North Charleston - Dorchester County rivals Ashley Ridge and Fort Dorchester opened region 7-AAAAA play on Friday night with both teams looking to stay in the early race for the region title.
Fort Dorchester rallied from an early 14-6 deficit, intercepted three passes, and put two backs over 100 yards in a 40-22 homecoming game victory. The Patriots improved to 3-2 with their win.
“We needed a win,” Fort Dorchester coach Josh Smith said. “We feel we have a good football team but we knew we were playing a good football team. Our guys played well. We played hard and we made some big plays. Real proud of the defense. They showed up well after a bad night last week.”
In addition to the interceptions, Fort Dorchester had two defensive stops inside their own 10-yard line in the second half. This a week after giving up 48 points and more than 500 yards in a loss to Gaffney.
Running backs Ryan Campbell and Davian Brown each topped 150 yards rushing in the game. Brown had more than 100yards after halftime and finished with 162 yards. Campbell scored on runs of 67 and 31 yards and finished the night with 191 yards.
Ashley Ridge entered the game with a 5-0 record but the Patriots were clearly the best team they had faced in the early season.
The game got off to an inauspicious beginning for Ashley Ridge as Trevor Kalisz was intercepted by Fort Dorchester’s Romaun Parson. With great field position, the Patriots scored on six plays as Davion Brown ran in from two yards out. The score came after a conversion on fourth-and-nine with a 19-yard scramble by quarterback Charles Watson.
The Swamp Foxes needed nine plays to score as Kalisz hit Derrick Salley on a fourth-and-nine pass that covered 36 yards. The extra point made it 7-6.
Salley caught a 40-yard pass to set Ashley Ridge up at the Fort Dorchester 15-yard line. Three plays later Kalisz and Salley combined on an eight-yard score to give the Swamp Foxes a 14-6 lead with 1:08 left in the first quarter.
Fort Dorchester reached the Ashley Ridge four-yard line early in the second quarter but failed on fourth down. Late in the first half, sophomore running back Ryan Campbell broke free on a 67-yard run to cut Ashley Ridge’s lead to 14-12.
A second interception, this by Jordan Wright, gave the Patriots the ball at the Ashley Ridge 22. With :52 seconds remaining in the half, Watson hit Monty Johnson on a 12-yard score and the Patriots went into halftime with a 19-14 lead.
Kalisz passed for 127 yards in the first half with Salley grabbing three passes for 84 yards. Campbell ended the half with 101 yards rushing.
Fort Dorchester opened the third quarter with an 80-yard scoring drive on seven plays. Brown’s 40-yard run was a big play on the drive then Watson connected with Mul-ty Snider on a 33-yard touchdown pass, converting on fourth-and-14. Watson threw for 138 yards in the game.
Salley, however, made his presence known on the ensuing kickoff, racing 95 yards for the score. A two-point conversion cut Fort Dorchester’s lead to 26-22 with 8:34 left in the quarter.
On Ashley Ridge’s next possession, Jaden Acosta had a 29-yard run and Salley caught a 36-yard pass to set the Swamp Foxes up with a first-and-goal at the Fort Dorchester five-yard line. Salley totaled more than 175 yards in the game.
Fort Dorchester’s defense, however, stood tall and forced a turnover on downs at the two-yard line.
As the game moved into the fourth quarter, Ashley Ridge moved into Fort Dorchester’s 30-yard line. Back-to-back penalties gave Ashley Ridge possession inside the 10-yard line but Sam Williams intercepted a Kalisz pass to the endzone to end the threat.
The Patriots responded quickly offensively, going 80 yards on just five plays. Brown had two runs of14 yards and Watson hit tight end Jalen Barry on a 48-yard touchdown pass, pushing the Patriots to a 33-22 lead with 8:49 left in the game.
Campbell struck again for Fort Dorchester, scoring from 31 yards with 5:44 left in the game and pushing the Patriots to a 40-22 lead.
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