Last year Pickens began the season 6-0, but the Blue Flame lost the final four games of the year, finishing with a 1-4 record in Western AAA play and missing the playoffs. The nadir may have been the final game of the season, in which the Blue Flame fell to Daniel 48-3. The Lions had already clinched the Western AAA title, so the game did not have much meaning for them. Pickens, on the other hand, had a chance of earning a playoff spot with a win over the Lions.
Last season Pickens opened its season with a 43-33 win at Walhalla. Walhalla, though currently at the AA level, is one of the Blue Flame’s “traditional” opponents. In the late 1980s, when Pickens was struggling to attract home crowds against an AAAA schedule that included Laurens and Greenwood, legendary Blue Flame coach Bill Isaacs attributed the smaller crowds not to the quality of the opponents, but to the fans’ unfamiliarity with the AAAA schools.
“People from Pickens would much rather watch us play Walhalla than these big AAAA schools,” Isaacs said. “It’s not a matter of a tougher schedule — I think the Western AAA is one of the toughest leagues in the state, no matter what level you’re talking about. But people grew up watching Pickens play Walhalla, Berea, BHP, Seneca and Daniel. Those are the games our fans want to see every year.”
Walhalla is coached by former Pickens High School standout John Boggs.
In the second game of the season, Pickens will host county rival Liberty. Last season, the Blue Flame defeated the Red Devils 47-6. Pickens has won the seven meetings between the teams since the rivalry was restored in 2001, but the Red Devils have provided the Blue Flames with scares, including 2005, in which the Blue Flame won 20-16.
Pickens first road trip will be a brief one down Gentry Memorial Highway to play rival Easley. Last season the Blue Flame broke a four-game losing streak in the series by topping Easley 48-30. It was Coach Brett Turner’s only victory against the Green Wave.
The next week Pickens returns home to face former Western AAA foe Travelers Rest, whom the Blue Flame defeated 35-7 last season.
Former Blue Flame standout Mark Holliday is on the football coaching staff at Travelers Rest.
Pickens’ final non-conference game will be Sept. 25 at Berea, another former member of the Western AAA region. Last season Pickens defeated the Bulldogs 49-27. The Bulldogs finished the year with a 4-7 record, including a 35-0 loss to Chester in the first round of the AAA playoffs.
Pickens will begin its 2009 Western AAA schedule at Seneca Oct. 2. Last year the Blue Flame defeated the Bobcats 16-13 at Bruce Field. Despite a 3-7 regular-season record, the Bobcats advanced to the state AAA playoffs, where they lost 56-13 to Greer in the first round.
Pickens will try to gain vengeance against the team that gave the team its first loss of the 2008 season as they host Belton-Honea Path Oct. 9.
Last season BHP defeated Pickens 35-14 in a game that started a four-game losing streak for the Blue Flame. BHP came into the game with a 2-4 record, and finished the season with a 4-7 record after losing to Clinton in the first round of the state AAA playoffs. It marked the Bears’ first losing season since 1995.
Perhaps most heart-breaking for Blue Flame fans were back to back home losses at home last season to West-Oak and Woodmont. This year, Pickens will try to avenge those losses, but will have to travel to do so.
West-Oak came into last season’s game with Pickens with a 4-3 record, but the Warriors—returning to Western AAA play after a long stint on the AA level—were 0-2 in conference play. Defeating Pickens 30-27 gave West-Oak what would turn out to be the Warriors’ only conference win of the season.
Woodmont, long the doormat of Western AAA, was having its best season in years, coming into the game with a 5-2 record. The 29-26 win over Pickens gave evened the Wildcats’ conference record at 2-2, and put Woodmont in position to defeat BHP in the final week of the season to take second place in the Western AAA final standings. Woodmont defeated Union County in the first round of the AAA playoffs, but fell to Chester in the second round, finishing the season with a 9-3 record. The nine wins was two more than the Wildcats had won in the previous four seasons combined.
Pickens completes its season Oct. 30 with a home showdown with county rival Daniel. The Lions had a perfect 10-0 regular season, and fell to Chester in the Upstate AAA championship game last year. Pickens hopes to avenge last years’ 48-3 drubbing.
2009 Pickens Blue Flame Schedule
Aug. 28 WALHALLA
Sept. 4 LIBERTY
Sept. 11 at Easley
Sept. 18 TRAVELERS REST
Sept. 25 at Berea
Oct. 2 at Seneca
Oct. 9 BELTON-HONEA PATH
Oct. 16 at West-Oak
Oct. 23 at Woodmont
Oct. 30 PICKENS
Post a Comment
