How Pelion football overcame early-season COVID-19 issues to win 2020 region title
If Pelion coach Dann Holland had any doubt about the outcome of Thursday’s game with Wade Hampton, all he had to do was turn on his music playlist.
Some of Holland’s favorite bands came up Thursday, including songs by Iron Maiden, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Ozzy Osborne. A few hours later, Holland’s Pelion squad was the Region 5-2A champion with a 12-6 win over Wade Hampton.
The Panthers host Phillip Simmons on Nov. 13 in the first round of the Class 2A Lower State playoffs.
“I knew it was going to be a good day,” Holland said. “I got up this morning and got right with the Lord. I turned my Bluetooth on and it came up Iron Maiden, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Ozzy Osborne. I said, ‘Ballgame is over boys, we winning this thing.’
“I am so happy for our players and our community. Nobody gave us any chance whatsoever to do this.”
Holland’s post-game comments earned him national attention: Barstool Sports named Holland its High School Football Guy of the Week honors. His soundbite on Twitter was viewed more than 280,000 times.
The extra attention is something unexpected. Pelion won just the third region title in school history with the others coming in 2000 and 2006 under longtime coach Ben Freeman.
South Carolina is playing a shortened high school football season during the COVID-19 era and it has created some unlikely region champions and playoff participants in the Midlands. On Monday, North Central won its first region title in almost 30 years when it defeated Cheraw 24-14.
On Thursday, it was Pelion’s turn. Panther players dumped a bucket of water over Holland, who just uttered “We just won it” over the headset. Holland ran to the 50-yard line and let go a pair of first pumps to the cheering crowd in the stands.
After a short postgame speech, the players sprinted toward the other end zone to sing the alma mater with the band.
It was a moment Holland and the program weren’t sure would happen after struggling since taking over for Freeman in 2015. Holland won back-to-back state championships at Hunter-Kinard-Tyler but hadn’t enjoyed the same success with the Panthers.
Pelion had won just nine games over the past five years. The Panthers benefited from the move from Class 3A to Class 2A because of the 2020-22 realignment.
This season had its own share of obstacles with teams across the state navigating the coronavirus pandemic. Pelion went almost a month between games after it had to quarantine following its season-opening loss to Ridge Spring-Monetta on Sept. 24.
The Panthers’ players couldn’t attend school or practice again until Oct. 12. After the break, Pelion knocked off then second-ranked Barnwell, 34-26 on Oct. 16, to help jump-start the season.
“That win against Barnwell put us in the spot we are in today,” senior DeShontez Gray said. “Tonight was fun to get to celebrate with the guys especially because it is my senior year. And to get a home playoff game, it is going to be amazing.”
Both Gray and Holland said the break didn’t hurt them. It also gave injured players, including Army commit Will Jeffcoat, time to get healthy. Holland challenged his team to do their best to stay in shape during the time away from football.
The Panthers looked like the fresher and more determined team Thursday night in the fourth quarter against the Red Devils.
“I told them when we sent them home, you can’t gather. But if you run on your own and stay in shape, this won’t hurt us,” Holland said. “I am proud of my guys because when we came back to practice, we had no issues. That is the difference with this group. They hold themselves accountable. That makes it easy to coach and a lot of fun.
“The summer time was awful with those restraints to do what we had to do. No fun whatsoever. Then we were quarantined. ... but that might have helped us in the long run because it gave us a chance to heal up. And now everyone is celebrating with the band and singing the alma mater. This is what high school football is all about right here.”
This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 8:55 AM.
