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New head coaches debut for Bishop England & Hanahan football squads
By Tom Ratzloff
Aug 13, 2008 - 1:15:42 PM

Bishop England

Will 'Cub' Cantey become Bishop England's new 'Bear?'

John Cantey’s nickname was "Cub" when he played quarterback and linebacker for Bishop England High School 16 years ago.

While the moniker lacked the hard-nosed, pigskin cache of, say, "Bronko" or "The Bus," it made perfect sense.

After all, John’s coach was his father, Jack Cantey, whose Battling Bishops varsity squads won 184 games over 30 years. Jack’s longevity and football success eventually drew comparisons to another legendary coach – Paul "Bear" Bryant of the University of Alabama.

"Some of the fans thought of my dad as ‘Bear’ and so I was the ‘Cub’ the whole time I was playing," John laughed, glancing toward his players laboring on the practice field.. "None of these kids know that, though."

They do now.

At age 34, this is John’s debut as Bishop England’s head football coach after seven seasons as defensive coordinator. While his blond, youthful looks are reminiscent of Tampa Bay Buccaneer coach Jon Gruden, John mercifully lacks Gruden’s menacing "Chucky Doll" persona and smoldering disposition. Instead, the Bishops’ new head coach is obviously a man who is enjoying his job and is buoyed by the people around him.

TOM RATZLOFF John Cantey, left, is the new head coach for the Bishop England varsity football team after serving seven years as the Bishops’ defensive coordinator. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Jack, right, who amassed 184 victories over his 30 years as Bishop England head coach. Jack Cantey retired as head coach in 1993 but continues to be line coach. B.E. plays at the stadium named to honor the longtime former coach – Jack Cantey Stadium.

John has a particularly close relationship with his line coach who, once upon a time, was nicknamed "Bear" -- none other than pater familias – Jack Cantey.

"We’re having a good time out there," John Cantey said last week after nearly of week of preseason practice. "My dad and I ran the weight program during the summer, so we were here at 7 in the morning Monday, Wednesday and Friday all summer long. Now we’re getting a chance to play summer football and the kids are having a good time, too."

So far, John Cantey likes what he sees on the practice field.

"This is supposed to be a rebuilding year," John said. "We lost 24 seniors last year and it was a very strong senior class. But this year’s seniors have stepped up and I think we’re going to be all right. They’ve been running and lifting weights and look a lot more athletic."

John said early standouts include linebacker Bay Amrhein, who is being courted by several SoCon schools such as Wofford College, Presbyterian College and The Citadel. The head coach also said he’s been impressed by the play of senior center Braxton King, tight end Bo Deas and senior receivers Thomas King and Cody Cramer.

Bishop England opens its regular season on Saturday, Aug. 23, when the squad travels to Columbia to play Ben Lippen at 7 p.m. The Bishops’ home opener is Friday, Aug. 29, at 7:30 p.m.

Perhaps Bishop England’s most intriguing game will occur on Oct. 3 when it plays at Cane Bay, Berkeley County’s newest high school. The Fighting Cobras’ coach is former Hanahan coach Jeff Cruce, who has been a vociferous, often harsh, critic of the Bishops’ athletic programs. Cruce has long complained that Bishop England enjoyed an unfair advantage over other teams because it doesn’t have enrollment boundaries and can attract students from across the Lowcountry.

Consequently, Cruce’s Hanahan teams and Bishop England had a heated annual rivalry. That was to end beginning this year because of regional realignment. But Cruce’s move to Cane Bay means that the old rivalry could smolder for two more years until the Fighting Cobras move up to Class AAAA level.

"Here he has been trying to get away from us and now he’s got to play us for two more years," John Cantey chuckled.

BISHOP ENGLAND

8/22 at Ben Lippen

8/29 North Charleston

9/5 at St. Johns

9/12 Cardinal Newman

9/19 OPEN

9/26 R.B. Stall

10/3 at Cane Bay

10/10 Burke

10/17 at Woodland

10/24 at Ashley Ridge

10/31 Garrett

Charlie Patterson’s 20-year high school football coaching career has Berkeley County roots. After graduating from Presbyterian College in 1988, the Pickens, S.C. native spent six seasons as assistant coach at Goose Creek before serving three years as assistant coach at Walterboro High School. He then moved up to the head-coaching ranks at West Florence, where he coached for two years. In 1999, Patterson became an assistant coach and offensive coach for the very successful Gaffney football program in the Upstate. Gaffney has captured three state football championships over the past five years.

Now, after two decades in the coaching ranks, Patterson is back in Berkeley County as Hanahan High School’s new athletic director and football coach. In addition, he teaches social studies. It’s also a homecoming for Patterson’s wife, who hails from Goose Creek.

Jeff Cruce, his predecessor at Hanahan High School, is now athletic director and football coach at the new Cane Bay High School. Cruce’s 2007 Hanahan squad finished with a 9-3 record.

Patterson said he feels good about the upcoming season, noting that Cruce had established a winning tradition that’s paid dividends for Hanahan..

"I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve seen so far," said Patterson, who coaches the offensive line. "We’ve got a very young offensive line, but I think they’ll be OK. And we’ve got great overall speed on defense."

Perhaps the season’s most surreal moment will occur Aug. 29 when Patterson’s Hawks travel up the road to Cane Bay High School and square off against Cruce’s new team.

After opening its season Aug. 22 at home against Columbia, the Hawks will have to be road warriors as they travel to Cane Bay, St. Johns and Gettys Broome in successive weeks before hosting Woodland on Sept. 26.

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