Former Coastal Carolina football coach David Bennett was the guest speaker.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)
Former Coastal Carolina football coach David Bennett challenged selected players from participating schools at a media luncheon for the Bash at the Beach at the Brunswick Community College gym on Tuesday.
He gave the gathering six points to consider after the catered meal. His advice included:
1, Love more. “Love each other like teammates, not rivals,” Bennett said.
2, Encourage people.
3, Have God at the center of your life.
4, Have q great attitude.
5, Create a great culture.
6, Be different.
In conclusion, Bennett asked the players, “What is your legacy going to be?”
Occasional lightning and thunder punctuated Bennett’s remarks.
Moderator Jimmy Caraway posed questions for 13 of the Bash’s 14 coaches. South Stanly, which had the longest trip, was not represented.
Wallace-Rose Hill coach Kevin Motsinger got off some entertaining lines.
“I’m bad at math,” he said. “My daddy wanted me to cut part of a finger off so I’d be better at fractions.”
South Brunswick is coming off a winless season.
“We’re not going to let the past define our future,” said Cougars coach David Yow.
South will not be in a conference with Topsail, the Wilmington schools and the other Brunswick County programs going forward so the Cougars will be on the visitors side of the cumulative score for the two nights of scrimmages at West Brunswick, one of the teams designated as hosts from the new Carolina Coast Conference.
South opens the season at West on Friday, August 22, at 7 p.m.
West Brunswick perspective
Trojans coach Shane Handy spoke individually with Shallotte Area Sports.
“It’s always a great event, and we’re excited about getting some work in,” Handy said. “It’s always a great event for the community and teams coming from different places.
“It’s an awesome preparation by Jimmy (Fletcher, West Brunswick athletic director) and the staff, of putting it together. It’s a neat thing to be a part of.”
The event is big from a financial standpoint for the Trojans.
“It’s a huge fundraiser for our athletic department,” Handy said. “The whole athletic department participates in it. It’s not really about football. It’s more about the athletic department, and so Jimmy does a great job raising money, of course, but this is one of our biggest fundraisers.”
Each scrimmage is scheduled for just over an hour.
“It’s game situation for a half of football,” Handy said. “You get two quarters in, basically, but it’s a great opportunity, for sure.”
The Trojans were missing some linemen in a scrimmage last week at Princeton.
“We will get two or three of those guys back this week, but some of them will be limited,” Handy said. “We’ve got to get them ready for the first game.”
The Trojans coach is looking for continued improvement.
“I felt like Josiah (Borton) threw the ball well the other day and did some good things, moving the football,” Handy said. “As a whole, our offensive line, even though they were limited, did a good job the other day, so our run game, I think, will continue to get better with the guys coming back, coming off injury.
“We’re excited about the defense and how they ran to the football, and, hopefully, we’ll continue that.
“We are still trying to polish things up and get everything in, of course, and kind of build toward the scrimmage, but we’re really trying to build for the first game.”
Sponsors
Groups that are backing the Bash at the Beach were recognized at the outset of the program on Tuesday.
Those included Farm Bureau, Focus Broadband, Truist, Novant Health, Capital Chevrolet and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Victoria Bellamy, who spoke on behalf of Novant Health, and Ryan Hill, who represented Focus Broadband, are former West Brunswick athletes. Hill played football for the Trojans and is a veteran of the Bash.
Bash at the Beach Schedule
Thursday, August 14
at West Brunswick
6 p.m., East Bladen vs. Topsail
7:15 p.m., Wallace-Rose Hill vs. New Hanover
8:15 p.m., Whiteville vs. Ashley
Friday, August 15
at West Brunswick
5 p.m., South Columbus vs. North Brunswick
6:15 p.m., South Stanly vs. Hoggard
7:15 p.m. South Brunswick vs. Laney
8:30 p.m. Northside-Jacksonville vs. West Brunswick
From left are Laurie Griswell (Novant Health), Victoria Bellamy (Novant Health), West Brunswick Athletic Director Jimmy Fletcher and Ryan Hill (Focus Broadband). (Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt)
Players at the Bash at the Beach media day on Tuesday at Brunswick Community College gathered for a picture.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt)
West Brunswick players on hand included, from left, Nickalas Brown, Antonio Sanchez, Israel Saunders, Jude Surigao and Josiah Sneed. (Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt),
West Brunswick coach Shane Handy responds to a question Tuesday.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt)
Football coaches for the Bash at the Beach are pictured above. Seated from left are Russell Dove (South Columbus), Brian Davis (North Brunswick), Craig Undrwood (Hoggard), David Yow (South Brunswick), Steve Brooks (Laney), Kendrick Pollock (Northside-Jacksonville) and Shane Handy (West Brunswick). Standing from left are Kevin Motsinger (Wallace-Rose Hill), Chris Schmidt (Topsail), John Fuller (New Hanover), Robbie Priest (East Bladen), Donte Lombardi (Ashley) and J.P. Price (Whiteville). (Shallotte Area Sports Photo/Al Myatt)
