Metter High School football team helps community recover from hurricane

METTER, Ga. (WSAV) — Metter High School has started the season 5-1, already matching it’s win total from last season. The Tigers are led by a rock-solid defense, allowing only eight points per game.

“We play great defense,” said Head Coach Lee Shaw. “If you have good defense you have a chance to win any game, and right now we’re playing at a high level defensively we just need to get more consistent on offense.”

However, the team’s toughest opponent didn’t come from on the field, it came in the form of Hurricane Helene.

“It was like a warzone out here,” said Shaw.

Rather than worry about when its next game would be played, the Tiger football team took action to help the people around them.

“We met in a grocery store out in the parking lot and had suppliers,” said Shaw. “We would ask people in the car what they needed as they pulled up, and we were able to provide them with food and water.”

Players and coaches doing what they can to help one team, the community of Metter.

“We’re all in the same spots whether you’re on the football team or just a regular person, everybody needs help,” said Metter tight end Thomas Chicola. “We were already practicing and the coaching staff told us to come out and help so that’s what we did.”

Coach Hawk said it even helped the team’s chemistry on the field.

“I think it also does when you do something like that as a team, when you’re giving back to the community especially,” Hawk said.

Football players giving back to give back to the town they call home.

“Grew up Metter, my whole life I came to all the football games,” said Chicola. “I was a ball boy in middle school, love football, love the community.”

It’s no wonder the Tigers are off to one of its best starts in recent years.

“They want to win bad, they want to succeed,” said Hawk. “I love watching them rise to the occasion.”

The Tigers will look for its sixth win Friday at 7:30 p.m. against McIntosh County.

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