SPECIAL NOTE: The BHP vs Chapman game has been rescheduled to Sept 25th at 6:30 PM. The game will still be played at BHP.
Thirteen miles of South Carolina highway separate BHP and Palmetto, but on the football field, that gap might as well be NYC to LA. BHP walked into Friday night’s game holding the upper hand—a 14-game winning streak against Palmetto, the longest in this so-called rivalry. By the time the night was over, the streak had grown to 15.
The Mustangs did their best to come out swinging, grabbing a quick 7-3 lead and playing the aggressor. But then the Bears did what they always seem to do: they woke up. It didn’t happen all at once, but it happened in a methodical, grinding way like a python squeezing the life out of its prey. BHP imposed their will little by little until the final whistle blew with a 37-14 score in their favor.
It wasn’t a showstopper. No flashy, highlight-reel touchdowns to make you leap out of your seat (well other than the 62-yard Henderson run and Watson-Martin’s 61-yard reception). And maybe that’s why the Bears seemed to start slow—Friday’s game didn’t have the hype and spotlight of the previous week. But a 500-yard offensive performance, 9.8 yards per carry, and zero punts later, it’s hard to complain. This was the epitome of a “trust the process” game. It wasn’t about running up the score; it was about taking care of business, and that’s exactly what BHP did.
Here’s what I loved Friday, though: the Bears are sharing the wealth on offense. Marquise might’ve taken the lion’s share of the carries—20 for 223 in total—but look closer. Noah Thomas, MJ Earle, and Justin Lathon combined for 17 rushes and 129 yards, each averaging over six yards per carry. And it wasn’t just the ground game. Six different receivers caught a pass, with three of them racking up more than 20 receiving yards. That’s balance.
And I’m not talking about your grandfather’s definition of balance—this isn’t about splitting the run and pass 50/50. As the late, great Mike Leach once quipped, “There’s nothing balanced about 50 percent run, 50 percent pass because that’s 50 percent stupid. No, real balance is when all five of your skill positions are making contributions”, and that’s exactly what we saw on Friday.
This isn’t new either. They’ve seen done it against them. Westside earlier this season and Daniel and Clinton in years past all played their star players on both sides of the ball. The formula is simple: get your superior athletes involved, and do it on both sides of the ball. Just look at Tajeh Watson-Martin. He’s BHP’s starting cornerback and now leads the team in receiving yards. Jakyri Anderson is beginning to add another threat at wideout and is a leader on defense. Justin Lathon is doing double duty at running back and defensive end. The Bears are pushing the envelope on offense and defense and the team is thriving because of it.
Palmetto is now in the rearview mirror and BHP’s focus shifts to Chapman for one last non-region tune-up. The Bears are starting to fire on all cylinders and if Friday night was any indication, they’re ready for whatever comes next.
Week 6 Preview
BHP sets its sights on Chapman as they gear up to finish their non-conference stretch. The Bears are riding a 4-1 start, while Chapman limps into this matchup with a 1-4 record—a tale of two seasons heading in different directions. But don’t let that fool you. Chapman’s record hides a brutal schedule where they've been the underdog time and time again.
Chapman kicked off their season facing powerhouse Daniel, eating a 41-21 loss. They managed to claw out a 35-21 win over St. Joseph’s Catholic, but then the wheels came off. Boiling Springs handed them a 52-7 drubbing, followed by tough losses to Clinton (49-27) and Christ Church (14-7). It’s been a bumpy ride, no doubt.
Here’s the kicker: if you had circled this matchup at the beginning of the season, it looked like it had all the makings of a Clash of the Titans. Chapman was fresh off a 10-2 campaign, finishing in the top 10 in 3A, and carried the weight of expectations into the season. But when you take a deeper look at this year’s team reality hits—the Panthers graduated 20 seniors, including their top six skill players and star quarterback Coleman Gray, who did everything but sell popcorn at halftime last season, racking up over 2,000 passing yards and another 800 on the ground. That’s a lot of production walking out the door.
So here Chapman sits, five games in, trying to find their identity. There are signs they’re starting to figure things out. New players are finally getting meaningful snaps and finding rhythm, and the Panthers may just be dangerous enough to ruin someone's Friday night.
Offensively, Chapman and BHP could be staring into a mirror. Both teams love to pound the rock with a tough, power run game, throwing multiple tight ends and backs at you like it’s the mid-2000s again. Their quarterback will call his own number plenty too, so BHP’s defense better keep their eyes on him. But when Chapman spreads the field, they’re not afraid to sling it, running trips and making you cover every blade of grass.
The big question for Chapman is, which defense shows up? The one that held Christ Church to 14 points, or the one that was gashed by Boiling Springs and Clinton? Either way, BHP should expect a fight—Chapman’s defense could very well be the toughest they’ll face for the rest of the regular season.
But, here’s the real story: this game isn’t just about Chapman. It’s about BHP staying true to their own process. Last week against Palmetto, the Bears got off to a sluggish start, only to pick up steam as the game went on. If they can come out swinging from the first whistle this time, they could put this one away early, the way they’ve done in previous weeks.
Then there’s the Marquise Henderson factor. The Bears’ dynamic back has been flirting with a heavier workload and the question is whether we’ll see him stretch out that workload even more. Henderson’s usual 10-15 carries per game increased to 20 against Palmetto and 13 in just the first half against Westside. Was that a preview of what’s to come as BHP preps him for the playoff grind or just a reaction to a tougher opponent? Either way, Henderson is the walking highlight reel, and all eyes should be on him to deliver another big performance.
I would be scolded if I left this quick note out. Penalties can break a game wide open, and against Palmetto, the Bears learned that the hard way. They were flagged 15 times for 154 yards, making it the third game this season with over 10 penalties. That’s 34% more than last year. It’s one thing for a dominant offensive line to get called for holding when it’s really just overpowering blocks, but 15 flags? That’s a problem.
The key is discipline. The Bears need to take pride in reducing these mistakes. Each penalty is lost yardage and missed opportunity. The difference between winning and losing often comes down to the little things—like controlling the urge to push the boundaries. It's time for the Bears to tighten up.
Finally, the Bears are back home, and that’s no small thing. The energy of the BHP crowd could be the boost they need, and this time, it might be the Bears’ turn to make the big plays instead of letting Chapman steal the spotlight. If BHP plays their game, it could be a long night for the Panthers.
Previous Matchup: 2013
Score: BHP 7 -- Chapman 17
BHP's 2023 vs Chapman Stats Offensive:
Team Rushing: 34 rushes for 141 yards and 1 TD
Team Passing: 3/8/0 for 9 yards
Team Total: 42 plays for 150 yards and 1 TD
Rushing Leader: Anthony White - 12 rushes for 63 yards.
Passing Leader: Cody Spence - 3/7/0 for 9 yards
Receiving Leaders: Maleke Callahan - 2 receptions for 6 yards
Chapman's 2023 vs BHP Stats Offensive:
Team Rushing: 41 rushes for 117 yards
Team Passing: 20/33/0 for 276 yards and 2 TDs
Team Total: 74 plays for 393 yards and 2 TDs
Rushing Leader: Malik Gray - 19 rushes for 67 yards
Passing Leader: Malik Gray - 20/30/0 for 276 yards and 2 TDs
Receiving Leaders: Debo Samuel - 7 receptions for 123 yards and 2 TDs
Quick Stats
- BHP is 4-1 all-time against Chapman (the 2013 meeting was the first since 1971).
- BHP is averaging 0.6 more yards per carry (2024 - 8.3, 2023 - 7.7) over the record-setting rushing attack last season.
- BHP has incurred 34.5% more penalties and penalty yards over last season.
- BHP is allowing 249 total yards per game, down by 13.1% from last season’s 286.6 yards per game.
- With the win over Palmetto, this senior class becomes the 12th consecutive BHP senior class that did not lose to Palmetto during their four years.
- The 233 rushing yards on 20 carries for Marquise Henderson against Palmetto was the 7th time he has surpassed 200 rushing yards in a game and the 7th time he has had 20 or more rushes in a game in his career.
- With his 2 rushing TDs against Palmetto, Henderson has had 23 games where he has rushed for multiple TDs in a game.
- The 531 total yards against Palmetto was the 14th time BHP has gained 500 or more yards in a game since 2014.
- The 154 total penalty yards against BHP vs Palmetto was the 5th time since 2014 that BHP was penalized over 150 total yards in a game.
- BHP has not allowed a passing TD in the second half this season.
Wrap Up
The Bears are stepping into something unusual this week: a Wednesday night game. It’s a little curveball, a test to see how the team adjusts to a short week of prep, the kind of thing that can make or break momentum. But here’s the thing with this group—they’ve faced tougher and come out on top. The challenge isn’t just the condensed schedule; it’s about staying laser-focused, play after play, ignoring the outside distractions, the what-ifs, and the noise from every corner. And if I know this team, they’ll do just that, handle business on the field, and bag a win over Chapman.
Now, sure, playing on a Wednesday feels odd—like wearing your cleats to church—but don’t worry, Bears fans. This is nothing new. After all, water is water. It’s wet, but we’ve been swimming in it for years. So show up, get loud, and let’s turn this Wednesday into something special. This team feeds off that energy and they’ll need every decibel you’ve got. Let’s make Chapman wish they had stayed home. Go Bears.
Prediction: BHP 49 - Team 14
We want to see all of you Bear fans at Palmetto to support the Bears this Wednesday. But if you can't, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and X. Stay in the loop. Because Wednesday, we will be dropping the GameDay Graphic and will be live Tweeting stats and highlights during the game.