelberg to punt Marcus Flowers scored on a 15-yard touchdown run to extend the Charleston lead to 26-14 with 25 seconds left in the first half.
After no score in third quarter, Heidelberg cut the Charleston lead down to 26-22 on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Craft to Julius Bradley with 10:28 left in the fourth quarter.
On their final drive and on fourth down Craft’s pass fell incomplete and Flowers sealed the win for Charleston on an 11-yard run on fourth-and-3 with just under a minute left.
“Our guys were a little intense tonight, but Riley and our playmakers stepped up when we needed them to,” Taylor said. “This means everything for the city to finally give the second state title and they’ve never given up on us even when we lost it last year.”
Riley had 6 catches for 134 yards with a touchdown and had six tackles on defense and was named the games Most Valuable Player. Olive finished the game 13-of-18 passing for 207 yards with three touchdowns, while Flowers had 40 carries for 198 yards and a score.
“I feel like I accomplished something, but it was a dog fight, and this is a goal we want to accomplish every year,” Riley said. “When they were playing me man-to-man it was going to be a long day for them and in the first half that’s what they were doing. Coach always told us to be legendary, so we did that.”
Craft finished with 93 yards rushing and 58 yards passing with two touchdowns to lead Heidelberg. The Oilers were in the state title game for the first time in school history.
“Proud of the guys for fighting and they did everything we asked them do just wish we got it done,” said Heidelberg coach Darryl Carter. “We will be back.”Photos by Austin Frayser
2023 MHSAA Class 2A Championship: Heidelberg vs. Charleston
