By Mike McCombs
The Island News
It was setting up to be one of those games Friday night between Beaufort High and Bluffton at Beaufort High School where whichever team had the ball last was going to come out on top.
After Beaufort’s Xavier Tobias rumbled 9 yards for a touchdown to put the Eagles up, 28-21, with 2:19 remaining in the third quarter, the home team looked to be in a good position to claim a much-needed second win of the season.
But Bluffton scored three straight touchdowns, and Beaufort couldn’t keep pace, falling 42-35 in a shootout at The Eagles’ Nest.
“I think they’re a good football team and they’re well coached and they’ve got a lot of good football players. When you’re playing a team like that, the margin for error is razor thin,” Beaufort Head Coach Bruce Lybrand said. “You’ve got to make sure you’re not giving them anything. We had some selfish penalties, missed assignments, and that kind of stuff happens. Our kids played hard, but you can’t give them anything in a game like that and we [did]. We’ve got to be better.”
On the ensuing kickoff after Tobias’ score, Bluffton’s Lucas Gates went 83 yards for a touchdown to re-tie the score at 28.
“In games like that, you can’t give up big plays on special teams, and we did,” Lybrand said. “… that’s how quick it can happen.”
The Eagles’ next possession was a brief one. After two Samari Bonds runs and a Bluffton encroachment penalty gave Beaufort a first down at the Eagles 39, Bonds tried to go deep. But his pass landed in the hands of Bluffton’s Ashton Chambers and the Bobcats took over at their own 11.
Eight plays later, Bluffton quatrterback Aeden McCarthy hooked up with Nate Ulmer for a 40-yard Bobcats touchdown and a 35-28 lead.
The Eagles were hamstrung from the beginning on their next series, as a block in the back on the kick pinned Beaufort deep in its own territory. Three Bonds incompletions later, and the Eagles punted from their own 6, setting up the Bobcats in Bluffton territory.
After four straight Kordell Holley carries, McCarthy hit Tyler Wolfe for a 28-yard touchdown, making the score 42-28 Bluffton, the largest lead of the game for either team.
Bonds scored on a 1-yard run with 4:17 remaining in the game to cut the deficit to 42-35, but the Eagles couldn’t complete the comeback.
After a defensive stop, Beaufort took over at its own 10 with 1:52 remaining. With the Eagles driving near midfield and about 45 seconds remaining Bonds went down awkwardly on his ankle and in a lot of pain, forced to leave the game.
Beaufort’s final two pass attempts were incomplete and Bluffton held on.
McCarthy was the star of the game for Bluffton. He completed 13 of his 21 passes for 239 yards and five touchdowns and carried the ball 13 times for 93 yards.
Ulmer caught four of those 13 completions for 72 yards and a score.
Eight completions from McCarthy went to Carnell Warren, who Beaufort simply didn’t have an answer for in the first half. His eight catches went for 139 yards and three touchdowns.
“They do a good enough job of mixing it up to where you can’t say, ‘well, he’s the only one out there.’ …,” Lybrand said. “No. 3 is special. He’s a special talent and a very good football player and he’ll go as far as he wants to go. You’ve just got to hold him down a little bit. At times we did OK and at times we didn’t.”
For Beaufort, Tobias stepped up at running back for the shorthanded Eagles, who were without two top running backs, and carried 14 times for 104 yards and two scores.
Bonds, before re-injuring his ankle – Lybrand didn’t know anything about his status – carried the ball
17 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns. He also completed 12 of his 30 passes for 229 yards and one costly interception.
Bluffton improved to 4-2, 1-0 in Region 6-4A, while Beaufort fell to 1-5, 0-1 in the region. Beaufort faces Colleton County (1-5, 0-1 6-4A) on Friday.
“We’ve played a really tough schedule. When you play a really tough schedule and you don’t play up to your best, you get exposed,” Lybrand said. “We’re not going to make excuses. … We’ve got to find a way to get better.”
Editor’s note: These game stats are unofficial.
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
