Things will look different for Brookland-Cayce High School football in 2016.

The Bearcats open the season at home- taking on Lake Marion at 7:30 p.m., Friday.

The biggest change this year is the Bearcats’ conference schedule. There will be Airport, Aiken or Midland Valley in 3A Region V. Brookland-Cayce’s (BC’s) will be in the same conference with Edisto, Gilbert, Pelion, Strom Thurmond and Swansea.

“We’ve always been one of the smaller 3A schools,” said BC Head Football Coach Rusty Charpia. But with a classification added to the S.C. High School League, BC will be closer to equal in enrollment with its conference foes.

While looking ahead, BC can also look back with pride. The team is coming off of its first playoff win – in 2015- in more than a decade.

In 2016, Chapia will have some stalwarts on what should be a stout defense.

Tay Pringle- who gets rave revues, will anchor the defensive line. Quinten Hook, Travis Loadholt Corbin Small and Joe Prudubsri are other solid players who will be counted on.

Phillip Anderson and Jerrell Moore will man the offense line that is a quality unit.

Reed Charpia, the head coach’s son, will be the starting quarterback. Rusty Charpia said he has a stable of capable skill players, including runningback Cam Brown.

BC has three kickers, and Charpia expects improvement in that area of the team, too.

Chapia said that depth with be an issue and some players will be needed to play on both sides of the ball at times.

Charpia said he is comfortable with a lot of his personnel because they are players who have been in the system for five years. The same amount of time he has been BC head coach and athletic director.

The Bearcats will also be working in some transfers, Charpia said.

While the conference schedule is less brutal in 2016- the Bearcats’ out-of-conference opponents include formidable challenges of Lexington, Airport and Chapin.