Belton-Honea Path football team has been dominant so far
Top-ranked Bears have outscored the opposition 333-44
Honea Path – And the beat goes on for the Belton-Honea Path High School football team.
After going 13-2 last season and playing for the AAA state championship, the Bears have started 7-0 this season and have done so in dominant fashion. BHP has outscored the opposition 333-44.
While Belton-Honea Path head coach Russell Blackston and his staff and players may not be surprised, he’s not so sure other folks felt the same way.
“It sure is good when you graduate 8,000 rushing yards and 100 touchdowns in Marquise Henderson, that you can still be very good,” Blackston said. “There are people who thought we weren’t going to be anything and that’s OK. I knew we had 23 seniors back and six starters back on both sides. We’re where I thought we’d be. We had a tremendous spring and a tremendous summer.”
The Bears, ranked No. 1 in the High School Sports Report AAA poll, opened their Region 1 schedule with a 63-0 triumph over West-Oak.
Senior quarterback Noah Thomas is setting the pace with his arm and his legs. He has completed 77 of 118 passes for 1,096 yards and 15 touchdowns against just two interceptions.
Thomas’ top pass-catching option is junior Tajeh Watson Martin with 24 receptions for 420 yards and five scores. Senior Jacus Paul has 12 catches for 116 yards and two TDs, senior running back MJ Earl has seven catches for 113 yards and two scores, and junior Evan Gaines has six catches for 66 yards and two scores.
Thomas has rushed for 308 yards and six touchdowns on just 31 carries. BHP has a running game by committee so far this season. Earl has 463 yards and 10 touchdowns on 51 carries. Junior BJ Andeson has 226 yards and three TDs on 38 totes, and two other runners are over 180 yards in juniors Tizele Ware and Cam Robinson.
The defense has made big play after big play while limiting its foes to less than seven points a contest. It has 49 tackles for a loss and 14 quarterback sacks while coming up with eight interceptions and six fumble recoveries
Senior defensive tackle Kylan Dixon is the TFL leader with seven. Senior free safety KJ Miles Jr., junior outside linebacker Ty Dubose, senior defensive end Kanaza Bryant and senior defensive end Ty Rainey have six TFLs apiece and senior middle linebacker Jakyn Anderson has five. Seven Bears have sacks with Dixon and Rainey leading the way with three apiece.
Six players have interceptions led by cornerback Watson-Martin and senior cornerback Demarion Chester with two apiece. Fumbles have been recovered by six different players.
