The 2011 Bainbridge High School varsity football team will open 10 days of spring football practice starting on Thursday.

They will work out each day at 4 p.m. at their on-campus practice field.

Spring practice will conclude on Wednesday, May 18.

“We could have some kind of intersquad scrimmage on the last day of spring practice,” Coach Pilcher said.

Senior quarterback Steven Bench will lead the 2011 Bearcats with his strong throwing arm and agile scrambling ability.

Bench, who won the most improved offensive player award last season, rushed for 571 yards, and passed for 803 yards for a total of 1,374 yards. He averaged 4.9 yards a play and 137.4  yards a game. He was sixth in Region 1AAAA in total offense.

Bench will be backed up by junior B.J. Cheatem and sophomore Preston Norris, who was impressive as the leader of BHS’ ninth-grade squad last year.

The Bearcats have a trio of quick running backs, led by senior Aaron Hall, one of the Bearcats’ touchdown leaders last season. Joining Hall in the backfield will be juniors Terry Lewis, Damian Bouie and Micheal Stubbs.

Junior wide receiver and defensive back Cameron McDowell, who made some key plays last season, will also be back.

Along the offensive line, the Bearcats return senior Blair Nix, junior Cole Granato, junior Madison Malone—who will see duty on the offensive and defensive lines—and junior Andrzej Jeglinski, who was hurt toward the end of last season but has recovered.

Another potential contributor on the offensive line is junior Tim Shaw, who moved to Bainbridge from Delaware.

“Tim Shaw is a big young man who works very hard,” coach Pilcher said. “I am sure he will help us on the offensive line.”

Back on defense for the Bearcats are senior lineman Shamai Wilburn and junior lineman Brandon Crawford.

Wilburn, a defensive tackle, was named second team All-Region 1AAAA last season. He had 29 tackles, three tackles for loss, eight quarterback pressures, one quarterback sack and one caused fumble.

Returning at linebacker for the Bearcats are senior Alex Smart, senior Emmanuel Miller, junior Jamez Harris, senior Bernard Burke and senior Mitchell Massengill.

Battling for positions in the defensive secondary will be Fortson, senior Rashad  Kelly, sophomore Greg Cooper and junior George Clemmons.

With the graduation of All-Region 1AAAA kicker Keenan Adams, sophomore Daniel Provence returns following a solid freshman season. Provence took over the place-kicking duties following Adams’ season-ending knee injury in the second game versus Cairo last season.