‘Year of the Tiger’: McKeesport football team’s success has community buzzing

MCKEESPORT, Pa. — The McKeesport Tigers football team has its entire community buzzing, bringing some great news to the area.

There’s a reason 2022 is the year of the tiger.

“It’s a lot of fun, I’m not gonna lie,” said Jahmil Perryman, a senior running back and safety.

It’s hard not to have fun when you’re in the midst of an 8-0 season, with a defense allowing an average of just 4.5 points per game.

“I really think it’s the kids. The kids are really bought into playing for each other,” said head coach Matt Miller. “You know, it’s a lot bigger than just individual accomplishments.”

“Most of the people I played with since we were younger for, like, double-digit years now. So it’s like we always had each other’s back,” said Bobbie Boyd, senior running back and safety.

“We know each other personally too. It’s not just football. It’s like the community,” Perryman said.

“We’re all like family together,” Boyd added.

The family bond is just part of what’s propelling the Tigers to a historic year, one where they’ve recorded as many shutouts as they’ve allowed touchdowns.

“It’s successful because everybody plays their part. No one tries to do too much and be the hero of the day.Everybody just plays their part, and we just get the job done,” Boyd said.

The Tigers epitomize what it means to play complimentary football.

“Whenever like they get a key 3-and-out, and we really need it, we know that we’re going to punch it in because like we have, like, the momentum. We have it and it gets it rolling,” Perryman said.

The community is embracing the McKeesport magic.

“The phone calls, the conversations, you know, I live in the community, so nonstop, you know, hey, this is, this is a big deal. It’s a really big deal for our place,” Miller said.

While there’s a few classic themes among the team, like unfinished business and defense wins championships, there’s also one with a deeper meaning.

“We call ourselves the Trench Bros. That’s what we call ourselves. I started, like, last year because we really grew up all together. The neighborhood isn’t the best, but we make it work,” Perryman said.

Simply put, their goal is to give their neighborhood something even bigger to be proud of.

“That’s really the number one priority is just going out and proving to everybody why we could be number one,” Perryman said.

Even with all of their success up to this point, the Tigers aren’t nearly satisfied.

They tell Channel 11 they’re not getting ahead of themselves because yes, they’re 8-0, but it’s just regular season.

They haven’t done anything yet.

They have their eyes set on both Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League and state titles.

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