Iron Horses rebound from slow start, now eye championship season
Philip Simmons High School’s Hayes Goddard won a spirited battle for the starting quarterback job during spring practice.
His football resume, at the time, included only 12 pass attempts with six receptions for 46 yards and a score.
What impressed coach Eric Bendig most were Goddard’s intangibles.
“His leadership and grasp of our offense is what stands out,” Bendig said when he named the 5-foot 10-inch, 160-pound junior the starting quarterback.
Goddard and the rest of his teammates struggled the first two weeks of the season after earning a spot in the South Carolina media poll’s top 10 preseason poll. The Iron Horses started the 2025 campaign with losses to Hanahan and Lucy Beckham.
But Goddard and the Iron Horses have rebounded with three consecutive victories to re-enter the top 10 and have established themselves as a contender for the Region 6-AA championship.
“We’re still working on accuracy,” Bendig said of Goddard, who has completed 49 percent of his passes. “He works hard in the weight room, watches film, and wants to get better.”
The Iron Horses, who are coming off a bye, begin region play this weekend, hosting Woodland High School at The Phil. The Wolverines, who own a 3-2 record, will face a quarterback who has improved every week.
Goddard enters the game with 54 completions in 111 attempts for 760 yards and nine TDs. The stat that really pleases Bendig the most is Goddard’s zero in the interception category.
“He is more comfortable out there,” Bendig said of Goddard’s progression. “Sometimes, there is more pressure on the quarterback because he is asked to do so much, but he’s responded.”
Goddard is coming off what was arguably the best performance of the season in a 46-14 conquest of Whale Branch on Sept. 26. The Iron Horses built a 36-0 halftime lead, and Bendig was able to give his backups plenty of playing time. Goddard completed 19 of 28 passing attempts for 251 yards and four touchdowns.
His top targets in the victory were classmates Ashton Kellermann and Patrick Clarke. Kellermann snagged eight passes for 137 yards and a pair of scores, while Clarke caught five passes for 79 yards and two TDs. Both receivers and Goddard are in the PSHS Class of 2027.
Clarke, who is coming off the best game of his career, has eight receptions this fall for 137 yards and two scores.
Kellermann leads a talented wide receiver/tight end room with 26 receptions for 451 yards and five touchdowns.
“He’s old-school, talented, and a hard worker." Bendig said of Kellerman. "Obviously, he can play other positions because he is so versatile. If he continues to progress, he will be one of the top wide receivers in the Lowcountry and state.”
There’s more young talent in the WR/tight end room. Junior wideout Blake Johnson has good speed, while sophomore Maurico Curry has made a successful transition from QB to wideout. Junior tight end Alex Tchoryk is an impressive target at 6-3 who is fundamentally sound.