BE football coach honored with Shrine Bowl coaching selection
Bishop England High School coach John Cantey will have a busy football postseason in 2020. Look for the Bishops to make the Class AAA playoffs. And, look for Cantey along the sidelines during the 83rd annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas.
The Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas is the oldest high school postseason interstate all-star game in the country, and it features the top 44 seniors from South Carolina versus their counterparts from North Carolina.
Cantey, who has been the head coach at BE for 12 years, will be an assistant coach for the Sandlappers in next year’s game, which will be played Dec. 19, 2020. Longtime Palmetto State coaching icon Jerry Brown will be the head coach. He’s coached locally at Berkeley High School and led their football team to three state titles.
“It was kind of unexpected,” said Cantey, who will begin the 2020 season with an 87-50 record at BE. “I coached in the North-South game a couple of years ago, but the Shrine Bowl is at the next level.”
Most of the players selected to play in the prestigious all-star game will play major college football.
“Some of those players will play in the NFL, and I get the opportunity to coach them,” Cantey said. “My father (Jack Cantey) was the head coach of the South Carolina team in 1983, and he coached William Perry and a couple of other players who made it to the NFL. I’m excited to work with such great coaches and players.”
Perry, as you might remember, was a defensive tackle for Clemson and was known as “The Refrigerator.” He played on the 1985 Chicago Bears, one of the greatest defensive teams ever, and scored a touchdown on offense as the Bears pounded the New England Patriots.
Cantey’s father is a coaching legend, and so is Brown. He will enter next season with 278 career victories.
“I can’t wait to talk to coach Brown,” said Cantey, who led the Bishops to back-to-back state titles in 2011 and 2012, posting a combined 26-2 record. “Coach Brown is one of the most successful coaches in state history.”
FOOTBALL HONORS
The Philip Simmons High School football team had four players earn honorable mention all-state in Class AA. The players include linebacker/running back Tyler Harper, linebacker/wide receiver Will Ramey, lineman Keyshawn Lockwood, and lineman Mickey Walker.
Six Iron Horses were named to the Region 6-AA all-star team including Harper, Ramey, Lockwood, Walker, wide receiver/cornerback Peyton Woolrdige, and running back Solly Best.
“We had six players on all-region this year, instead of the two we had last year,” said coach Eric Bendig, who led the Iron Horses to a 4-6 record. “That’s a sign of progress.”
Bishop England, meanwhile, had six players earn Region 7-AAA honors. The players included quarterback Cam Costa, wide receiver Sullivan Clair, wide receiver/defensive back Jarren McCoy, safety/wide receiver Charlie Michel, running back Michael Long, and linebacker Drew Owens.
The Bishops posted a 6-4 record, with a 4-1 record in league play.