By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The 2018 season ended for the Brunswick High Pirates before Halloween. No playoffs, and a final won loss record of 3-7.

The key factors for the disappointing season were youth and inexperience, and a defense that could stop opposing teams this fall.

Even the most optimistic Pirates like myself saw back before the season started that the season may be a struggle.

The Pirates opened with Coffee, Bartram Trail (Florida), and Camden in the first month of the season and got off to an expected 1-3 start after beating MCA 49-7 in Darien.

Brunswick then beat New Hampstead and Monroe in back to back weeks to even the slate at 3-3 going into region play. The Pirates hosted Richmond Hill in the region opener and got drilled 41-7. They never recovered from that loss and went on to drop region games to Effingham, Glynn, and Bradwell to finish out the season.

Pirate Season Report Card.

Offense: C-. The Pirates averaged 18.8 points a game in 2018 which was far below the record setting offense of the previous year.

This offense failed to score over 14 points in any region game and averaged right at 12 points a game against region rivals.

Jaylen Trimmings had a fine season running the football, but inconsistency at the QB position doomed the offense.

BHS turned the ball over too many times at key moments in contests to get any momentum in key region games down the stretch. Brunswick High loses only 4 starters on offense in 2019 so look for this unit to get back on track next season.

A lot of young skilled talent returns in 2019 most of which will be 10th and 11th graders next fall. BHS played a lot of youth at key positions in 2018.

Defense: D-. The Pirate defense gave up 36 points on average in region play and other than the city title game against Glynn, gave up over 40 points against to the rest of the region.

That won’t get it done on Altama Avenue. Look for some changes on that side of the ball for 2019. The good news is BHS returns 8-9 starters in 2019. Look for the unit to be much improved. BHS must find some size on the defensive line, but will be fine at LB and DB in 2019.

Special Teams: C. Special teams were about average in 2018. The unit did some good things and some not so good things. Consistent kicks into the end zone, which was a luxury every other team in the region had except BHS, are needed.

Coaching: C. With a 3-7 record you can’t give high marks, but game plans and schemes were solid, but execution was not all season.

BHS has a good coaching staff, but things did not go the programs way in 2018. Sean Pender and the BHS offense will be the most productive in Region 2 next fall, you heard it here first.

BHS will have a new attacking style scheme on defense and this season was just a blip on the radar screen.

Overall: D. Brunswick High went 3-7 and the program has not won more than 7 games in a season since 2010 which is also the last time BHS won a playoff game.

Final Thoughts: Sean Pender is building a football program and this was the season to pile it on BHS because roles will start reversing in 2019.

BHS started a freshman at RB, OL, and DB at various times in 2018. The Pirates also started a sophomore QB for most of the season.

The 2019 Pirates will bring back 15-17 kids that started a varsity football game in 2018.

And don’t think for one minute that this group will forget what the Effingham’s of the world did by throwing TD passes with under a minute left in the game up 38-14.

Effingham, Richmond Hill, and Bradwell coaches all know the young talent on the BHS roster, and they better not shed one tear when payback comes their way next fall.