Beaufort – Things were far from perfect early in the 2022 football season, yet the Beaufort Eagles figured things out and went on to win the Class AAA state championship.
Head coach Bryce Lybrand has a much younger and less experienced team in 2023 but the coach sees potential in his group. Despite a 29-10 loss to Cane Bay in the week zero season opener on Aug. 18, Lybrand says this team just needs time.
“I really think we’ll be okay but we are a really young football team to start,” Lybrand said. “We lost some really talented guys but they were also very experienced. They handled the adversity. With as young as we are now, that is an issue. We don’t quite have the leadership right now. But, we will get better.
The Eagles scored on their first two possessions of the game against Cane Bay but failed to score again. The game was tied at 10 with eight minutes left in the game before turnovers led to quick scores by Cane Bay.
In addition to youth, this year’s team does not have the depth that last year’s team had, forcing Lybrand to use several players as two-way starters. Not ideal in the early season heat, but necessary.
There is experience returning at quarterback as last year’s starter, Samari Bonds, is back for his junior season. Bonds threw for 225 yards in the season opener. Bonds has a little more pressure on him this fall, working with a group of inexperienced running backs.
Receivers Dorrell Depass and freshman Amare Patterson give the quarterback quality hands in the passing game.
The Eagles return two starters along the offensive line in senior Adrian Lamb and sophomore Kenshon Speakes, the starting tackles. Freshman Andre Ellison is at one guard and sophomore Derquan Simmons is the other. First-year senior Treni Chaplin-Walton is starting at center.
The defense has a bit more experience returning, starting with end Robert Johnson, safety Dom Camacho, and linebackers Quion Rivers and Will Codding. Sophomore Issac Smalls also returns at corner with Hudson Mullen working at strong safety.
The defensive line will consist of several offensive linemen working in rotation.
Beaufort hosted AAAAA power Fort Dorchester in their second game on Aug. 25… The Eagles also have non-region games with Goose Creek, Hilton Head, Bluffton and May River.
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