LowcoSports.com
The Hanahan Hawks team that turned an early-season schedule filled with tough tests and tough breaks into a surprising surge through Region 8-3A wore down the visiting Beaufort Eagles on Friday to claim a 35-24 victory and the outright region title.
Beaufort entered the night with slim hopes of claiming the region’s No. 1 seed, but it needed a win to forge a three-way tie for first and needed a low-scoring game, neither of which were on the Hawks’ agenda.
Kevon Rivera rushed for 195 yards and two touchdowns, and Julius Hippensteel was 8-for-11 for 249 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, while Landon Gomes snagged four passes for 113 yards and a score to help Hanahan repeatedly march down the field against a normally stiff Beaufort defense. The Eagles kept pace for much of the night and were within 21-17 at halftime, but they couldn’t get the stop they needed after halftime.
The math equation that could have given the Eagles the top seed was non-functional before the first quarter was over, as Jadyn Andrews and Samari Bonds scored rushing touchdowns sandwiched around a Rivera score. The Hawks tacked on two more touchdowns before halftime and held the Eagles to a field goal just before the break.
The Eagles got one more spark in the second half when Dorell Depass took an end-around 74 yards for a score, but the defense couldn’t stop Hanahan’s balanced attack. Depass had a team-high 95 yards on three carries, while Andrews had 77 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Bonds added 90 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries and was 7-for-19 for 93 yards passing.
Beaufort (6-4) will open its SCHSL 3A title defense on the road against Loris (7-2) on Friday.
LOWCO HSFB PLAYOFFS ROUND 1 – Friday
SCHSL 4A
Richland Northeast (6-4) at Bluffton (6-4)
May River (4-6) at Myrtle Beach (7-2)
Colleton Co. (2-8) at Irmo (10-0)
SCHSL 3A
Beaufort (6-4) at Loris (6-3)
SCHSL 2A
Ridgeland-Hardeeville (5-5) at Andrew Jackson (7-3)
Bishop England (2-7) at Hampton Co. (9-1)
SCHSL 1A
Lake View (6-3) at Whale Branch (7-1)
SCISA 3A
Pee Dee Academy (3-7) at Hilton Head Christian (8-2)
John Paul II (2-8) at Florence Christian (6-4)
SCISA 2A
Orangeburg Prep (4-6) at Beaufort Academy (6-4)
Northside Christian (5-4) at Colleton Prep (7-3)
SCISA 1A
Calhoun Academy (3-8) at Thomas Heyward (6-4)
St. John’s Christian (3-6) at Patrick Henry (8-2)
SCISA 8-MAN
Holy Trinity (4-6) at Richard Winn Academy (9-1)
