The Patriot's defense not only kept the Warriors out of the end-zone, but they added a TD of their own when Junior DB Laurez Matthews recovered a fumble and returned it 43 yards for the score. The offense was led again this week by Senior QB Galen Bennett with 261 all-purpose yards. Bennett completed 13 of 17 passes for 209 yards and 1 TD, and rushed 11 times for 52 yards. Senior RB Dante Ravenel led the team in rushing with 74 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns. The leading receiver was Senior WR T'Rel Hamilton with 4 catches for 124 yards. Senior WR Jamal Hall caught 6 passes for 76 yards and a TD. Junior LB Geno Porter led the defense with 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. Junior DL Montae Adams recorded the Fort's only sack. The defense created four turnovers in the game, including two interceptions by Laurez Matthews and Junior DB Tyler Holmes. Junior kicker Josh Hall added a 32 yard field goal. Hall is now 3-3 on field goals this season and 33-36 on extra points.

Published Thursday, November 06, 2008 1:27 PM
Updated Thursday, November 06, 2008 1:28 PM

File/Roger Lee/Journal Scene
From left, Patriot linebacker Geno Porter receives advice from coach Steve LaPrad.

Stags and Cougars come to town

By Roger Lee

Summerville Journal Scene

After a rough start to the season due largely to injuries, the Patriots are finally relatively healthy and looking to add one final win to their 7-3 record. It could be the difference in opening the playoffs at home or on the road.

The Fort hosts Berkeley (6-4), a team that had a fabulous start, but is now a bit on the ropes. Since losing its starting fullback to injury, the Stags have dropped three straight games. However, Berkeley too could improve its chances of a more favorable first round with a win tonight and the Stags are never taken lightly.

“We want to play well going into the playoffs and I’m sure they do too,” Fort coach Steve LaPrad said. “With us and Berkeley it’s always a good game. I don’t think either team has beaten the other by more than four or five points since I’ve been here.”

While the Stags lost one of its key playmakers, they aren’t without firepower. Running back Bruce Ellington already has more than 1,000 yards on the season and is always a big-play threat. He also has good hands out of the backfield. Quarterback Kory Brown and running back Trent Majors are also big-play threats.

The Stags have seven returning starters from a defensive unit that helped the team advance to the third round of the playoffs, where it met Beaufort. Linebacker Bobby Gadsden and lineman Jamichael Beckford anchor a strong defensive front and the Stag secondary has held its own for most of the season.

The Patriots do however enter the game as the favorite. The Fort Defense has been brilliant in the last five weeks. Led by linebacker Geno Porter (10 tackles, 1 QB hurry and 1 fumble recovery) and defensive back Laurez Matthews (1 break up, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery and one touchdown), last week the unit practically shutdown the Wando for three quarters and held the Warriors to 136 yards of offense for the game.

Since Galen Bennett has returned at QB, the Patriots have also put a ton of points on the scoreboard. With him in the backfield, the Patriot receivers perform better. The Fort running attack has been strong all season and shows no sign of slowing down with Michael Sellers, Dante Ravenel and Keeyon Dixon spreading the rushing duties.

Summerville

The Green Wave (8-2) looks not only to improve its seeding, but to cap a perfect season in region play tonight when it hosts Colleton County (2-8) for homecoming.  Last week, Summerville got big games from some unexpected places as well as from the usual suspects as it downed Beaufort to claim the region crown. If the Wave continues to have people step up and Summerville plays the solid defense that has become its trademark this season it should have no trouble with the Cougars.

On offense, QB Donny McElveen seems to be settling into his passing game. Wave rushers such as Tyler Veronee, DeAngelo Henderson and Daishawn Middleton are splitting carries and the team is up to 1,651 rushing yards and 22 TDs on the year.

But Summerville coach John McKissick isn’t counting his chickens before they have hatched.

“In my 55 years here, I’ve never had an easy game against a Colleton County team,” he said. “They are a hard-nosed team that is better than its record.”

Last week, the Cougars downed West Ashley 33-29. Sophomore running back Eric Kirkland had 141 rushing yards and two scores while the Colleton D had five turnovers.

The running back position was Cougar coach Leroy Riley’s main concern entering this season so if Kirkland is the answer, it could spell trouble for the Wave. The Cougars do have some talent at the receiver position.

Contact Roger Lee @ 873-9424 ext. 213 or rlee@journalscene.com.

By Roger Lee

Summerville Journal Scene

The Patriots used another well-balanced attack to reel off their fifth straight victory, a 45-2 rout of James Island. The Fort went to the air early and QB Galen Bennett finished with five completions for 208 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the team accumulated 174 rushing yards and two TDs on 27 carries.

“The footing wasn’t very good so we threw it a little more than usual,” Fort coach Steve LaPrad said. “Having Dante Ravenel back has been a big help. Even though he still had the cast on his arm, he played a big part.”

Bennett completed a pair of touchdown passes to Jamal Hall, one from 54 yards out and another that netted 65 yards. He also connected with T’rel Hamilton for a 61-yard TD pass. Hall finished with 119 receiving yards on two catches and Hamilton had 89 on three receptions. Ravenel led all rushers with 68 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

The Patriots added a fumble recovery and 20-yard return into the end zone by defender Tyler Holmes, a 27-yard field goal by Josh Hall and an 18-yard TD run by backup QB Devron Glenn for a 45-0 lead entering the fourth quarter. James Island’s sole score came on a safety in the final quarter.

In addition to his fumble recovery, Holmes broke up four pass attempts and returned an interception 16 yards. Linebacker Geno Porter also had a lot to do with the Patriot defensive stand as he finished with nine tackles, including a sack. Montae Adams had eight tackles, including one for a loss. Hall was 5-for-5 on PAT kicks and Diego Lazaazo added a PAT and averaged 52.8 yards per kick off.

Contact Roger Lee @ 873-9424 ext. 213 or rlee@journalscene.com.

Pats' late scores foil Gators

FORST DORCHESTER 20, GOOSE CREEK 19

By Andrew Miller (Contact)

The Post and Courier

Saturday, September 27, 2008

For three quarters, Fort Dorchester could do little right against Goose Creek. In the fourth quarter, the Patriots did everything right.

Galen Bennett threw for 156 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Hall with 14 seconds left in regulation, as Fort Dorchester rallied to beat Goose Creek, 20-19, in a thriller Friday night before about 3,000 at Bagwell Stadium.

After trailing 19-0 late in the second quarter, The Patriots (2-3) scored the final 20 points of the game to secure the victory.

"We needed this really badly," said Fort Dorchester coach Steve LaPrad. "We've been through so much this season, we needed a win like this. I'm so proud of the way the kids responded in the second half.

"We didn't play very well in the first half. We made a bunch of mistakes. Goose Creek was taking us to woodshed. But the kids never quit and they fought their guts out. God knows they deserve this win."

With the Patriots down 19-14 with two minutes left in regulation, the Gators (2-3), who totaled 281 rushing yards, appeared to have the game won. But Patriots linebacker Geno Porter recovered a Goose Creek fumble at the Gators' 45 to set up the game-winning drive.

Bennett, who was 13-of-30 passing for 156 yards, calmly led the Patriots down the field. Four straight quarterback draw plays and two completions put the ball at the Gators' 7 with 20 seconds left in the game.

Facing a second-and-goal, Bennett rolled left and found Hall in the back corner of the end zone for the winning score.

"I saw (Hall) in the back of the end zone and my eyes lit up," Bennett said. "I faked like I was going to run it to bring the cornerback up and then just threw it to Jamal. The offensive line did a great job that last drive."

The Gators dominated the first half, controlling the football with their punishing ground game. The Gators grabbed a 7-0 lead on Josh Jenkins' 15-yard interception return on the Patriots' first possession.

Jenkins stepped in front of Bennett's screen pass and raced untouched into the end zone for the score 5:49 left in the opening quarter.

After another Patriot turnover, Goose Creek pushed its advantage to 13-0 on Ranoy Hines' 1-yard TD run on fourth down.

The Gators took a 19-0 lead on Donta Brown's 4-yard run with 8:33 left before halftime. The drive was highlighted by a 44-yard run by William Alston on first-and-20.

The Pats reached deep into their bag of tricks and pulled within 19-7 on a double-reverse flea-flicker just before halftime.

After a couple of handoffs behind the line of scrimmage, wide receiver Hall ended up with the ball. Hall found a wide-open Greg Ellington in the middle of the field for a 30-yard TD pass play with 27 seconds left before halftime.

Michael Sellars capped a 13-play, 72-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run to close the gap to 19-14 with 2:27 left in regulation.

Records: Fort Dorchester 1-3, Goose Creek 2-2

Last Meeting: Fort Dorchester won 24-21 in 2007 playoffs

Players to Watch: Fort Dorchester, QB Galen Bennett, RB Michael Sellars, WR Jamal Hall, WR Trel Hamilton, LB Geno Porter. Goose Creek, QB Donta Brown, RB William Alston, RB Virgil Smalls, LB Malcom Howard, WR Kevin Glears, RB Ranoy Hines

Next Week: Goose Creek vs. Stratford; Fort Dorchester at Colleton County

Notes: Fort Dorchester is coming off a 15-13 loss to Summerville … The Patriots held the lead in the fourth quarter of all three losses … Sellars and Hamilton scored touchdowns last week for the Patriots … Goose Creek is coming off a come-from-behind 29-19 win over Colleton County … The Gators rallied from a 19-10 deficit in the second half … Hines led the Gators in the win with nearly 130 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including a 57-yarder in the third quarter that ignited the strong finish … He became the fourth different Gator to run for over 100 yards in a game this season… Alston also topped the 100-yard mark … He leads the team with 379 yards rushing on the season … Smalls, a freshman, rushed for 70 yards and scored his fifth touchdown in the last three weeks.

Ranking the top 10 football teams in Lowcountry

By Philip M. Bowman (Contact)

The Post and Courier

Sunday, August 24, 2008

High school football season is finally here. Week 1 is upon us, and so are opinions and polls. Here's my poll for the top 10 teams in the Lowcountry:

1. Beaufort: Coach Mark Clifford has 11 starters back from last year's team that reached the Division II-AAAA state championship game, including defensive end Duane Chisolm, who is often mentioned as one of the top 10 prospects in the state. Running back Andre Carpenter doesn't have to share the spotlight with graduated Adrene Byas, so look for big numbers from him. The defense should be a force.

2. Fort Dorchester: The Fort went 9-4, OK 0-13 if you count the forfeits, and 13 starters are back. Any team has a big advantage when it has a three-year starter back at quarterback. It helps even more that Galen Bennett is a dual threat, passing and running. LB Geno Porter might not have Carlos Dunlap's and Robert Quinn's size, but the swift linebacker is an outstanding high school player.

3. Timberland: The stars have lined up for the Wolves, who drop to Class AA after playing for the Class AAA state title two years ago. The Wolves have three of the top 25 players in the state in RB Rockarius King, DE Aldrick Fordham and OL Quinton Washington. The team's offensive fate may rest in the hands of quarterback Cody Craig. The defense should be typical of Timberland teams: fast and furious.

4. Summerville: This isn't the team that went 13-2 last fall and reached the Division I-AAAA title game. Gone are headliners A.J. Green and Reid McCollum. The team struggled in its first three scrimmages of the year, scoring only one TD. But if you give the Summerville OL time to develop, the group should provide enough time for quarterback Donny McElveen to showcase his arm. Keep an eye on DL Demetrius Sherman and OL Chad Brisben.

5. Berkeley: A lot of people believe the Stags will repeat as Region 7-AAAA champions, and that can happen if they find a replacement for All-American Andre Ellington, who was one of nine starters on offense who graduated. The defense should be solid with seven starters back, including Bobby Gadsden and Jamichael Beckford.

6. Goose Creek: The Gators have become a force to be reckoned with under Chuck Reedy, and this year should be no different. Donta Brown is the ringleader on offense, and the defense should be the most athletic group Reedy has had.

7. Stratford: The Knights weren't their usual selves last year, managing only a 6-6 record. The offense could be the key early as the Knights replace eight starters on defense. Quarterback Tyler McDonald can be a difference maker.

8. Hanahan: Jeff Cruce is gone, but Charlie Patterson knows what it takes to win after serving as an assistant at Gaffney. The passing combo of John Carnell and Brandon Ford is graduated. DB Nick Carson is a Shrine Bowl candidate.

9. West Ashley: The Wildcats went 4-7 in coach Bobby Marion's first year, and give him time to get every aspect of his model in place and give the players a little more time in the weight room. Thirteen starters are back, including eight on offense.

10. Woodland: Coach Reed Charpia has done a good job of building the program in his five years at the school. The Wolverines have 12 starters returning from a team that went 7-3, including 3-2 in Region 5-AA. They will compete in Region 6-AA and should be serious contender for the region crown.

Reach Phillip Bowman at 937-5592.

Heat doesn’t melt Patriot morale

By Roger Lee

Summerville Journal Scene

Patriot practice got into full swing Monday with the first double-practice session of the summer. Coach Steve LaPrad says he is pleased with the turnout for camp and that his players showed up ready for work.

“I’m impressed with their attitudes,” LaPrad said. “It’s been hot this week, but they worked hard over the summer so they are in good shape. They are excited about this season and have really gotten after it despite the heat.”

And why not, the Patriots have a lot to be excited about this year. The team returns its starting QB, most of its offensive line and some speedy running backs.

Galen Bennett returns to lead the Patriot offense during his senior year. Last year, the QB showed he is not only fast, but can also pass. In his junior season, Bennett threw for 1,084 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 990 yards and 18 TDs.

The Patriots lost their leading rusher in Dwayne Scales, but a number of speedsters bring experience to the offensive backfield this season. The big challenge for the Patriot offense will likely be replacing the senior receivers it lost.

On defense, the Fort returns its top tackler. Linebacker Geno Porter returns for his junior year after recording 127 tackles in 2007, including 14 for a loss. He won’t be alone as several other defenders return looking to make a bigger impact this season. One challenge for the Patriot D is replacing the secondary players lost to graduation.

Contact Roger Lee @ 873-9424 ext. 213 or rlee@journalscene.com.

FDHS vs. GC 28-7 ReD SquAd
Category: Sports

Division I prospect Robert Quinn, a senior defensive end, led the Patriots' defensive effort with 12 total tackles and 2.5 sacks, while junior linebacker Adrian Stewart added 11 total tackles. Sophomore linebacker Geno Porter and senior linebacker Cedric Johnson added in 9 total tackles each. Senior defensive backs Durrell Mitchell and Xavier Rodgers picked off Goose Creek passes. (RED SQUAD)

The Patriots' game with region foe Colleton County was practically decided by the end of the first quarter.

The Fort scored four touchdowns in the opening quarter while holding Colleton to only a field goal en route to a 48-3 victory.

It was a huge win for the Fort, which improved its record to 5-2 with a 1-1 mark in the region. The Cougars, who were playing for the second consecutive week without star quarterback Zack Singleton, fell to 4-4, 1-1.

"We got after it pretty hard," Patriot Coach Steve LaPrad said. "We jumped on them early and then kept the pace up. Our defense got some early turnovers and that got us going."

Fort Dorchester's Dawud Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 35 yards to the Colleton 44-yard line. Then the Patriots drove 44 yards in seven plays for the game's first score. Quarterback Galen Bennett capped the drive with a touchdown run from one-yard out. Chris Kifer added his first of six extra-point kicks for a 7-0 Patriot lead.

On the Cougars' first play from scrimmage, defensive back Durrell Mitchell striped a runner of the ball and dashed 27 yards for another Patriot touchdown. Colleton managed a couple of first downs on its ensuing possession, but then had to punt. Michael Matthews blocked the kick and lineman Kevin McManus picked it up and returned it 12 yards for a score.

The Cougars drove 50 yards on their next possession, but had to settle for a 41-yard field goal by Brantley Wiggins, which turned out to be the only score of the evening for Colleton.

On the Fort's ensuing possession, it needed only two plays to score. Bennett rushed for 6 yards and then hit Shaheed with a 59-yard touchdown pass. The extra point took the score to 28-3 with a little more than 2:00 remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Bennett connected with Greg Ellington for a 6-yard touchdown pass. In the third quarter, the Patriots added and a 1-yard scoring strike from Bennett to Chris Dozier and a 3-yard rushing touchdown by Dante Ravenel.

The Patriot defense held the Cougars to only 53 rushing yards in the game. Linebacker Geno Porter had 11 tackles, including three for a loss. Matthews and Kenneth Cook both finished with six tackles. Robert Quinn had three tackles including 1.5 for a loss of -5 yards.

Ravenel started the game as a running back/receiver, but also got some snaps in at quarterback so Bennett could get some much deserved rest. Ravenel led all rushers with 111 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Dwayne Scales had 46 on nine carries.

Bennett completed 4-of-6 pass attempts for 71 yards and three touchdowns. Shaheed had two receptions for 87 yards.

Cougar QB Kevin Adams was 5-for-14 passing for 84 yards with an interception and QB Justin Guinn was 3-for-3 for 30 yards. Taurean Stephens led the Cougar receivers with two catches for 54 yards.

After the weight lifting, an officials crew was brought in and the Blue took on the White (offense) in a 7-on-7 passing competition. On the first play, an official got caught up in a play on the sideline and was knocked down. Not a good sign for the Patriots but, the official got up and play resumed.

The White made up some ground in the passing competition, coming out of it trailing 8-12. Running back Keeyon Dixon had three receptions and receiver Jamal Hall had two, including one for a touchdown. Junior QB Galen Bennett threw the TD pass.

He took most of the snaps both in the 7-on-7 and in the actual 30-minute game. Sophomore Malik Wheeler also lined up behind center some.

Next was a kicking competition. Josh Hall gave the White its first lead of the competition with three field goals, including one from 40 yards. It gave the White a 14-13 advantage. Then Diego Lazaazo hit two field goals, including a 45 yarder, for a 19-14 Blue advantage. Hall had the more accurate leg on the night and showed more potential on kickoffs. However, Lazaazo had a better delivery on PATs and had the longest field goal.

The evening closed with the actual inter-club scrimmage that should have left the estimated 300 fans who attended feeling good about the Patriots' 2008 prospects.

Bennett is as fast and elusive as ever. He ran for a 50-yard TD and threw for a 50-plus yard TD to Jamal Hall. Sophomore Michael Sellers and junior Daishaun Middleton also broke off some nice runs Friday Middleton had a 10-yard TD. Nick Brown had a 70-yard TD run.

Linebacker Geno Porter showed he's a juggernaut whether he's on the weight bench or behind the defensive line. He and fellow linebacker Tim Brown both had a sack and several tackles. Lineman Antonio Guy had two sacks. Defensive back Drake Britton had two breakups and Dexter Montgomery had an interception.

The Patriots have good size all around and are hoping to reep the benefits of being able to wear pads this spring. This is the first time the high school league has allowed football players to suit up for spring contact drills.

"I think it is a great help to us," Patriots coach Steve LaPrad said. "It allows us to do a better job evaluating the players. How are you supposed to evaluate a football player if there is not blocking and tackling. That's like asking someone to evaluate a tennis player, but not giving the player a racket. Overall, I saw a lot of good things the last two weeks. We do still have some holes to repair, but it was a good spring practice."