Well, let me tell ya ’bout this May River football, ya hear? It’s a real hoot and a holler down here, somethin’ else, I tell ya.
Them May River Sharks, they got themselves a football team. And not just any team, mind you, a real barn burner of a team. Them boys, they run and they hit, and they do it with all their might. I seen ’em play, and let me tell ya, they somethin’ fierce. Makes this old lady’s heart thump a little faster, like when I chased that runaway rooster last summer, bless his feathery heart.
Now, they got these cheerleaders too. Them girls, they somethin’ special. They jump and they yell, and they got them pom-poms flappin’ every which way. They call ’em the May River Cheer team, and they cheer for the football boys, keepin’ their spirits up. They got JV and Varsity, and they even go to competitions. I heard tell they even traveled with the JV football team to Beaufort once. Good for them, gettin’ out and seein’ the world, even if it’s just Beaufort.
- They got a big week comin’ up, with state qualifiers and playoffs. Playoffs, that’s when it gets real serious. Winner goes on, loser goes home. Just like when I used to bake pies for the county fair, only with more hittin’ and less pie eatin’.
- They play in somethin’ called SCHSL 4A. Don’t rightly know what all that means, but it sounds important. They was eighth in 2024, which ain’t too shabby. They want to be number one of course, everyone wants to be number one, just like when I wanted to have the biggest tomatoes at the market. I always did grow the best tomatoes, plump and red, just bursting with flavor.
And they got a schedule you can follow, so you know when to go watch ’em play. And a roster, so you know who all them boys are. They got this one fella, big as a barn door, runs like the wind. Can’t remember his name, but he’s a real go-getter, that one. Just like my prize-winning pig from back in the day. Strong and fast.
They even got somethin’ called #TheTank. Sounds like a scary place, but it’s just where they play their games. They tell everyone to come on out and cheer for the athletes, especially the seniors. Seniors, them’s the older ones, the ones who’ve been playin’ for a while. They’re the leaders, the ones the young’uns look up to. It’s important to show them some appreciation just like how you need to appreciate a good rain after a long dry spell.
I heard they played against Bishop England and won, 35 to 8. Beat ’em like a drum, they did. That Bishop England, they must not be from around here, ’cause ain’t no one beats the Sharks on their home turf. Not unless they got somethin’ special up their sleeve. Like that time ol’ Mr. Henderson tried to sneak his prize-winning pumpkin into the fair early. He thought he was slick, but we all saw him.
Now, they’re talkin’ about goin’ up to North Augusta for the second round of the playoffs. And they want everyone to wear blue. A “blue out,” they call it. Sounds like a whole lotta blue to me. But if it helps them win, then I reckon it’s a good thing. Folks gonna pack their cars, drive on up there, and yell their hearts out for them boys. Just like when we used to go to the barn raisin’s, everyone comin’ together to get the job done. Except instead of raisin’ a barn, they’re tryin’ to raise a trophy.
So that’s May River football, ya see? It’s more than just a game, it’s a whole community thing. It brings folks together, gives ’em somethin’ to cheer for. And in these times, that’s somethin’ we all need a little bit of. A little bit of cheerin’, a little bit of hollerin’, and a whole lotta May River spirit. It reminds me of the good old days, when life was simpler, and a football game was somethin’ special, something to look forward to all week long, just like getting my weekly letter from my son.
May River Sharks Athletics, that’s what they call it. They got all sorts of sports, but football, well, that’s the king. At least in my book, it is. And I reckon a lot of folks ’round here feel the same way. So, if you ever find yourself down this way, come on out and watch a game. You won’t be disappointed. Just bring your yellin’ voice and your blue shirt, and you’ll fit right in. And who knows, maybe you’ll even see me there, cheerin’ along with the best of ’em.
