Senior Spotlight: MBHS football state champion looks back on high school career

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - He’s No. 1 in the senior class at Myrtle Beach High School, a football state champion with an impressive long list of accomplishments.

Tommy Riga is this week’s Senior Spotlight.

“I just want to say thank you to all my teachers and friends for helping me through high school and making it a great experience for me," stated Riga.

Riga said he plans to attend North Carolina State University to major in computer engineering and become a software designer.

Riga stayed very involved while at MBHS, serving as president of Beta Club and the National Science Honor Society, vice president of National Honor Society and Rho Kappa, a state competitor for FBLA , co-captain of the academic team, co-founder of the Myrtle Beach Chess Club, and a four-year football player.

As a football player, Riga said his proudest moment was winning the state championship in 2018.

“I’m also proud of 2019 making it there and you know it’s hard to win a state championship, but it’s also really hard to lose one. It’s just such a special experience to make a family with people I’ve only known them for four years, because I didn’t go through middle school with them, but I’ve become so close going through hard work and laughing with them, it’s just an amazing experience," he said.

Senior year has been unexpected and Riga said it ended with a lot of missed memories.

“I miss my friends the most, seeing them every day. I also miss my teachers, being able to bond with them and ask them questions. I’m also going to miss prom, so that’s terrible, but we got to live through it. This is historic.”

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