Summary of last season:
The Bears bowed in round one of the state playoffs last season, marking just the second time the team failed to make the second round in Coach Sean Pender’s five seasons at the helm. At 7-4, PCHS appeared somewhat mortal after reeling of 10 wins for a school-record three straight seasons. The Bears once again featured an explosive offense that averaged 35.3 points per game and twice topped the half-hundred mark, including a school-record 64 points in a triple overtime win over Jenkins. Unfortunately, the Bears yielded 50 or more points on three occasions – including Jenkins – in giving up 35.0 PPG.
Outlook for this season:
“Our football program has to be willing to make the necessary sacrifices and adjustments in order to me successful,” said Pender. “We need to strive for excellence and not settle for just getting by.”
The Bears will look to compensate for speed shortcomings on defense by switching from a 4-3 alignment to a 3-3-5 scheme. “It’s pretty much the same as the 3-5 we ran here a few years back,” said PCHS defensive coordinator, Kip Burdette.
Players returning from last year’s team:
QB Stetson Bennett, who threw for 2,904 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, leads the returning cast. He also led the team in rushing with 564 yards and scoring with 12 touchdowns. Fellow All-State pick Chase Royer, now a senior, hauled in 76 passes for 1,054 yards and nine scores. Junior Quashawn Conaway had over 600 total yards and seven touchdowns. Senior Landon Teston is a veteran presence on the offensive line. Defensively, returnees include junior Moses Shider (19.5 tackles) up front with senior Ben Aldridge (108 tackles) and junior Renard Mathews (48.5 tackles) at the linebacker posts. Senior Leroy Mason (80 tackles, 2 interceptions) is back in the secondary.
What has realignment changed this year?
PCHS moves from 1-AAA to 2-AAA along with traditional region rivals Appling County, Brantley County, and Tattnall County. Long County and Liberty County join the mix this season in a five-team league that will feature considerably less travel than in past seasons. It also allows PCHS to play five non-region games: geographic rivals Bacon County and Wayne County, along with former region foe, Beach. The Bears will also renew acquaintances with Richmond Hill and Brooks County, each for the first time in more than a decade.
Big games this year:
Pierce vs. Appling has effectually decided the region title in 3 of the past 5 seasons, but, as Pender says, “We’re not good enough to look past anybody.” This “every week a season” mentality includes back-to-back road trips against non-region foes
Brooks County and Wayne County. In the season finale against Liberty County, PCHS lines up opposite of the likes of Richard LeCounte, one of the state’s premiere blue chippers.
