Iron Horses look to bounce back against Porter-Gaud after nail-biting finish

Philip Simmons High School football coach Eric Bendig loved his team’s effort against the Hanahan Hawks on Aug. 21. It was the Iron Horses’ execution that was their downfall as the Hawks posted a 34-33 victory in the season-opener for both teams. 

The Iron Horses found themselves in a massive hole in a Berkeley County rivalry game played at Hanahan High as the Hawks scored on their first three possessions to take a 21-0 lead in the second quarter. But the Iron Horses didn’t have any quit in them as they rallied and had a chance to win when Hayes Goddard threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to freshman Tyrus Alston with just under 20 seconds left in the game. 

The Iron Horses, who missed a PAT on their previous touchdown, opted to go for a 2-point conversion with the game on the line, but Goddard’s pass attempt was incomplete. The Iron Horses attempted an onside kick, but the Hawks recovered to win another close encounter against PSHS. 

“That was my call, and I'd make it again,” Bendig said of the decision to go for two points. “We had a rough night on PATs with already having bobbled a snap and kick, so I trusted our two-point play more than another PAT attempt. We had the defense beat – we just didn't execute. That's on me to make sure we're better prepared in that spot.” 

The victory gave the Hawks a 5-3 record against the Iron Horses in a season-opener that was similar to last year’s game when the Hawks jumped to a 26-13 halftime lead and held on for a 40-34 victory. The last four games have been close encounters with only 12 points separating the two teams. 

”We preached starting fast all week,” Bendig said. “In 2025, we put ourselves in a hole and didn't dig out of it, but we fought like crazy. This year, we did some things that will get you beat in all three phases. So that is on me to get them better prepared to start the season. 

“However, one thing is for certain, and that is that no one in our program thought we were out of it,” Bendig said. “We settled in and got ourselves a chance to win. I loved the fight but need to see better execution from everyone, from coaches to players.” 

The Iron Horses’ Goddard completed 23 of 32 attempts for 369 yards and three touchdowns. 

Ashton Kellermann was the Iron Horses’ leading receiver with nine catches for 160 yards and a score. Alston caught five passes for 90 yards and a score, while Maurico Curry caught two passes for 42 yards and a TD. 

The Iron Horses managed only 69 yards on the ground but made the most of the tough yardage. Omonte Taylor scored two times on short runs in the second quarter to cut the Hawks’ lead to 21-14 at halftime. He finished with 50 yards on 14 carries. 

“Our games with Hanahan have been heated and tightly matched for a long time,” said Bendig, whose team plays Porter-Gaud in Week 2. “We have had really good contests with them. They are a county school that used to be the high school this attendance zone would attend until we were built. So it has a lot of good history, a lot of great matchups over the years, and some great moments. It is a fun environment, especially to kick off the season.”