Killer Bears
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
2024 was a continuation of the powerhouse that Head Coach Ryan Herring built in Blackshear for the Pierce County Bears program that reached the quarterfinals for the 5th consecutive year.
The 2024 Bears finished up an 11-2 season falling in the quarterfinals to the eventual AA State Champion Carver by a final of 44-7 after knocking off Jackson and Columbia in the first two playoff rounds by a combined score of 87-24.
Pierce County had the only regular season blemish on the road against Appling County in a battle to the tune of 13-6.
While 2024 was another magical season, 2025 will have some challenges in Ryan Herring’s 7th season.
Last year, Caden McGatha was a one-man wrecking crew with almost 1,700 passing yards, nearly 1,600 rushing yards to go along with 42 combined touchdowns on the season (23 passing, 19 rushing).
The Recruit Georgia 2A Player of the Year saw his high school career come to a close after the 2024 season, so it’ll be a changing of the guard under center for the Bears going into 2025.
In addition to McGatha, Pierce had a total of six former Bears sign to play college ball after the 2024 season that will need to have the shoes filled.
Who to do that? Some of the expected targets are Marquez Leggett at running back, who scurried for over 300 yards on the ground last season on just 36 carried on the year.
The receiving core has to replace the top two receivers in Joe Drew (502 rec yds/3TDs) and Jones Herrin (326 rec yds/4TDs) but do return Nigel Brown and Chance Williams who had 5 receiving scores each last season.
Defensively the Bears saw graduation for eight of the top tacklers for the club including Dixon Morris who racked up 8 TFLs on the year. On the back end, Chance Williams looks to be a two-way standout for the black and blue after 3 interceptions a year ago.
Garrett Stevenson locks down the final stage of the game on special teams after connecting on 48 of 53 PAT attempts last season. While just 2-7 on field goals a year ago, the leg is unquestionably there. One of those two came from 48 yards out against Brooks County.
While there are many questions when talking what 2025 will look like for Pierce County football, there is one thing that has been consistent for almost two decades…Winning.
Ryan Herring enters year seven in Blackshear and hasn’t won less than 11 games since his arrival in 2019 (11-1 in year 1). Herring has made an indelible impact, but it goes beyond one person.
Pierce County has made postseason play every year since 2011 and has won a playoff contest in 12 of those 14 years with state championships in 2020 and 2023.
Winning is in the fabric of the DNA around Pierce County and even through a changing of the guard of sorts, Pierce will always be a pre-season favorite to continue the legacy that will begin August 22nd against Coosa Christian when Bear Country floods to Bear Stadium and looks to start another magical season in Blackshear.
