One of the most intense rivalries in the Lowcountry continues tonight when Summerville travels to North Charleston to take on Fort Dorchester.

The Patriot varsity football team is out to do what it hasn’t done since 2000 – beat the Green Wave.

Summerville holds a 13-2 lead in the series, but over the past few years the games between the two Dorchester County schools have been highly competitive and typically decided by slim margins.

Last year, Summerville trailed by a touchdown entering the final quarter, but rallied for a 15-13 win.

“We lucked up last year and slipped by them so I’m sure they will come at us hot and heavy,” Summerville coach John McKissick said. “They have the fastest defense I’ve seen in a while and they could have easily beaten Beaufort last week. Their quarterback throws the ball well and they have a big-time tailback in Michael Sellers.”

Patriot coach Steve LaPrad, who was named the Fort coach in 2004, also anticipates a hard-fought game.

“It should be your normal Summerville/ Fort Dorchester game,” he said. “We are fairly evenly matched and I expect players on both sides to get after it. It should be a blast for the fans. Summerville has a strong running attack so we will have to bottle that up, but they can also throw the ball and they are well-coached.”

Adding to the excitement will be the presence of a “Great American Rivalry Series” crew.

Presented by the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps, the series showcases a handful of high school football rivalries each week. Representatives will be on hand Friday to document the game, hand out t-shirts and award a scholarship to the player on each team who has the highest grade point average.

Both teams feature sophomore quarterbacks who are still learning the ropes. However, both have had some success this season.

Summerville’s Dalton Saunders has completed 25-of-40 pass attempts for 444 yards and seven touchdowns. After week-one starter Devron Glenn was injured, Fort Dorchester put the 6-4, 205-pound frame of Ethan Long to good use, opening up their passing game. He has completed 36-of-64 pass attempts for 433 yards and three TDs.

While the Patriots have been nursing injuries at the running back position all season, they will likely lean more toward the run this week.

Both Sellers (6-0, 260) and Ja’San Bradley (6-0, 190) are expected to be closer to 100 percent at game time.

One of the keys for Summerville will be stopping the duo, particularly Sellers, who rushed for 871 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. On offense, the Wave will need to do a better job of protecting the football.

Preventing the big play will be one of the keys for Fort Dorchester. Wave running back De’Angelo Henderson (463 rushing yards and seven TDs on 56 carries) has a knack for breaking free for big gains. However, the Patriots’ D should be prepared for Henderson and have the skills to bottle him up.

The more likely big-play threat in this game will be the Wave receivers.

The Patriot D returned nine starters including lineman Antonio Guy (6-2, 287), linebacker Geno Porter (34 tackles including 7 solos) and defensive back Laurez Matthews (37 tackles including 6 solos), but its secondary isn’t as experienced as the rest of the unit.

Wave receiver Chris Williams has nine receptions for 156 yards and three TDs this season. His supporting cast is also talented. If the Patriots can’t keep the Wave receivers from making big plays and moving the sticks, momentum could quickly shift Summerville’s way.

Offensively, the Patriots will need to keep pressure off Long and establish a passing game so the Wave can’t just hone in on the running attack.

Both teams have strong kickers and place a lot of emphasis on special teams during practice, leaving neither team with a huge advantage in those areas. That’s not to say special teams couldn’t factor in though, as both teams have respectable speed at the kick return position.

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

The numbers for this season

            SHS        FD

Record            2-1        2-1

Points Scored        104        61

Points Allowed    65        54

Rushing Yards        703        193

Passing Yards        444        433

Fumbles/Lost        10/6        5/3

Int. Thrown        2        4

Sacks Made        4        6

Tackles for Loss    5        15

Int. Made        3        1

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