Fort D outlasts Beaufort as ‘Ghost’ has number retired
By Justin Jarrett and Wes Kerr
LowcoSports.com
Even on the night they dropped their second consecutive slugfest to a strong Class 5A opponent, the Beaufort Eagles were reminded they’re the reigning champs until someone ends their season.
The 2022 Class 3A state championship team was honored along with Beaufort legend and former Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Ron Parker, whose No. 3 was retired with the home team up by a field goal at halftime. But the Fort Dorchester Patriots wore down the Eagles in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 34-17 win.
Caleb Ulmer gave Beaufort a 7-0 lead with a 12-yard touchdown run to cap the opening series, and William Keyserling booted a 30-yard field goal to make it 10-0 before five minutes had run off the clock. Fort D struck gold on a 73-yard pass from Charles Watson to Mul-Ty Snider to pull within 10-7 at halftime.
Jadyn Andrews made it a 10-point game again with a 45-yard bolt to the end zone to start the second half, but the Patriots responded and Ryan Campbell capped a scoring drive with a 5-yard TD run to get back within a field goal.
Fort D quarterback Bennett Riffer took over from there, firing a 27-yard TD pass to Jalen Barry and a 46-yard strike to Monty Johnson before Campbell capped it off with a 2-yard TD run and the Patriots’ defense held Beaufort at bay for the final six minutes.
The Patriots did a good job of disrupting Beaufort’s passing game, as Samari Bonds was 8-for-17 for 62 yards with an interception, but he added 35 yards on seven carries as the Eagles found ways to grind out yardage on the ground against a tough defensive front.
Isaac Smalls rushed for 81 yards on 12 carries and added 32 yards on three catches, while Andrews had 59 yards on just three totes including the long TD run, and Ulmer added 50 yards and a TD on 16 attempts. Jayden Simmons had six tackles, one for a loss, to lead a Beaufort’s defense.
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Beaufort (0-2) at Hilton Head Island on Sept. 1
