Bishop England defense steps up in Holy War victory
The defense might not rest this fall for the Bishop England High School football team, and that’s a good thing.
During the preseason, Coach Logan Hall predicted the defense will be the horse they ride to success, adding, “We’re going to be good there, and we’re going to rely on it early.”
That wasn’t idle chatter.
The Bishops’ offense surrendered a score in the first minute of the game in the Aug. 21 Holy War vs. Porter-Gaud at Jack Cantey Stadium when a high snap resulted in a Cyclone defensive touchdown.
But after that it was zip, nada, and minimal yardage as the Bishops kicked off the 2026 season with a 14-7 decision over the Cyclones. It marked the second straight victory over their crosstown rivals, and the third straight victory in the season opener.
Seven starters return for the BE defense, including linemen Luke Balog and Jackson Kunz. The starting linebacking trio returns: Matthew Ponkow, Luke Russell, and Trevor Tonon. Chase Tonon is a starting safety, while Finn Corley is a lockdown cornerback.
Those seven blocks of defense held the Cyclones to minimal yardage in total offense as Cyclone junior quarterback Cam Wenz completed 9 of 16 passing for 80 yards.
The Bishops recorded 11 tackles for a loss against the Cyclones and sacked the quarterback five times. Trevor Tonon led with 10 tackles, including five solo stops. He had 3.5 tackles for a loss. Ponkow logged seven tackles, while Russell tallied six tackles, including 2.5 tackles for a loss. Jackson Radcliffe picked off a pass late in the game to seal the victory.
The season opener marked the starting debut of Bishop England quarterback Banks Luton, who transferred in from Oceanside Collegiate Academy.
Luton settled into a groove late in the first half to account for the Bishops’ first score of the game. The lefty completed a 20-yard pass to Tonon to give the Bishops a first-and-goal at the Porter-Gaud 4-yard line. Luton scored on a keeper to tie the game at 7-7.
The Bishops put together a drive that would produce the game-winning score, a short run by William Donato late in the game. Donato also caught seven passes for 37 yards.
The Bishops finished with 307 yards in total offense, including 183 on the ground.
“We played well, got the job done,” Hall said. “We are going to get better.”
The Bishops, in their first season at Class AAA after a two-year stint in 4-A, host Lucy Beckham High School in Week 2. The Bengals gained a 29-6 victory over Fort Dorchester in their opener.
The Bishops travel to Philip Simmons on Sept. 4, to settle the Daniel Island debate: Who has the best football team on the island?
Stay tuned.