LowcoSports.com
Beaufort Academy did what it had to do to earn a region-title showdown at home against Thomas Heyward on Friday, but the Eagles couldn’t do enough to claim the throne.
Tony O’Banner rushed for 178 yards and two touchdowns and Kiran Boggess was 7-for-8 for 113 yards and two scores to help the Rebels run away with a 49-25 victory and claim the top seed in the SCISA 1A playoffs.
The Rebels jumped out to a quick 21-0 lead on O’Banner’s first touchdown run and touchdown strikes from Boggess to Donovan Robinson and Kelan Fripp, but BA responded with a scoring drive capped by Dietrich Shuford’s 6-yard touchdown run, and Shuford found Devin Fripp for a touchdown as time expired in the first half, pulling the Eagles within 21-13 at halftime.
O’Banner put the comeback to rest with a 51-yard touchdown run on the opening series of the second half, and Nic Robinson added two touchdown runs in the quarter to blow it open.
Shuford gave a monster effort against his former team, finishing with 186 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and going 14-for-23 for 172 yards and two scores, and Nych Underwood added 149 yards and a TD on 19 carries, but BA couldn’t come up with enough stops on defense.
The loss drops BA (7-4) to the No. 2 seed. The Eagles will host a first-round game against Carolina Academy on Friday, while the Rebels will be at home against Lee Academy.
SCISA FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
First Round Friday
Class 4A
No. 8 Cardinal Newman at No. 1 Hammond
No. 5 Ben Lippen at No. 4 Augusta Christian
No. 7 Heathwood Hall at No. 2 Porter-Gaud
No. 6 Laurence Manning at No. 3 Northwood Academy
Class 3A
John Paul II at Wilson Hall
Florence Christian at Hilton Head Christian
Trinity Collegiate at Pinewood Prep
First Baptist at Northside Christian
Class 2A
Spartanburg Christian at Pee Dee Academy
St. John’s Christian at Greenwood Christian
Hilton Head Prep at Calhoun Academy
Orangeburg Prep at Bethesda Academy
Class 1A
Lee Academy at Thomas Heyward
Colleton Prep at Dorchester
Patrick Henry at Williamsburg
Carolina Academy at Beaufort Academy
8-Man
Newberry Academy at Richard Winn
Wardlaw Academy at Holly Hill Academy
W.W. King at Jefferson Davis
Cross Schools at Laurens Academy
