Iron Horses improve to 4-0 with gridiron victory over Timberland

Players on the Philip Simmons High School football team will have a little R&R on their minds this week as they prepare for Sept. 15’s battle at Aynor.

 

If you think that R&R means rest and relaxation, you don’t know Iron Horse coach Eric Bendig’s DNA. Bendig has his team thinking big as the Iron Horses strive to keep their perfect record intact as they wrap up a four-game road swing. The Iron Horses remained undefeated with a 37-13 victory over the Timberland Wolves on Sept. 8.

 

The R&R in this case is revenge and a record. The Iron Horses are seeking a dose of revenge against Aynor, a team that jumped to a big lead against the Iron Horses and went on to post a 52-31 triumph last fall.

 

If the Iron Horses exact revenge against the Blue Jackets, it would give them a school record of five victories to begin the season. The Iron Horses’ 4-0 record matches the best start in the program’s brief history. Philip Simmons opened the 2021 season with four consecutive victories on the way to an 11-2 season.

 

“We had a tough time stopping their offense last year, obviously,” Bendig said of the setback against Aynor. “They run the old-school version of an offense, the single wing. We have to ready ourselves for a hard battle. We need to get in the fist-fight mode.”

 

The Iron Horses delivered a 37-13 knockout punch against the Wolves, a Berkeley Country foe with a proud history. The Iron Horses took a 9-7 lead at the end of the first period against Timberland, and increased the margin to 22-7 at halftime and 37-7 after three quarters to send the Wolves to their fourth loss in four games.

 

Once again, the Iron Horse line was dominant. Bendig knew senior Russell Dickerson would be a force this fall, and the coach is impressed with the development of some of the new OL starters.

 

The Iron Horses churned and burned for 453 total yards against the Wolves, with 342 yards coming on the ground. Running backs Sharod Williams and KJ Asbury continue to put up numbers more like video game stats. Williams carried 10 times for 195 yards and a pair of scores while Asbury toted the ball 17 times for 144 yards and a score. Williams is on pace to rush for 1,468 yards and 23 TDs in the 10-game regular season while Asbury’s stats project to 1,610 yards and eight TDs in the regular season.

 

Aynor, which is one point away from being undefeated, will force the Iron Horses to throw more often. Quarterback Tavien Orellana completed 3 of 6 against Timberland for 99 yards and a pair of TDs. One completion went 45 yards for a score with Troy Stevenson on the receiving end. Stevenson, who will play for Georgia Tech, specializes on defense, but has big play capability as a wideout.

 

Orellana, a junior, has completed 12 of 22 passing for 246 yards and seven TDs. He also threw a 30-yard TD pass to sophomore Brody Tonon in the victory over the Wolves.