Tigers are embracing the weather AND the opponent in epic C2D1 battle

Third-year Caruthersville High School football coach Dom Guglielmo leads his team onto the field last Friday at Charleston High School.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

Third-year Caruthersville High School football coach Dom Guglielmo grew up in Glens Falls, New York, which averages 70 inches of snow each calendar year, so needless to say, having his team compete in inclement weather tonight won’t be an issue for him or the Tigers, if for no other reason, mentality.

“I love coaching in the rain,” Guglielmo said. “I love it.”

That’s good because he’s going to.

The Class 2 No. 8-ranked Tigers (4-0) will visit Class 2 No. 4-ranked Valle Catholic (3-1) at 7 p.m.

Caruthersville ranks second in the latest MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 standings with 46.33 points, trailing Portageville (48.75) while Valle Catholic is in third place with 46.08 points.

“A rain game against a top 10 opponent when you're the underdog,” Guglielmo said, “that is just a recipe for phenomenal football.”

The more Guglielmo spoke about tonight’s match-up, be it the weather or the opponent, the more excited he became. He and his players are relishing the environment and the challenge of beating one of Missouri’s most heralded programs.

The Warriors have played for 20 MSHSAA football state championships and won the state title 15 times.

“We’re blessed to have the opportunity to play Valle Catholic,” Guglielmo said. “That is a storied program, (it’s) one of the best programs in the state. Valle Catholic and Lamar (nine championships in 11 title games), are the pinnacle of small-school football in the state of Missouri.”

Caruthersville wakes up in 2H, rolls Charleston 34-6

Tom Davis

CHARLESTON -- It took a while for the Caruthersville High School football squad to look like itself in Friday's test at Charleston High School. However, it didn't take junior runner Sammy Bryant much time to make an impact.
Bryant scored the first of his four touchdowns just 2:25 into the game and eventually the Class 2 No. 9-ranked Tigers (4-0)...

The Tigers fell to the Warriors 56-14 in the semifinal round of the District last year, and Guglielmo sees tonight’s game as an opportunity to measure his program.

“The measuring stick is for me is the growth (of our program),” Guglielmo said. “There is a direct correlation between last year's District playoffs and this year's district playoffs. You've got two of the top teams in the District, and top teams in the state, duking it out. You've got the clear favorites, and it's not us. We know we're doing is the underdogs. We're going into their homecoming and we're a very talented football program.”

So talented, that the Warriors lead the series by a mere one game (3-2).

“Not many programs can say they have that record against Valle,” Guglielmo said.

As far as the rain is concerned, Guglielmo doesn’t see either team with a clear advantage in terms of style of play.

“The fact is, we are a run-heavy football team,” Guglielmo said. “But on the counter side, Valle can run the ball and pass the ball.

“They are a very good, disciplined program.”

Guglielmo played college football at Brockport State (New York), which is a long field goal from the shore of Lake Ontario, which dumps anywhere from 75 to 150 inches of snow on western New York each winter. He said playing football in terrible weather is pure joy, not misery.

“When it's raining,” Guglielmo said through his excitement, “and it's sloppy, and the kids are muddy and soaking wet, and they're fighting and fighting and fighting, and the playing field has been leveled because of the rain, just like it has been in wars dating back to Roman times, in the end, it will be a battle of wills.

“It’s going to be awesome.”