Which is which? Sometimes even their coaches can’t tell “the Bash Brothers” apart. Just list it as “a May brother.”
By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Chazz May and Zeke May make all sorts of noise on the football field. The Western Alamance senior twins have a penchant for tackling.
They’ve had good practice – right on the family farm. The training has come with taking down Billy goats.
On the farm, they tackle billy goats,
on the football field, opposing players
“We’re not going to have an animal and not wrestle it,” Zeke said.
Just about anything goes with these guys, who are serious about what they do and happy to share a good story.
It’s mostly in tandem.
“We like to stay together,” Chazz said. “We wrestle. We play lacrosse. We have bunk beds. We literally do everything together. We go to Young Life, go to church together. It’s just like the built-in best friend.”
The Warriors hope to keep their season going with a first-round game in the Class 3-A state playoffs Friday night at Cape Fear.
The May brothers play as linebackers on defense. On offense, Zeke is a fullback and Chazz is a tight end.
HITTING AND WRESTLING:
ON THE FARM:
“We’re not going to have an animal and not wrestle it.”
– Zeke May
ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD:
“There’s nothing better than hitting somebody without getting in trouble for it. Being together out there on the field, we just love hitting people and doing it together.”
– Chazz May
Sometimes when the twins are so active on the field, for Western coaches it’s easiest to refer to it as “May-hem” – particularly if they’re not certain which of the brothers has been responsible for creating the havoc.
Defensive coordinator Ty Parker has called them “Bash Brothers.”
“We have a lot of words for them,” coach Jeff Snuffer said of descriptions.
The sons of Kristi and Travis May of Altamahaw are 18-year-olds, though Zeke is 9 minutes older.
“I think we’re loveable and energetic guys,” Zeke said, “whatever time of day you catch us.”
Chazz had more tackles the past two seasons, though Zeke has led in that category this year.
“There’s nothing better than hitting somebody without getting in trouble for it,” Chazz said.
Zeke wears No. 43. Chazz wears No. 44.
“Tough guys who love the game and we have had fun,” Snuffer said. “They’re tough guys who are very smart.”
Perhaps these team captains have opposing offenses seeing double.
“We’ve learned and grown up, learning football together and trained together and worked hard together,” Chazz said. “Being together out there on the field, we just love hitting people and doing it together.”
Chazz has become a spiritual leader. At a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp, he prayed in front of a large gathering.
“He has great impact,” Snuffer said.
“I want to build my own church,” Chazz said.
Zeke aspires to be a farm veterinarian. He should be in tune with that.
“We also raise chickens and we have a sheep and a pig,” Chazz said. “We’re pretty diverse about what we raise, but goats are our main thing.”
That’s the specialty.
“We raise goats to breed them and to sell them,” Zeke said. “That’s one of the things, if you ask me about goats that’s one of the things I can sit here and talk to you all day about. I can tell you all day about goats.”
They take their country roots seriously.
“We’ve always been yellers,” Zeke said. “I don’t know if that’s because we’re country rednecks.”
They’re proud of attire that might include wearing shorts with boots.
So whatever their identities, those can be confused. They’re often lumped together – for good and bad.
During a game this fall, as coaches tried to sort out details of a penalty on the Warriors, they finally just put it in the category of “a May brother.”
In the school hallways, the twins are prepared to be confused by classmates.
“I never know what somebody is going to call me next,” Chazz said.
There’s still wrestling and lacrosse season to come. But they’ve particularly embraced autumns under the lights.
“Football definitely comes out as No. 1,” Chazz said.
