2025 Week 3 Bear Tracks

Friday night delivered a completely different kind of showcase for the BHP Bears as they returned to Bear Territory to welcome the Greer Yellow Jackets under a spectacular display of skydivers and new flashing stadium lights. The previous week's dominant performance against Broome had been pure poetry in motion, a breathtaking cascade of explosive long plays that lit up the scoreboard like fireworks. Against Greer, however, the Bears chose a more methodical approach, grinding out first downs with the relentless precision of master craftsmen, building their lead brick by brick with unwavering determination. Through every snap and collision, the defense continued to showcase the same bone-crushing, relentless intensity that has already established them as the undisputed backbone of this promising young season.

BHP, orchestrated by the steady leadership of Noah Thomas, systematically dismantled everything Greer tried to establish on defense. Thomas himself commanded the field with authority, accumulating over 250 total offensive yards while personally accounting for 4 of the Bears' 6 touchdowns in a performance that bordered on surgical precision. Supporting his effort, an entire stable of talented running backs stepped into action as MJ Earle was sidelined with an injury. The dynamic quartet of BJ Anderson, Malachi Hester, Tizere Ware, and Cam Robinson each contributed significantly to the ground assault, with every back recording at least 6 carries and surpassing 30 yards individually, combining their efforts to amass over 300 crushing rushing yards as a cohesive unit. Through the air, Tajeh Watson-Martin emerged as the primary target, hauling in 6 catches for 85 yards while adding an absolutely electrifying touchdown that had the crowd on their feet.

Defensively, only one word captures the essence of Friday night's performance: punishing. While BHP has built its reputation on fielding tough, physical teams, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, the level of intensity they reached against Greer pushed the boundaries of what seemed legally permissible on a football field. Every time the Greer quarterback even contemplated escaping the pocket, a swarming mass of Bears would converge with devastating speed and crushing power, making the mere thought of gaining positive yardage seem like an impossible dream. By the final whistle, BHP had accumulated an impressive defensive stat line featuring 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 10 quarterback hurries that kept Greer's signal caller constantly looking over his shoulder.

The newly installed stadium lights weren't the only things creating brilliant flashes throughout the evening. The Bears displayed bright, explosive moments across every area of the field, showcasing the kind of complete team performance that has become their calling card. However, this dominant display was simply what we've come to expect from this talented group. The Bears improved to 2-0 on the season and will now look to put that pristine undefeated record on the line when they take the field this Friday night.

Week 3 Preview

The Bears will venture onto the road for the second time during the 2025 campaign as they make the journey to Laurens County to face off against the Laurens Raiders in what promises to be another opportunity to showcase their growing dominance.

Laurens enters this matchup still searching for their first victory of the season and carries the weight of a disappointing 1-9 campaign from 2024 that left their program in rebuilding mode. They opened their current season with a 56-17 defeat at the hands of Hillcrest, followed by last week's disaster against county rival Clinton that resulted in a demoralizing 50-0 shutout loss.

The Raiders will place their hopes in the capable hands of freshman quarterback Logan Bragg, and whenever any program, especially at the competitive 4A level, entrusts their offense to a freshman signal caller, you can bet that young player possesses something truly special. Logan represents the brightest spot on the Laurens roster with his remarkable ability to make accurate throws while scrambling, his natural elusiveness when rolling out of the pocket under pressure, and his quick decision-making that allows him to release the ball before defensive pressure can overwhelm his protection. These are precisely the kinds of skills that can create headaches for even the most disciplined defensive units.

Joining Bragg in the backfield, Laurens returns their leading rusher from last season, Nehemias Fernandez, alongside the emerging talent of Denari Lee-Jackson. Lee-Jackson has established himself as the team's primary ground threat this season, accumulating 126 rushing yards on 26 carries while providing the Raiders with their most consistent offensive weapon. Complementing their running game, Laurens features two legitimate playmakers in their receiving corps: Damajia Crooks and Jaden Williams. Williams brings that coveted height advantage that allows him to make contested catches and secure difficult passes in traffic, while Crooks provides the Raiders with a strong, athletic presence who excels at creating additional yardage after the catch through his natural ability to break tackles and find openings.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Raiders lean heavily on the leadership of Ricarius Stephens, Brandy Hill, and Logan Martin, each of whom has recorded double-digit tackle totals each game through the early portion of this season. Stephens operates as an extremely active force from his safety position, particularly against the run, where his aggressive style has helped him lead the team with 25 total tackles. Martin serves as the anchor at linebacker, providing steady leadership and consistent tackling, while Hill brings exceptional athletic ability to his cornerback position, offering the Raiders their best coverage option in the secondary.

This week presents BHP with the kind of challenge they'll face throughout most of their remaining schedule. The focus shifts away from the specific opponent and centers entirely on perfecting the fundamental elements that make BHP special: their trademark physicality, flawless execution, and explosive capability. The Bears cannot afford to spend even a moment considering previous outcomes or getting caught up in perceived talent differences between these two programs. They must approach this opportunity with the mindset that it represents simply one of only 10 guaranteed chances to demonstrate what makes this team truly special. The time-tested philosophy of treating every opponent as nameless and faceless must guide their preparation this week.

With that approach firmly in place, if BHP maintains their established standard of excellence, these Big Bad Bears will return home carrying their perfect record into after Friday night.

Previous Matchup: 2024 Week 3

Score: BHP 55 -- Laurens 6

2024 Week 2 BHP Offensive Stats:
Team Rushing: 27 rushes for 305 yards and 5 TDs
Team Passing: 5/8/1 for 125 yards and 2 TDs
Team Total: 35 plays for 430 yards and 7 offensive TDs.

Rushing Leader: #3 Marquise Henderson - 9 rushes for 196 yards and 3 TDs
Passing Leader: #7 Noah Thomas - 5/8/1 for 125 yards and 2 TDs
Receiving Leader: #5 Tajeh Watson-Martin - 1 reception for 74 yards and 1 TD
Defensive Leader: #61 Kylan Dixon - 2 Solo, 4 Assist, 4 TFLs, and 34 Defensive Points

2024 Week 3 Laurens Offensive Stats:
Team Rushing: 44 rushes for 100 yards
Team Passing: 2/4/0 for 33 yards
Team Total: 47 plays for 133 yards

Rushing Leader: #23 Nehemias Fernandez - 12 rushes for 41 yards
Passing Leader: #0 Brayden Patterson - 2/4/0 for 33 yards
Receiving Leaders: #2 Tyj Jones - 2 receptions for 33 yards

Quick Stats

• BHP is 13-14 all-time, and 8-1 under Coach Blackston against Laurens.
• BHP scored 42 points against Greer, which is the 149th time BHP has scored 40 or more points in a game in school history (660 total games played).
• In school history, BHP is 215-9 when scoring 30 or more points in a game, 145-3 when scoring 40 or more points in a game, and 53-1 when scoring 50 or more points in a game.
• BHP ran 67 offensive plays against Greer for 472 yards, only the 14th time BHP has run 65 or more plays for over 400 yards in a game since 2014.
• Since 2014, BHP has only had two players rush for 100+ yards and pass for 100+ yards: Kameron Burton - 2015 vs Daniel, 2016 vs Emerald, 2016 vs Greenville, and Noah Thomas, 2025 vs Greer.
• This season BHP has outscored their opponents 62-7 in the first half of games.
• This season BHP has not given up a 1st or 3rd quarter TD.
• This season BHP has gained 40 or more yards 5 times, they have not given up a play that long all season.
• Noah Thomas is 240 passing yards away from surpassing 4,000 career passing yards (that would place him 4th all-time at BHP).
• Since 2014, there have been only 4 games where 5 or more BHP rushers had 5 or more rushes: 2020 vs Wren, 2021 vs Greer, 2024 vs Westside, and 2025 vs Greer.
• BHP had 0 turnovers against Greer. Since 2014 BHP is 39-5 when having 0 turnovers in a game.
• This season BHP has held their opponents to 2 for 22 on 3rd down tries.
• BHP is averaging 9.52 yards per play on first downs this season.
• This senior class is 3 wins away from tying the school's 4-year win record.
• BHP has only had one undefeated championship season in its history.

Wrap Up

Week 3 might not carry the dramatic intensity that other matchups throughout the season will inevitably bring, but it absolutely provides another golden opportunity to witness this remarkable Bear team in action. Against a program that has historically served as a legitimate rival for BHP and offers the convenience of relatively close travel distance, I fully expect the modest away stands at Laurens to overflow with fans wearing Navy and Red this Friday night.


Prediction: BHP 56 - Laurens 10

We want to see every single member of Bear Nation make the trip to Laurens to support our Bears this Friday night. Make sure to stay connected and receive instant notifications whenever our posts go live by following us on Facebook and X. This season brings something special to the table, so make sure to subscribe to The Bear Rumble Podcast where myself and some special guests dive deep into all things BHP football. Stay plugged in, because come Friday, we'll be dropping the GameDay Graphic and providing live tweets with stats and highlights throughout the entire game.