CENTRAL — Randy Robinson leaned back in his office chair, and gave a wry smile.

Robinson, D.W. Daniel’s coach, heard all of the pre-region chatter about the perceived demise of Belton-Honea Path. Sure, the Bears began the season 0-3, then 1-4. But Robinson has been around long enough to know B-HP wouldn’t stay down for long — especially come region time.

“It was entertaining to me to hear people say B-HP was going to be bad, and it wasn’t going to be a big game,” Robinson said of tonight’s first-place meeting in Central.

Just as Robinson predicted, the Bears (3-4, 2-0) have turned things around behind an upstart sophomore running back, and an improved offensive line. They arrive at Daniel (7-0, 2-0) undefeated in Western 3A play following wins over West-Oak and Pickens.

“I saw their kids, and I know their coaches,” Robinson said. “You knew B-HP would be here when it’s time, and it’s gonna be a good game, and it’s something I’ve looked to for several weeks.”

Added B-HP coach Wayne Green, “We knew if we got better, when we played Daniel, it would definitely be a significant game.”

It’s a significant game because they’re the only remaining undefeated teams in region play. And they’ve shared the region title since the Clinton Administration. Daniel’s championship last year snapped a five-year B-HP run.

“We kind of want to get that revenge because they took our patch, our pride and joy,” B-HP senior defensive lineman Michael Brocklehurst said. “Took it to their house.”

Behind a big line, junior quarterback Nino Woolridge and sophomore tailback Charles Lindsey combined for 204 rushing yards and five touchdowns last week.

Woolridge’s scrambling ability forces defenses to stay honest. Even though he’s completed 48 percent of his passes for 431 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions, Daniel is aware he can make big plays through the air.

“I’ve gotta stay back because the quarterback throws it 55 yards unbalanced on the run,” Daniel senior cornerback Jerrodd Williams said. “So we’ve got to stay back because whenever he scrambles, their receivers go downfield. So we’ve got to be patient.”

Green said the Bears have only recently added more plays to what was their most basic offense at the beginning of the season. Those expanded parts of the playbook could come in handy this week.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to line up and stick the ball straight at them,” Green said. “They’re too good a defense for us to plan on sticking it straight at them between the tackles all night long. We need balance between run and pass, and we also need balance between backs running the football.”

But ask Daniel senior defensive lineman Michael Stone, and it’s not as much about Woolridge or Lindsey, as the linemen.

“They don’t half-block people, they don’t push you back five yards,” Stone said. “They drive you back 15 (yards) for that extra something, for that first down, that touchdown.”

Green calls the O-line his most improved unit.

“The offensive line’s gotten a lot more confident,” senior lineman Jacob Ashley said. “In the beginning, people were kind of scared, we had inexperience in the backfield, but we’ve got confidence knowing we can score if we have to.”

It gives Daniel a chance to test its top-ranked scoring defense. The Lions lead the state among Class 3A teams at 9.57 points per game, nearly three points fewer than Airport (12.14) and Hilton Head (12.43).

For its reward following last week’s shutout at Seneca, the Daniel defensive coaches agreed to flip tires during Tuesday’s practice.

“That’s a big number for our kids,” Robinson said. “And a lot of excitement, because (that’s) some entertainment for the defensive guys and coaches.”

The Lions’ defense, which has allowed just 66 rushing yards per game, has allowed less than half the points of B-HP, the second-best scoring defense in Western 3A. The last three games, Daniel’s allowed 13 points combined.

“The further the season progresses,” Stone said. “The more everybody comes together as a team and just decides, ‘It’s not all about me.’ We’ve got to do things for the people beside us, and the people behind us, and on the sidelines as well.”