"Whatever it takes:" A look back on the adversity Pisgah football overcame in 2021
Nov. 26—This year's Pisgah football team set its goals before the season started, but at that point the Bears had no idea just how much they'd have to overcome to accomplish those goals.
"All the stuff that we have gone through is just unbelievable," senior running back Gabe Nussman said. "How in the world were we able to just ignore that and just be successful?"
There isn't one simple answer for how exactly the Bears managed to record double-digit wins, go undefeated in Mountain Seven play, extend their rivalry win streak over Tuscola to nine despite trailing 20-7 at halftime and claim their fourth straight conference title, all without a home field on top of six season-ending injuries.
Head coach Brett Chappell, this year's Mountain Seven Coach of the Year, believes it started with a different level of passion, a level he's not sure he's encountered before.
"Sometimes it's not always about your Jimmies and your Joes, sometimes it's about the heart and determination you have," Chappell said. "I think this group epitomizes that aspect of it. We had some good players but they had a unique drive that I've not been a part of since I've been here, especially with the adversity they've been dealt."
Nussman was a key part of Pisgah's dynamic rushing offense before an injury ended his senior season. He said he knew this group was special at the beginning of the year because of how close everyone in the locker room was.
Senior linebacker Bailey Stockton earned his second straight conference Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts in 2021. He believes dealing with everything the team dealt with only strengthened those bonds.
"You had to come closer as brothers. From stopping and cleaning up the field and community after the flood and then coming to practice, it had to bring you closer," Stockton said.
On Tuesday of the first game week of the season, disaster struck when Tropical Storm Fred caused the Pigeon River to overflow. The ensuing floods left severe damage across Haywood County, Canton and at Pisgah Memorial Stadium. Suddenly, the Bears' home field was taken out from under them.
On Monday of that week, Pisgah had to scramble to come up with a replacement for its season opener after Brevard was forced to cancel because of COVID issues. The Pisgah athletic department managed to schedule a trip to Crest as a replacement, but after the flooding hit, that game was called off, too.
Then, as the Bears were loading the bus the following Friday for a trip to Enka, that game was also nixed because of COVID issues with the opponent.
"You're talking about just within two weeks time, you had so many obstacles that you don't see in a whole season, much less just seeing in that short of a timeframe," Chappell said.
Finally, on Monday of week three, Pisgah took the field for the first time. The Bears dominated Enka 28-0 despite the whirlwind of events leading up to the game. Four days later, Pisgah knocked off Mountain Heritage 19-2 to help set the tone for the rest of the season.
"You never want to build in some type of adversity like that, but I can tell you it certainly brought the team closer because they didn't have a choice," Chappell said. "It was either that or not be successful and sit back and make all the excuses."
As the season continued, so did Pisgah's winning, but so did the misfortune. In all, injuries caused nine Bears to miss time. Four of the six season-ending injuries were to starters. Chappell said a typical season normally sees one, maybe two, players suffer season-ending injuries.
Nussman said he never allowed himself to think too much about the severity of everything they dealt with because of how important the season was to not only the team, but also to a community that needed bright spots wherever they could find them.
"This is a football town, we live and breathe football — Mill Town. So for us to do well and give them two and a half hours to get their minds off things meant everything," Stockton said.
Chappell agreed that his team never really had time during the season to stop and think about all the curveballs they were forced to deal with. The focus was always on figuring out how to perform at their highest level in the upcoming game, and after that game, it was on to the next.
By the time the Haywood County Clash rolled around, Pisgah was sitting at 6-1 and 3-0 in conference play while Tuscola was 5-2 and also 3-0 in conference.
The Bears suffered two ACL tears on the same play in the first quarter and trailed 20-7 at halftime. But Pisgah followed its motto and did whatever it took, storming all the way back to keep the win streak alive with a 21-20 victory.
"It's just how our season went — down from the start yet still somehow prevail with the win," Stockton said. "It's a statement of our season."
Pisgah took its first lead of the game on a double-pass 55-yard touchdown to junior receiver Caden Robinson with over seven minutes left to go up 21-20. In the waning seconds, Tuscola sent out its field goal unit to attempt a 49-yarder. Senior Evan Easton, making his return to game action after being sidelined due to appendix surgery, laid out for his second field goal block of the game.
"This will be a team that I will draw from probably for the remainder of my career, that I'll be able to say 'guys, you have no idea what hard times are," Chappell said.
Through all the adversity and all the success, Stockton was clear about how much being a Pisgah football player has meant to him.
"Ever since I was playing youth ball I've thought about growing up to be a Black Bear," Stockton said. "Now I'm here and it's over and it's the greatest thing I've ever done."
