Preview: Rock Hill Bearcats trying to turn momentum around
Rock Hill’s defense was the strength of a two-win team last year. Eight starters graduated, including much of the front seven, but senior linebacker and college recruit Kendrick Hicks is back and will be an important contributor; likewise for his brother, sophomore Logan Hicks, who will anchor the middle of a new-look defensive line.
Corner Nick Truesdale returns in the secondary, along with safeties Chesia Coleman and Jordan Morris, but the Bearcats will need younger, untested players to emerge quickly at linebacker and up front.
Offensively, Bubba Pittman’s squad is more settled. Senior QB Dre Robinson gets the nod under center after playing extensively last season. Running back Des Buchanan is a good-sized junior that could give Rock Hill more semblance of a running game this fall. He’ll be escorted by five senior offensive linemen, including three that started last season, Tim Washington, Alex Melton and Tre Payne.
They have about worn out our spring game film, the way they’ve studied and studied and studied. They’ve got a good chemistry, they’re really, really tight in school and out of school. Those five guys are doing a really good job.
Rock Hill coach Bubba Pittman is thrilled with the way his offensive line has coalesced during the offseason
South Pointe transfer Qua Brice should get the chance to be an offensive factor for the Bearcats as a receiver and all-around athlete, along with returning slot man Kenny Agurs and well-built outside guy Eric Stroud, who coaches say could be a college prospect if he seizes the opportunity. A slew of untested ninth, 10th and 11th graders are competing for playing time at receiver.
Little bit of youth, little bit of experience, but we feel really good about those skill guys.
Bubba Pittman
on his receiversHeading into the season, very little appears to separate Fort Mill, Nation Ford, Clover and Rock Hill, the other four teams in Region 4-5A outside of favorite Northwestern. Rock Hill has a brutal schedule but its players and coaches need to keep in mind that four out of five teams from the region make the 5A postseason.
We’re gonna play the best out there and we’ll give it our best shot in the non-region and see how it goes. But we’ve preached to our team since January ‘the region is what matters.’ Hopefully it doesn’t happen, but you could go 0-6 and still win your region.
Bubba Pittman on keeping his team focused if the Bearcats’ tough non-region schedule doesn’t go well
Returning starters: 6 offense, 3 defense
Key returning players: Jr. WR Eric Stroud; Sr. QB Dre Robinson; Jr. RB Des Buchanan; Sr. OL Alex Melton; Sr. OL Tre Payne; Sr. LB Kendrick Hicks; Sr. DB Nick Truesdale; Sr. LB Jamaal Smith; Sr. DB Chesia Coleman; Sr. WR Kenny Agurs; Jr. WR Tay Marks; Sr. Tim Washington; Soph. DT Logan Hicks; Sr. K Zhenya Deller.
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Coach Bubba Pittman (3rd year)
Career record 6-16
Assistant coaching staff Joey Fowler, offensive line; Mike Biddix, defensive coordinator; Chris Price, linebackers; Jym Jollie, offensive line; Anthony McFadden, wide receivers; Tim Sawyer, wide receivers; Eric Park, running backs; Mike Melton, defensive line; Wardell Rouse, linebackers; Tim Jones, linebackers; Tony Watkins, defensive backs.
Last season 2-9
Last 10 years combined 52-67 (43.6 percent)
School state championships 5 (1944, 1945, 1952, 2002, 2004)
Schedule
August 19 at Blythewood*; 26 York*
September 2 at South Pointe*; 9 Boiling Springs*; 16 at Dorman*; 23 Open; 30 Gaffney*
October 7 Nation Ford*; 14 at Fort Mill*; 21 Clover; 28 at Northwestern*
▪ Rock Hill’s opponents won 65 percent of their games last season; star denotes 2015 playoff team; cursive denotes Region 4-5A opponent
Numbers to know
8 5A teams on the Bearcats’ 10-game regular season schedule.
9 teams on Rock Hill’s 2016 schedule that played in the postseason last year, including South Pointe, Northwestern and Dorman, which all played in state title games.
403 combined tackles graduated from Rock Hill’s front seven, which was one of the best in the area last year. Finding players to step into the holes left by Alan Salgado, Stephen Chesney, Khari Hunter and Donavon Perryman will be a chief priority for the Bearcats.
2009 was the last year Rock Hill had a winning record (11-1). The Bearcats have made the postseason twice in the six seasons since.
11 catches last season for Qua Brice as a junior at South Pointe. The receiver transferred to Rock Hill this offseason and should be an integral part of the Bearcats’ passing attack.
| Number | Name | Grade | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Stroud | Jr. | WR |
| 2 | Kenny Agurs | Sr. | WR |
| 3 | Quay Brice | Sr. | WR |
| 6 | Artavious Anthony | So. | WR |
| 7 | Tay Marks | Jr. | WR |
This story was originally published August 17, 2016 at 11:16 PM with the headline "Preview: Rock Hill Bearcats trying to turn momentum around."