Beaufort defense douses early upset bid from Creek
By Wes Kerr
LowcoSports.com
It takes excellence from all three phases of the game to become a championship team, and the Beaufort Eagles delivered a clinic in all of them Saturday afternoon.
Kacy Fields led the charge on offense with 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and both the defense and special teams units found the end zone to lead Beaufort past Battery Creek 37-7 on the road.
The Dolphins needed a quick start if they had any chance of pulling the upset over their Region 8-3A foes, and they found the spark they needed on their first series. After Kendall McMillion reeled in a deep pass near the sideline from Hunter Smith for a 41-yard gain, the stellar wideout finished off the drive on a dazzling run, fooling the Eagle defense with a pitch to the left side and taking it 38 yards for the opening score and a 7-0 lead.
It was an ideal start for the home side, but it didn’t last long. Fields has become the big man on the Beaufort campus, and the Eagles rode their hot hand on a methodical 11-play drive finished off by Fields’ 12th rushing touchdown in four games.
Colton Phares wanted a turn in the spotlight, and he got it on what may have been his most impressive play yet. The senior standout fielded a Dolphins punt around midfield and worked some magic, breaking tackle after tackle before finding a seam at the pylon to finish off an improbable punt return and take a 13-7 edge.
The momentum was all with Beaufort, and it stayed that way for the rest of the half. Fields then powered in his second score of the day from 12 yards out, and Beaufort’s swarming defense continued to neutralize a Battery Creek run game that was already without Damien Freeman and lost Jeremiah Mceachin to injury in the second quarter.
It was that defense that added to the commanding Eagles lead next, as Dom Camacho picked off a Creek pass and took it 30 yards to the house to go up 27-7. Beaufort only threw the ball three times in the first half, but the run game was more than enough to do the job on Saturday. Caleb Ulmer appeared to be in line for his first touchdown of the game near the end of the half, but the junior back lost the football before teammate Will Keyserling recovered it in the end zone to go up on top at halftime 34-7.
The second half was a clinical performance by Beaufort’s defensive line, limiting the Dolphins’ rushing attack to just seven yards in the final two quarters. Jack Troutman provided the only offense with his leg, nailing an impressive 43-yard field goal to cap off the scoring at 37-7.
Fields paced the offense once again for Beaufort, rushing for 125 yards and two scores on 20 carries while adding two catches for 13 yards. Ulmer added 26 yards on three rushes, and Samari Bonds tacked on 21 yards on four attempts. McMillon was outstanding for Battery Creek, scoring on a 38-yard run while adding a 41-yard catch.
Beaufort High (6-1, 2-0) travels to North Charleston on Thursday, while Battery Creek (3-5, 1-1) hosts Hanahan on Friday.
LOWCOUNTRY PREP FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
All games 7:30 p.m., Friday, unless otherwise noted
Whale Branch at Allendale- Fairfax
Thomas Heyward at Beaufort Academy
James Island at Bluffton
May River at Colleton County
Carolina Academy at Colleton Prep
St. Johns Christian at Cross Schools
Battery Creek at Hanahan
Northwood Academy at John Paul II
Hilton Head Island at Lucy Beckham
Hilton Head Christian at Pee Dee Academy
Hilton Head Prep at Pinewood Prep
Barnwell at Ridgeland- Hardeeville
Wade Hampton at Woodlan
Wes Kerr is a graduate of Hilton Head Island High School and Davidson College. He reports on local sports for LowcoSports.com
