Belton-Honea Path opens football season with a bang
Bears whip Broome, Greer to open 2025 after run to AAA title game last season
Honea Path – After making a magical run to the AAA state championship game in 2024, the Belton-Honea Path High School football team has kicked off the ’25 campaign off with a bang.
The Bears came out loaded for, well, bear against Broome. They scored 28 points in the first quarter and led 41-7 at halftime on the way to a 49-9 road win in Spartanburg.
“Game 1 was great,” BHP head coach Russell Blackston said in a massive understatement. “All the players came out healthy. We have to work to be the best we can be and we shall see. It’s still a young season.”
BHP followed that up with a 42-19 triumph over Greer. The Bears play at Laurens on Friday.
Senior quarterback Noah Thomas, in his third year as a starter, completed 7 of 14 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns. He spread his completions out to five different receivers with three different receivers catching TD passes.
Senior Jakyn Anderson had two catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, and junior Jaden Glenn had two catches for eight yards. Junior standout wide receiver Tajeh Watson-Martin had a 39-yard scoring reception, and running back MJ Earle had a 55-yard touchdown catch.
Earle was also Belton-Honea Path’s leading rusher, picking up 47 yards and scoring a touchdown on six carries. Junior BJ Anderson scored a touchdown and had 17 yards on five carries. Thomas rushed for 17 yards on three carries and had the other rushing touchdown.
Junior Tizere Ware had 36 yards on three carries as the Bears finished with 114 yards. They are looking for someone to step in and fill the massive hole left by the graduation of standout Marquise Henderson.
Counting junior tight end Brody Riddle, BHP has four of six starters returning on the offensive line.
Right guard Keylan Dixon (5-feet-11-inches, 250 pounds) is a 4-year starter as is left guard Keegan Mosher (6-0, 260). Senior center Brady Spearman (5-11, 235) is a 2-year starter, while Riddle (5-11, 180) is a 2-year starter.
The newcomers to the O line are junior McCray Pruitt (6-1, 236) at left tackle and junior Carter Burgess at right tackle.
Belton-Honea Path has a lot of experience in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball as well. Senior Kylan Dixon is a 4-year starter, while fellow senior Ty Gainey is a 3-year starter. Junior Kamarion Glenn is also a 3-year starter.
Jakyri Anderson is a 3-year starter at linebacker while KJ Miles is a 2-year starter in the secondary. Watson-Martin was an All-Region pick as a defensive back.
