Daniel Island rivalry returns
The Bishop England High School football team dropped down from Class AAAA to AAA in time for the 2026 football team.
But the Bishops proved they can still play with the big boys, posting a 31-7 victory over Class AAAA entry Lucy Beckham High School on Aug. 28 at Jack Cantey Stadium.
The Bishops upped their record to 2-0 and now face another big challenge when they travel to play Philip Simmons High School in a Week 3 Friday Night Lights showdown. The BE vs. PSHS prizefight will be the first game between the schools since 2024.
The Bishops have been one of the Palmetto State’s most impressive teams in the first two weeks of the season. The Bishops’ defense didn’t allow a touchdown in a 14-7 victory over Porter-Gaud in the season opener and followed that up with another impressive effort against the Bengals, who went 7-4 and reached the playoffs last fall.
“Defense ticks off preparation,” Coach Logan Hall said. “Coach (Carson) Mingo and that staff do a great job preparing them week in and out to play fast. The defensive line is playing at a high level, and we are tackling well.”
The Bishops logged 10 tackles for a loss against the Bengals, including six quarterback sacks. The Bishops also forced three fumbles.
Luke Russell led the Bishop defense with 12 tackles and two tackles for a loss, while Matthew Ponkow tallied 11 tackles, including three for a loss.
The Bishop D finally gave up its first touchdown in eight quarters while the offense was high-tech and high-production as the Bishops rolled for 451 yards in total offense. Junior quarterback Banks Luton had the game of his life as he accounted for 406 of the total yards.
The 6-foot-2 Luton carried 12 times for 105 yards and destroyed the Bengals’ secondary as the left-hander averaged 27.4 yards per completion. He finished with 11 completions in 17 attempts for 301 yards and four scores.
“Banks did a great job seeing the defense and taking advantage of matchups last week,” Hall said. “He’s gaining confidence each rep.”
William Donato led the BE receivers with four catches for 95 yards and a pair of scores while recovering a fumble on defense. Chase Tonon caught four balls for 98 yards and a score, while sophomore Sebastian Roboya caught two passes for 88 yards and a TD.
The Bishops and Iron Horses last played in 2024, a 21-14 BE win in a game that was played on Friday the 13th.
The Bishops won the first three games of the rivalry, which began in 2018, while Philip Simmons followed that with three straight wins of its own. The victory in ’24 gave the Bishops a 4-3 lead in a short but memorable series.
“Philip Simmons… they are a great local high school,” Hall said. “I have respect for how Coach (Eric) Bendig runs that program and will be another great test on Friday night. This will prepare us for later in the year.”