2023 Week 5 Bear Tracks

Hey there, Bear Fans!

The Bears hit the road and just kept on truckin'. This part of the season had the potential to be a real snoozer, but the Bears have been serving up some seriously spectacular performances. Last week, BHP raced past the Emerald Vikings to maintain their perfect record, and now, they're setting their sights on the Walhalla Razorbacks.

But before we dive into this week's preview, let's rewind a bit and dissect last week's showdown with Emerald. The Bears marched into that game with one clear goal in mind: win, and win convincingly. And just like they've been doing all year, they lived up to the hype. The Bear offense was a force of nature, settling for just one field goal and never once punting. The star of the show? Marquise Henderson, of course. He put on an absolute highlight reel, with 7 carries for a whopping 211 yards. But let's not forget about the hard-nosed running of Shaheem Robbs, who chipped in with 10 rushes for a solid 90 yards. It's getting tough to find new ways to describe just how well this offense is clicking. And if you somehow missed it, check out Henderson's jaw-dropping 80-yard dash – it left me utterly speechless.

As if the offensive fireworks weren't enough, the Bears' defense stepped up big time. This one was particularly impressive because the offense was scoring at warp speed, which meant the defense spent a lot of time on the field. As a result, Emerald's Key Holloway piled up some yardage. He accounted for a whopping 64% of Emerald's offensive output. However, no matter how many yards Holloway gained, he only managed to find the end zone once against our stingy BHP defense.

The Bears just keep on rollin', and with each passing game, the underclassmen on the squad are gaining more valuable experience. This team is getting better week by week, even if their opponents aren't quite up to par just yet.

Shout Outs:

Every game there are a few guys that just...stand out. Here are my notables from the Emerald matchup:

• Omari Jackson: Let's tip our hats to Omari Jackson, who earned himself a spot as a linebacker in the prestigious 2023 Shrine Bowl this week. That's a significant honor, and we're here to offer our congratulations.
• Tye Kelly: Tye Kelly deserves a spotlight for his outstanding performance in the backfield last week. He racked up an impressive 5 solo tackles and a whopping 4 tackles for loss. Those 4 TFLs? They tied a school record for the most TFLs in a single game. That's not just good; it's historic.
• Peter Bertoni: Peter Bertoni has been lights-out in the last three games, nailing an incredible 21 consecutive PATs. When you've got a kicker this reliable, it makes a world of difference.
• The entire offensive line: It's not often we can single out just one lineman when the whole unit is doing work. The offensive line deserves massive props for moving that line of scrimmage and opening up holes wider than the Grand Canyon last week. They played a pivotal role in our team, averaging a jaw-dropping 12.48 yards per rush. And let's not forget, they only allowed two negative yardage rushes all game. When the big guys up front dominate like that, it's a thing of beauty. Hats off to the entire offensive line!

Week 5 Preview

BHP's next journey unfolds against Walhalla in the picturesque backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's the longest road trip of the regular season, marking the swan song of non-conference clashes.

The Bears enter this showdown with an unblemished record, while Walhalla aims for their third consecutive win. The Razorbacks started their season with a pair of losses, succumbing to Woodmont (48-28) and Chesnee (20-10). However, they quickly rebounded with wins over Southside (35-6) and a thrilling overtime victory against Palmetto (20-14).

When dissecting Walhalla's offensive, it's clear they take to the skies in their wins. Averaging a robust 277 passing yards per game during victories, compared to a paltry 65 yards per game in losses, it's evident that the key orchestrator here is Tanner Lowery. Lowery, who transitioned from wide receiver to starting quarterback this season, boasts an average of just under 171 passing yards per game and 37 rushing yards per game. The Bears must buckle down early, quelling this aerial threat, and then capitalize on potential turnovers.

Defensively, Walhalla deploys a tried-and-true 3-4 formation. BHP has encountered this formation several times this season, and it appears to be high school teams' new defensive standard. The Bears' offensive prowess hinges on their ability to generate movement in the trenches, freeing up their linemen to engage with linebackers. This formula has proven successful, particularly when the running backs find daylight and square off against secondary players – that's when the magic happens for the Bears.

It's a recurring theme, but once more, the Bears must prioritize self-improvement over scouting the adversary. On paper, BHP holds the upper hand in talent, and as long as execution remains sharp, victory should naturally follow suit.

2022 Game Stats (Last Matchup)

Week 5 Score: BHP 44 -- Walhalla 8
Playoff Round 1 Score: BHP 36 -- Walhalla 18

Week 5 BHP Yardage:

Team Rushing: 33 rushes for 246 yards and 2 TDs
Team Passing: 17/20/0 for 214 yards and 4 TDs
Team Total: 53 plays for 460 yards and 6 TDs

Rushing Leader: #3 Marquise Henderson - 11 Rushes for 101 yards and 1 TD
Passing Leader: #7 AJ Pendleton - 17/18/0 for 214 yards and 4 TDs
Receiving Leader: #19 Drew Taylor - 9 receptions for 89 yards
Defensive Leader: #2 Omari Jackson - 7 assists, 2 solo, 2 TFL, 1 INT

Week 5 Walhalla Team Yardage:

Team Rushing: 28 rushes for 82 yards and 1 TD
Team Rushing: 31 rushes for 149 yards and 1 TD
Team Passing: 13/22/1 for 121 yards
Team Total: 53 plays for 270 yards and 1 TD

Rushing Leader: #15 Bryce Payne - 13 rushes for 59 yards and 1 TD
Passing Leader: #15 Bryce Payne - 13/22/1 for 121 yards
Receiving Leaders: #1 Nathaniel Collins - 7 receptions for 61 yards

Playoffs Round 1 BHP Yardage:

Team Rushing: 38 rushes for 274 yards and 4 TDs
Team Passing: 8/14/0 for 104 yards and 1 TD
Team Total: 52 yards for 378 yards and 5 TDs

Rushing Leader: #3 Marquise Henderson - 11 rushes for 106 yards and 2 TDs
Passing Leader: #7 AJ Pendleton - 8/14/0 for 104 yards and 1 TD
Receiving Leader: #19 Drew Taylor - 5 receptions for 62 yards
Defensive Leader: #22 Caleb Crenshaw - 7 assists, 5 hurries, 1 Sack, 1 TFL, 1 caused fumble

Playoffs Round 1 Walhalla Team Yardage:

Team Rushing: 33 rushes for 130 yards
Team Passing: 14/29/1 for 248 yards and 3 TDs
Team Total: 61 plays for 378 yards and 3 TDs

Rushing Leader: #28 AJ Phillips - 16 rushes for 88 yards
Passing Leader: #15 Bryce Payne - 14/28/1 for 248 yards and 3 TDs
Receiving Leaders: #1 Nathaniel Collins - 6 receptions for 87 yards and 1 TD

Quick Stats

• BHP is 25-5 all-time against Walhalla.
• Since 2010, BHP is 9-1 against Walhalla.
• Since 2000, this season is the 9th time BHP has started 4-0.
• BHP has scored 948 total points against Walhalla all-time. This is the 3rd most that BHP has scored against any opponent.
• Marquise Henderson is the only BHP rusher (going back to 2014) to rush at least 5 times in a game with a game average of 25 yards per carry or more (2022 vs Palmetto - 25.6, 2023 vs Emerald - 30.14).
• Key Holloway from Emerald is 1 of only 9 rushers who have rushed for 150 or more yards against BHP in a game since 2014.
• Since 2014, the 12.48 yards per rush against Emerald was the second most only behind 15.42 against Fountain Inn last season.
• Since 2014, BHP has rushed less than 30 times in a game 12 times. They are 7-5 in those games. BHP rushed 27 times against Emerald.
• 44 of BHP’s 167 rushes have gained 10 or more yards or 26.3% of total rushes.
• BHP is averaging 2 rushes per game more than last season but gaining 90 more rushing yards per game.
• The 41 total plays against Emerald was the 5th least plays in a game for the Bears since 2014.
• BHP is averaging 10.49 yards per play on first downs this season.
• 38% of BHP’s points have been scored in the 2nd qrt of games this season.
• BHP has forced a turnover every game this season.
• Tye Kelly tied a school record for the most TFLs in a single game.

Wrap Up

Here we are, folks, the final tune-up before the games truly count towards that coveted region championship. BHP may have been climbing the ranks in the media polls, but let's be clear, none of that hoopla holds any weight at this juncture. It's all about those precious Ws now. And speaking of this week, well, brace yourselves, because we're expecting another victory for the Bears. The journey to glory continues!

Prediction: BHP 56 - Walhalla - 7

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One for the road, “How Bout Them Bears”