WHAT WE SAW: Fort Dorchester 34, Beaufort 17

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>BEAUFORT- Playing a road game to open a season is never easy. Coming back to win on the road at the site of a defending state champion is even tougher. But that's just what interim head coach Joshua Smith's Fort Dorchester Patriots did at Beaufort. Thanks to some toughness on defense and spectacular play from quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='976510' first='Bennett' last='Riffer']</strong>, the Patriots rattled off 27 unanswered points to down Beaufort 34-17 in their opening game of the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The visitors were rattled by two successive Beaufort kickoff recoveries leading to both a touchdown and a field goal, but it didn't rattle Riffer and his group of resilient Patriots. Down a pair of scores in the second half at 17-7, the senior transfer quarterback led Fort Dorchester on a 12-play touchdown drive just minutes after his team coughed up a fumble. His poise and quick decision-making were evident throughout the comeback, and his offensive line dug in to give him time and give space for the backs to pick up extra yards and wear down Beaufort's defense. After <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='473024' first='Ryan' last='Campbell'] </strong>sped to the outside to trim the deficit to 17-14, Riffer added a pair of touchdown passes - the first an impressive throw on the run to senior wideout <strong>Jalen Berry </strong>who went up and got it between two defenders. But it was the swarming second-half defense from Smith's group that really turned the tide. Led by sensational linemen <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1131146' first='Malachi' last='Watson']</strong> and <strong>Landon Whitlock</strong>, the Patriots shut down an always-dangerous Eagle run game and contained electric dual-threat quarterback<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1254143' first='Samari' last='Bonds']</strong>. The pressure was key, making Bonds get rid of it quickly to force wayward passes and an interception. It was a resilient second-half performance from the Patriots, who gave Smith a monstrous first win with the interim tag.<br>And it's a second tough loss in a row to start the season for the defending SCHSL 3A state champs. After hanging with Cane Bay on the road a week ago, the Eagles once again faltered down the stretch, albeit against another quality 5A opponent. The defense should be lethal in 3A again, as evidenced from another quality game from linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809756' first='Will' last='Codding']</strong> who continues to play with a high level of quickness and ferociousness on the field. <strong>Robert Johnson</strong> impressed for the second straight week, using his 6-foot-2 and 220-pound frame to create havoc at the line. Bryce Lybrand may not have the do-it-all back in Kacy Fields this year, but he may have a couple he'll be able to count on. <strong>Caleb Ulmer </strong>is a veteran of his system who hits the hole hard with excellent hustle, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='816748' first='Isaac' last='Smalls']</strong> has become a solid contributor both in the backfield and on checkdown plays. But don't forget about <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025738' first='Jadyn' last='Andrews']</strong>, who burned the Fort Dorchester defense for a 45-yard touchdown run. Beaufort's front seven is still elite, but the offense may need to take a step up this year from some newcomers on the line to the exciting potential of Bonds under center. The Eagles may be 0-2, but it's hard to bet against the craftiness of Lybrand, especially as the season goes along.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->