What a week can do to your perspective. With BHP coming off a last-second win against Westside, a AAAA school, by running a very powerful and effective offense while coming up big on defense; the feeling after the game was jubilant. Fast forward 7 days and the mood is not quite the same. The defensive stops and positive offensive movement just were not there against Powdersville and the feeling after the loss was quite different than the one after the win.
In the grand scheme of BHP football, the game against Westside probably meant very little. It was not the most important, the best played, or for a championship, but I would argue it may well have been the most needed win in BHP history. Coming off a year that produced a result that no Bear fan wanted and that was probably the hardest for players and coaches in the 2020 season, this first game was the first step of putting that behind us. Along with that, Bear fans filled the stands! After last season’s limit on attendance, a nearly full stadium was a welcomed sight and one that really gave an edge to the team. Lastly, the win and how the Bears won gave hope to Bear fans that this team will be one that could make a playoff run later this season.
Most of the time the saying goes “Limping to the finish line”, but with the current state of health-related issues, it seems we are limping to the starting line. But the closer it gets, the more realistic a season appears as well. Bear fans should be excited to get the season started, and hopefully, at the end of Friday night, be celebrating a victory.
Let’s kick this season off with our first Bear Tracks post of the 2021 season! As the season starts and students get back to school, it is fitting that we open this season's Bear Tracks up with a five-question test. I put together a list of the five top questions I have going into the 2021 season.
A statement about how strange and awful the 2020 year has been is like using the cliche’ of beating a dead horse, but after how the Bears defeated the Mustangs (Palmetto), it just seems fitting. The year that some thought would never be did indeed take place, but in a way that was odd from the start. South Carolina as a whole started nearly a month later than scheduled and incorporated a condensed 7 game schedule. Although we got football back on the schedule, the season did not go as planned.
BHP headed to Palmetto only 4 days after losing to Seneca. Everything was shaping up for BHP to lose to their rival, but BHP showed why this matchup is far from an even rivalry. BHP showed up with the most energy they had all season and it showed both on the sidelines and on the field. It was a clear domination from start to finish and by midway through the 3rd quarter, the game was set on a running clock. For how this season had gone, it was great to feel like normal and normal is BHP beating Palmetto.
BHP traveled to Seneca in a very rare Monday night matchup. The day it was played was about the only interesting part of the game. BHP held a 10 point lead at halftime, but Seneca scored 21 unanswered points to take the win over the Bears. BHP adds a home game on Nov 13 so actually, there are two games left in the season, but in reality, only one matters. That one is this Friday against Palmetto, the only team BHP has played every year that BHP has played football.
BHP’s region championship and playoff aspirations were crushed with a 52-14 loss to Daniel last Friday night. It is hard to determine if that outcome or the season as a whole has been more disappointing. As a Bear it always hurts losing to Daniel, but combine that with missing the playoffs for the first time since 1996 and the health and safety backdrop of the season, it is hard to imagine a more disappointing outcome for the 2020 season. However, the season is not over. There are still two games left and we still get to see our Bears take the field. Although the playoffs are not in reach, a winning season is and as of now, that should be a major rallying point for this team. And to get back to a .500 record, BHP will travel to take on Seneca in a very rare Monday night matchup.
BHP made it back to the field after a quarantine period and unfortunately, the rust and the lack of practice showed early. And unlike the start of a new season where BHP would be able to round into form, they were facing the reigning state champions and region foe, the Wren Hurricanes. Although BHP fought back, the hole they put themselves in early in the game was just too much to overcome. The final score was Wren 53, BHP 20. Both the outcome and actual gameplay resembled last season’s matchup nearly exactly. With the loss to Wren, BHP will now, with hopefully a full week of practice, turn their attention to Daniel. And the stakes and challenge could not be higher for a regular season game.
We finally made it to Game 2, even though it is Week 4. We knew this season was going to be weird and there was a chance that games could be postponed or canceled. Unfortunately, both have come true. Now we are glad to finally see the Bears back on the field this Friday night. With that, let’s turn and look at the big region match-up with the reigning state champion the Wren Hurricanes (but hopefully the Bears have been mentally preparing for them for two weeks now).