Pelham’s defense a show-stopper so far

Baconton Charter head coach Randy Grace didn’t need to see two weeks’ worth of scores to know what kind of punch to expect from Pelham this season.

“Pelham’s loaded,” said Grace, whose team hosts the Hornets at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Centennial Stadium in Camilla. “It’s a good team with a good staff, a bigger school in single-A. They’re right where we thought they would be. They’re looking to make a run at a state championship, and they have all the tools to do it.”

Consider Pelham’s defense to be especially loaded.

Eight starters return from a unit that a year ago had its lowest points allowed mark in 15 years, 17.1 points per game.

Through two games in 2018, that points allowed average has dropped — to zero.

“You take that team from last year, they’re back this year,” Pelham head coach Dondrial Pinkins said. “The experience those guys picked up from last year, they’re one year older and wiser.”

Shutouts are nothing new for the Pelham defense. The Hornets posted three last year, with one of last year’s shutout victims, Randolph-Clay, getting shut out by Pelham again last week.

Pelham’s Week 1 shutout this year, however, was attention-grabbing.

Macon County won the GHSA Class 1A-Public state title two years ago, beat Pelham in the second round of last year’s playoffs and usually brings a high-scoring offense to the table.

While Macon County had to deal with significant graduation losses, the 41-0 shutout Pelham posted two weeks ago was an eye-turner, with the Hornets beginning to pick up votes in the Georgia Sports Writers Association poll following that win.

“You always want to come out strong,” Pinkins said. “We did a spring practice for the first time this year, and we had our scrimmage cancelled (late in the first quarter against Thomasville). We had opportunities against Thomasville and cut down on mistakes against Macon County. We looked strong against Randolph-Clay. We just have continue to limit mistakes.”

Pelham’s defense is under the guidance of a new defensive coordinator, one with deep ties to southwest Georgia football.

David Johnson, who spent five years as Lee County’s head coach immediately prior to Dean Fabrizio’s arrival, joined the Pelham staff after a nine-year run as an assistant at Cairo.

“He’s a veteran,” Pinkins said. “He’s doing a great job pushing them on keeping their assignments.”

Pelham’s defensive leadership includes three seniors who are two-way starters: middle linebackers Javoris Williams and Malik Mango, as well as safety Treun Pace.

As a team, Pelham has 17 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries, as well as two blocked punts.

“The entire defense is playing phenomenal football,” Pinkins said. “Pace, Williams and Mango are the foundation of the program. They’ve been with us since I arrived in the spring of 2015 and they were eighth-graders. They know how the system operates and do a good job leading.”

Baconton Charter, meanwhile, is looking to take a step forward with its program in Grace’s second year as head coach.

The Blazers, who went 3-7 last year and haven’t finished with more than three wins in a season since the program’s 2010 varsity debut, scored a program-record 54 points in their season-opening win over Pataula Charter two weeks ago.

“We’re playing well on defense, been able to run the ball, playing with more intensity,” said Grace, whose team was off last week. “We’re still young in spots, but I feel like our intensity is up from a year ago. We’re playing a step faster.”