Pictured is Pickens High School quarterback Brooks Dow scrambling for some yardage during a recent scrimmage. Dow, a 6-foot-5 quarterback, returns to lead the Blue Flame offense this season.
Mark Beery | For The Progress
Pickens Offensive Line Coach Kyle Bishop works with his players during a recent scrimmage. Bishop, a graduate of Berea High School, walked on at the University of South Carolina when Lou Holtz was coaching.
Mark Beery | For The Progress
Easley Quarterback Coach/Offensive Coordinator Matt Stack and runningbacks coach Clint Freeman talk things over with senior Kaden Cooper (No. 6) at a recent scrimmage in Powdersville.
Mark Beery | For The Progress
PICKENS — Last year at this time, I covered my first Easley-Pickens football game. It surely lived up to the pregame hype as the Blue Flames pulled out a 47-41 thriller in overtime.
Fullback Carter McCollum did everything for Pickens but drive the bus that night. McCollum scored six touchdowns (5 rushing) on that night, and piled up 233 yards on 39 carries.
Beyond the numbers, the senior leadership of McCollum spoke volumes on that night. As the game went into overtime and tied at 41, McCollum stepped up like a battle-tested veteran. “I told the defense – if you get me the ball – I’ll give you a touchdown,” he said, shortly after the victory.
Easley, meanwhile, had Jay Stoker complete 22-of-35 passes for a school-record 408 yards in the air.
Gone are McCollum and Stoker.
Names like Brooks Dow, a 6-foot-5 junior QB for Pickens, will be leading the Blue Flame offense this season. Running backs Connor Mason and David Bolden (both juniors) will try to help fill the void left by McCollum.
Another player to watch for in the opener is Pickens tight end/receiver Will Stone who missed most of last season due to an injury.
Easley, meanwhile, will be led this season by four senior captains – Kaden Cooper, Matthew Hillstock, Kobe Preston and Jaxson Wilson.
So, sit back and enjoy another Easley-Pickens football game.
I just wanted to end with a couple of questions for this local rivalry heats up …
How good is the defensive secondary of the Pickens football team? They will get tested quickly on Friday night with the talented Matthew Hillstock leading the way. Just watching the route running of Hillstock, who went to several camps this summer, should be fun to watch. Plus, Jojo Coleman has gotten another year of experience at QB for Easley.
How good is the run defense of Easley? The Green Wave defense will quickly get tested, too, with Pickens 6-5 QB Brooks Dow running the offense. He looks like a total different player this season, has gotten much stronger and he is more than just a drop-back passer.
When will Easley’s Stone Turner be back?
How will the Pickens run game do without Carter McCollum?