Pigskin Preview: Pender looking to replace ground game production

August 19, 2025

Colton Emswiler,

BURGAW, N.C. (WWAY) — After a trip to the state quarterfinals last season, Pender football hopes to repeat that success and then some.

Head Coach Tom Eanes led a 10-4 squad a year ago and is evaluating how to best prepare his roster for another run at the title.

“Every year’s a new start,” Eanes said. “You always got to put the year behind you and move on to the next one. Last year, we were real deep in the backfield as far as guys with experience. This year, we got a young backfield. We have an experienced offensive line. Those guys are going to have to carry us at the offensive line until the backs get their feet wet and get used to what they’re doing.”

(Photo: WWAY)

The seniors won 11 total games their first two years of high school before the jump to then as juniors. They were very happy to get the program back on track.

“It meant a lot to us because we had a lackluster year the year before,” senior lineman Malachi Hill said. “Us being able to go deep in the playoffs, double-digit win season with the seniors we had last year that I was very close with, it meant a lot to us.”

(Photo: WWAY)

The biggest change is that running back Jeramiah Johnson graduated following a year with more than 2,600 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns, but the players aren’t worried about filling in that gap.

“We got a new starting tight end because I was the starting tight end last year,” senior running back and linebacker Zyquan Murphy said. “We’re going to have to pick up things at the line. It’s not too much of a dip off, but I think we’ll be pretty good getting back to where we were last year.”