Lowcountry Week 3 Players To Watch

Weather might be playing havoc with the high school schedule this week but that isn't going to stop us from looking at some of the key performers to keep an eye on in the Lowcountry. We have defensive and offensive stand outs and all of them have made a mark in the first few weeks of the season.   Here is our rundown of who to watch this week.     [player_tooltip player_id='1253938' first='Chalmers' last='Ballard'] QB, Lucy Beckham   The Bengals senior quarterback had a night to remember in a 48-17 win over St James. He threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns while adding 103 yards rushing and two additional scores. He came into the game with 152 passing yards in the first two games. He faces a strong Hanahan defense this week so it will be interesting to see if the new passing prowess holds up.    Javatre Shepard RB, Hanahan   Shepard has been the workhorse on the ground for the Hawks with 304 yards on the season. He's coming off a 169-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 24-14 loss to Bishop England. Shepard is also the second leading receiver on the team with 10 catches for 156 yards. [player_tooltip player_id='1165104' first='Julius' last='Hippenstiel'] is playing solid at quarterback, but Hanahan needs one or two more weapons to step up on offense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1157754' first='JJ' last='Fludd'] RB, Porter-Gaud   The Cyclones were slowed for the first time this season in a 28-15 setback to Hammond but it's no fault of Fludd. The senior had 163 yards rushing and both touchdowns. That gives him 524 yards on the season. Not many teams are going to slow down the hard-running Fludd but Porter-Gaud will need to get more out of QB Nolen Shuman if they're going to contend for a state title.   [player_tooltip player_id='1271486' first='Savon' last='Garrett'] LB, Fort Dorchester   There is a reason the Patriots have won their first three games by a total of 10 points. Garrett is leading a defense that seems to make plays when they need one. In a 26-24 win over Stratford, the junior had 11 tackles and two tackles for loss. Fort Dorchester now goes on the road against South Florence in a game where the Bruins will be without their top three running backs. It could turn into a big night for Garrett and company.    [player_tooltip player_id='1157992' first='Jayden' last='Acosta'] RB, Ashley Ridge   Acosta had a huge night in a 56-17 win over Wando. He rushed for 100 yards and added 73 yards and a touchdown. He is the Swamp Foxes leading rusher on the season with 425 yards. He will need a big night against an Oceanside Collegiate defense that is still trying to right the ship after getting out of the gates slowly.   [player_tooltip player_id='1158021' first='Kevin' last='Boone'] WR, Berkeley   Everyone was waiting for this to happen, and Boone finally exploded in the Stags 41-35 setback to Summerville. The senior was off to a slow start but had eight catches for 188 yards and a touchdown in the loss. That also helped QB [player_tooltip player_id='1036733' first='Henry' last='Rivers'] to his best night of the season. If Rivers, Boone and [player_tooltip player_id='683478' first='Kayden' last='Bash'] get it going, they will cause plenty of defense's nightmares. West Ashley is next on the docket.    [player_tooltip player_id='464896' first='Darrell' last='Holmes'] DE/LB, Stratford   Holmes moves around the Knights defense, and he ended up with 14 tackles and a tackle for loss last week. That gives him a team-best 27 tackles on the season. Stratford has played a couple of really good offenses in Summerville and Daniel and seem to be making progress as region play nears.     Andrew Joseph, Goose Creek   Joseph is a force in the middle of the Gators defense at 6-foot, 285 pounds. He's difficult to move around and clogs up the middle, freeing up the Goose Creek linebackers to make tackles. They travel to Beaufort this week and will have their hands full.   [player_tooltip player_id='1254143' first='Samari' last='Bonds'] QB, Beaufort   The Eagles are off to a slow start offensively but it's not because of the senior quarterback. Bonds has thrown for over 500 yards and rushed for another 165 yards, but no other Beaufort player has more than 86 yards rushing on the season. If Bonds can find some help in the ground game, the Eagles have guys on the outside like Jamarion Jackson that can make things happen in the passing game.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422598' first='Zavier' last='Polite'] DE, May River   May River will welcome Brookland-Cayce to town this week with Polite playing well. The sophomore has 22 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and four quarterback pressures already this season. The Bearcats are without their starting quarterback so that could allow Polite and Peter Nodelman to have a field day.    [player_tooltip player_id='1394988' first='Aedan' last='McCarthy'] QB, Bluffton   The junior QB has been spectacular in the early going. He has 733 passing yards and eight touchdowns and added 128 yards rushing and two scores. The offense was stymied last week in a loss to Savannah Country Day and will try to get back on track this week against Hampton County.   Malik Terry LB, Hampton County   Terry leads the Hurricanes with 20 total tackles and is coming off a 9-tackler performance in a win over Silver Bluff. Hampton County hasn't played a close game in its three wins and the defensive effort has been a big reason for that. DL Braydon Blake and LB [player_tooltip player_id='809743' first='Mandrell' last='Sanders'] have been key in limiting teams to nine points a game.   [player_tooltip player_id='1578779' first='Keveon' last='Ford'] DB, Academic Magnet   The Raptors are off to a 2-1 start and a lot of it has to do with the play of Ford. The senior already has 28 tackles and that has helped limit Military Magnet and Stall to a total of 23 points. The schedule will soon get tougher beginning this week against Baptist Hill, but it's been a solid start to the season for Ford.      [player_tooltip player_id='1592342' first='Connor' last='Dantzler'] QB, James Island   Dantzler saved his best for the end last week when he threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to James Hurteau with less than a minute to go to give the Trojans a 10-7 win over Goose Creek. James Island is only averaging 16 points per game, but Dantzler has been the bulk of the offense so far. He has 653 yards passing but the Trojans have less than 150 yards rushing on the season.   Deontae Cleveland and Montez Addison RB, Timberland   The Wolves scored a huge win over Cross last week with Cleveland and Addison each accounting for two touchdowns. It's no surprise Timberland can run the football so well with 6-foot-5, 340-pound [player_tooltip player_id='473011' first='Desmond' last='Green'] up front. This is a team that is likely to get better as the season progresses so they might be a team to watch come November.

Weather might be playing havoc with the high school schedule this week but that isn't going to stop us from looking at some of the key performers to keep an eye on in the Lowcountry. We have defensive and offensive stand outs and all of them have made a mark in the first few weeks of the season.