By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
BUNKER HILL SCHEDULE
(All games at 7:30 p.m.)
August
18—at Newton-Conover (E)
25—St. Stephens
September
1—Maiden
8—at Bandys
15—at W. Wilkes
22—HIBRITEN
29—at FRED T. FOARD
October
6—DRAUGHN
13—at E. BURKE
20—W. IREDELL
27—at PATTON
Conference: Northwestern Foothills 2A.
Head coach: David Haynie (career, n/a; 1-10 at Bunker Hill, 1 year).
Last season’s records: 1-10 overall; 1-6 Southern District 7 Athletic 2A, tied for seventh place.
Last season’s results: at N. Stanly, L 15-48; St. Stephens, L 14-41; at Fred T. Foard, L 13-28; W. Iredell, L 12-41; at MAIDEN, L 7-60; at W. LINCOLN, L 12-49; E. LINCOLN, L 14-49; at LINCOLNTON, L 0-48; BANDYS, W 26-6; NEWTON-CONOVER, L 24-36; at W. CALDWELL, L 0-66.
SCHOOL FOOTBALL HISTORY
Last season in state playoffs: 2013, 2AA.
Last state playoff victory: 2013, d. Ashe County 20-17, first round.
All-time state playoff bids: 18.
Conference titles since 1980, last one: 1 share; 1980 Southern District 7 2A.
BY THE NUMBERS
OVERALL
Returning starters: 8.
Returning lettermen: 17.
OFFENSE
Returning starters: 4.
Leading returning rusher: Devin Caldwell (70-282, 1 TD).
Leading returning passer: Josh Propst (2-5-0, 23, no TDs).
Leading returning receiver: Devin Caldwell (12-134, no TDs).
Other players to watch: Cameron Barkley (Sr., OL); Ross Gracia (Sr., OL); Caleb Lonca (Sr., DL-OL); Joe Miller (Sr., RB); Harold Morrison (Sr., RB-LB); Danny Moss (Sr., DL); Aaron Prince (Sr., QB).
DEFENSE
Returning starters: 4.
Players to watch: Caleb Lonca (Sr., DL); Harold Morrison (Sr., LB); Danny Moss (Sr., DL); Josh Propst (Sr., DB); Harley Remain (Sr., DB).
OUTLOOK
Coming off a one-win season, the Bears will have to rebuild on both sides of the ball – they have eight returning starters, evenly split between the offense and the defense.
After playing in some very powerful conferences since the late 1950s, you can debate if the new league Bunker Hill is in will provide as much of a test. But bottom line is the Bears have to improve defensively to get back to winning consistently.
They gave up 470 points last season and — as generally they always do — they had some offensive threats. Losing Bernie Briley, now at West Iredell after his family moved to Iredell County, will mean the Bears have one less key player back on offense.
Bunker Hill averaged just shy of 178 yards on offense a year ago, last in the Southern District 7 Athletic 2A, and gained a league-low 3.39 yards per play.
Haynie is in his second season at The Hill and hopeful of seeing the Bears make some significant strides.
They haven’t finished higher than a tie for fourth place (2010, 2013) in the last 16 seasons and haven’t won a conference title since a share in 1980 and haven’t won an outright league title since 1968.