The LCM Bears are currently in a district tie for first with Vidor, a team they have already defeated, with two games left on the schedule. They have a home game vs. Bridge City Friday and a road game at Lumberton. But Coach Eric Peevey isn’t talking past Friday’s game.
“We know Bridge City is better than their record. They ran through the gauntlet with their preseason schedule and dealt with some injuries but here they are in the postseason mix,” Peevey said. “We will have to play well because the coaches do a good job preparing on both sides of the ball.”
“We preach to the kids that we win the game with blocking, tackling and not turning the ball over. Bridge City is good at trying to knock the ball out so we have to be ready for that.” LCM is a +5 in the turnover department and BC is +2.
Meantime, depending on who you ask, the 2026 Bears have proven prognosticators wrong and no one is happier than Peevey. “Oh I’m very happy with the progress of this team. Dave Campbell didn’t have us making the playoffs but these guys have come together and it also says a lot about our coaching staff.”
“We started the season so young. We had guys that had never started on varsity and we brought in some guys who are starting that had never played on varsity. They’ve done a great job and our veterans have done a great job of taking them under their wing.”
“Offensively we’ve done a good job of distributing the ball,” Peevey said. Against Liberty nine different players gained yardage. That includes junior Brycen Chargois who has been making plays on both sides of the ball. “Coach Zihlman and his guys do a good job of adjusting to what the (opposing) defense gives us.”
It’s rare to see freshmen starting at the 4A level and LCM has two. Brody Perry has been on the varsity all season and has contributed on offense and special teams. And don’t let his size fool you because he will smooth run you over. Receiver Kyren Walker was brought up against Huffman and already leads the team in receptions. And leading rusher, sophomore Aiden Phillips (652 yds.) is averaging almost eight yards per carry in district play.
The offense is lead by the versatile senior Jakson Struwe who is the only QB in the district who has thrown for more than a thousand yards and rushed for more than 500.
Defensively the Bears, under Coach John Davis, are the only team in the district giving up less than 300 yards per game. Lead by seniors Ethan Pope and Christian Carrillo, the Bears also feature some youth in sophomore Greyson Frederick who had 11 tackles in their last game against Liberty. Pope, with two games left, is headed to more than 100 tackles for the season.
When asked if this team reminded him of any of his past teams, Peevey said, “No. These guys have created their own identity and they’re making their own mark.”
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