BEARVILLE — A lot will be riding on Friday night’s Region 3-AA encounter involving Pierce County and Appling County.
The regular season finale is the first time since 2017 neither program has been ranked and just the second time since 2011. In five of the past six seasons the region kingpins have both entered ranked.
PCHS (8-1 overall, 2-1 region) can still win the region title and a top eight seed with a victory over the Pirates (6-3, 3-0), who enter on a five-game winning streak. “Everybody saw them early in the year and thought they (Pirates) weren’t any good,” said Pierce County head coach Ryan Herring. “The coach (Tucker Pruitt) got there in the summer and started putting in a whole new offense. I told everybody, once they get about five games under them, they’ll get rolling. And that’s kind of what happened.
“About mid-season, the players started buying in. They’ve gotten a lot o f work at what they’re doing and now they’re playing real good football.”
The Bears will need help from Cook (5-4, 12) knocking off Crisp County (3-6, 2-1). That scenario gives PCHS the tie-breaker over Appling County.
A three-way tie could also happen with a PCHS victory and a Crisp County win just like 2023 with the Bears, Pirates and Toombs County finishing tied atop the region standings.
Entering play last Friday, PCHS was a 17th-seed as the third team in the region and would open on the road. Finishing in the top 16 guarantees at least a first round home game.
“We could be first, second or third,” Herring said. “You want to be a one seed if at all possible. We’re just really just focusing on this game with Appling County and not looking ahead. Everything will play out Friday night on the field.”
Finally, Appling County enters knowing PCHS was the school turning the Pirates’ program in last year for using an ineligible player costing the school 10 victories and the region title.
Friday’s meeting is the 30th between the neighboring schools with the rivalry intensifying since 2011. The Pirates lead the series 17-12 having won each of the past three games on the field by a total of 21 points.
Appling County and the Bears have four common opponents — three in region. Both own victories over Wayne County with the Pirates winning 38-26 and PCHS posting a 42-0 decision.
Appling County slipped past Crisp County 29-27 nearly blowing a 22-0 lead. The Bears let a 10-0 advantage slip away in falling 28-16.
The Pirates knocked off Tattnall County 49-7 a week ahead of Pierce County posting a 42-7 winning.
Appling County outscored Cook 57-27 last week while the Bears opened region play handing the Hornets a 34-13 setback.
The Pirates’ offensive scheme is four parts — “Big Pirate” with a mix of wing-T, single wing and spread. The “Big Pirate” is nearly identical to PCHS’s “Big Bear.”
“You’ve got four offenses in one, so there’s four different disciplines you have to prepare for,” Herring said. “You’ve got to be able to identify formations and get lined up according to what formation they’re in. You can’t play everything the same.
“They (Pirates) run balance, they run wings, they run sniffers, they run wing-T and wing slot and it could be an unbalanced on all of them. The key is getting lined up.”
Appling County is averaging 33.4 points per game with scoring bursts of 67, 49 and 57 points in three of its last five games. The Pirates are averaging 213.7 yards per game rushing and 7.5 yards per attempt. They are only getting 40.6 yards through the air.
Sophomore Harrison Hickox (6-foot-2, 200 lbs.) is the signal-caller when Appling County is not aligned in the “Big Pirate” ground attack.
“The quarterback an throw the ball,” Herring said. “They (Pirates) haven’t thrown the ball much this year (47 times).” Junior Jaiden Knight (5-11, 185) is the featured back. He’s accumulated 1,008 yards and 17 touchdowns averaging 9.5 yards per touch. Knight has six 100-yard rushing nights.
Knight rushed for 187 yards and five touchdowns in the win over Cook.
“He (Knight) is a guy who can break away and go the distance,” said Herring. He’s also not scared to run with power inside and run through the smoke. He’s pretty good at being real patient and letting his blocks develop.”
Zacchaeus Shinhoster is second in rushing with 262 yards with two touchdowns and one 100-yard game. He averages nine yards per attempt. His 100-yard game came against Cook finishing with 132 yards on 10 carries.
Sophomore Rhett Thomas and Knight are tied for the team-lead in receptions with six each. Thomas (one touchdown) averages 26.3 yards per reception while Knight (two touchdowns) averages 13.8 coming out of the backfield.
The Pirates are multiple on the defensive side playing both a 4-4 and 3-4. The front is anchored by seniors Cameron George (6-foot, 225) and Karson Johnson (6-3, 228), junior Deondre Mims (6-foot, 290) and sophomore Tommy Beard.
Sophomre Jack Lee Courson and junior Javehez Johnson (5-10, 195) are the inside linebackers. Senior Devonte Poole and Shinhoster line up at outside linebackers.
Junior Jaylin Lee (6-4, 175), senior Mikel Crayton (5-9, 165) and Knight man the secondary.
“I think we’ll see a 4-4,” said Herring. “They have four guys up front who are space-eaters. They’ve got one outside linebacker who’s pretty good. The running back (Knight) doubles over and plays safety.”
Herring said his offensive unit has to efficient and execute.
“We’ve just got to be efficient,” he said. “We got to hit throws when they’re open taking what they give us.”
Herring added there are some injuries he is concerned with.
“We’ve got about three or four who are day-today,” the coach said. There’s a chance all of them will play, but there’s also a chance a couple of them won’t for sure.”
