Photo by: Doug Rogers/Special to The Post and Courier

Swamp Fox running back Vernon Moree helped Ashley Ridge defeat Summerville Friday to pull ahead in the race for the region title.

Ashley Ridge converted three fumbles into touchdowns and held the Green Wave to a single score in the second half to earn its first victory over cross-town rival Summerville.

The Swamp Foxes (7-2, 3-0 in Region 8-AAAA) moved the ball well and capitalized on Green Wave (6-3, 1-1) mistakes as they earned a 36-21 victory to even the series to 1-1.

“What a great win,” Ashley Ridge coach Kenny Walker said. “When this school opened four years ago we couldn’t beat some Class AA teams and here we are defeating a 4-A power. But we still have a way to go. Our defense didn’t play that well tonight, but our offense found ways to keep us ahead.”

Swamp Fox QB Jacob Thompson and running backs Romelo Doctor and Vernon Moree all had strong nights rushing for the Foxes. Doctor carried 25 times for 141 yards. Moree had 19 carries for 114 yards.

Thompson was 6 for 9 passing for 139 yards and two TDs, both to senior receiver Seamus McKinney in the second half.

finished with 62 yards receiving and a pair of TDs.

Swamp Fox linebacker Brandon Hughes recovered two fumbles on the night. His first set up a 4-yard TD run by Doctor for a 10-7 Fox lead early in the second quarter.

Fellow linebacker Tray Cutler recovered a fumble later in the quarter and returned it 53 yards for a TD and a 10-point Swamp Fox lead.

Summerville’s William Tittle had a big return on the ensuing kickoff to give the Wave a short field. A few plays later, Devon Anderson scored on a 3-yard run to cut Ashley Ridge’s lead to 17-14 at the half.

Early in the third quarter Hughes recovered another fumble to give his team excellent field possession. Thompson  then capped a 32-yard drive with a 23-yard TD pass. McKinney, who finished with 62 receiving yards for the night, outleaped a Summerville defender to make the scoring grab in the end zone.

The Wave answered with a 60-yard drive capped by Tucker’s second TD run, which came from 5 yards out. The Wave pulled within 3 points of the Foxes with the score, but lost its leading receiver on the drive as Ke-Isaris Fair was taken off the field on a stretcher with an apparent lower leg injury.

After Summerville’s only score of the second half, Ashley Ridge drove 73 yards with Doctor covering most of the ground. Thompson found McKinney on a 37-yard TD pass to cap the possession and give the Swamp Foxes a 31-21 lead.

In the final quarter, the Foxes added a safety on a sack by Lorenzo Baker and Dalton Robinson’s second field goal of the night.

“They beat us on both sides of the football tonight,” Summerville coach John McKissick said. “You can’t win football games when you make as many mistakes as we did. We self destructed a bit on offense and got a couple of bad breaks, but also we couldn’t really slow down their offense.”

Both teams drew a lot of penalties, including multiple 15-yarders.

Summerville’s Jerod Tucker had 17 carries for 190 yards and two TDs. His first score capped a 64-yard drive on Summerville’s first possession of the game. Tucker also had a 31-yard carry on the drive to set up a first and goal.

Summerville 7 7 7 0—21

Ashley Ridge 3 14 14 5 – 36

S –  Jerod Tucker 2 run (Parker Cleveland kick)

A – Dalton Robinson 28 FG

A – Romelo Doctor 4 run (Robinson kick)

A – Tray Cutler 53 fumble recovery return (Robinson kick)

S – Devon Anderson 3 run (Cleveland kick)

A – Seamus McKinney 23 pass from Jacob Thompson (Robinsion kick)

S – Tucker 5 run (Cleveland kick)

A – McKinney 37 pass from Thompson (Robinson kick)

A – Lorenzo Baker sack for safety

A – Robinson 17 FG

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