Iron Horses Ready to Tackle Inaugural Football Season
Philip Simmons High School is ready for some football.
But it will be a year before the Iron Horses graduate to Friday Night Lights.
The brand new school in Berkeley County will field a football team this fall, but it will compete at the junior varsity level because the school has only freshman and sophomore classes. Next year, the team moves up to the varsity level. In the meantime, having Friday nights free in the fall will be something head coach Eric Bendig and his staff will have to adjust to.
“The entire staff came from the varsity level,” said Bendig, who comes to PSHS from Ashley Ridge where he served as an offensive coordinator. “For me, it’s going to be weird not to be coaching football on Fridays. It’s been 10 years for me and for some of my staff, it will be 20 years. No football on Friday nights is a reflection of what has been asked of me.”
Bendig is in charge of putting together a junior varsity team that will compete on Thursday nights.
There are 50 players on the roster, including a handful of eighth-graders.
“We don’t have a middle school program and some of the parents wanted a structured environment for their children,” said Bendig. “We’re still going to play our best 11. But this gives the younger players a chance to develop. We told the parents we wouldn’t keep any player who physically could not do the job.”
The team is very young and very diverse. One of the things Bendig stressed in camp was esprit de corps.
“We when we moved from Cainhoy to the new high school, there was a sense of pride, a sense of togetherness, and that’s something we’ve worked on,” he said. “That, and you have to work for things. Nothing is given to you. You have to deserve it.”
The team has talent on both sides of the ball. Sophomore quarterback Omaro Asby is the starting quarterback. He’s a leader and extremely athletic but is still learning the position.
Sophomore Javier Simmons is the prototypical tight end-fullback who has great potential.
Another sophomore, Solly Bess, will get his share of carries from the running back position.
The skill players will benefit from an offensive line that has great potential. Sophomore Keshawn Lockwood, who was at Hanahan last year, might be the best of the upfront players.
On defense, keep an eye on promising lineman Jaylan Richardson.
Smith, who will play on both sides of the ball, is a potent linebacker as is Trip Williams. He is only in the eighth grade but is a team captain.
R.J. Watson and Peyton Woolridge have looked good as members of the Iron Horses’ secondary.
“My expectations are high,” said Bendig. “The players’ expectations are high, but I tell them we will not achieve our goals and come together as a team. If we embrace each other as members of our family, we can be very successful. We have to dedicate ourselves to each other.”
Iron Horses Football Schedule
August
24 Stall
31 Oceanside Collegiate
September
7 Waccamaw
14 at Stratford
21 Bishop England
28 Wando
October
5 at West Ashley
12 Woodland
19 Andrews
26 at Whale Branch