Dorchester looking to reach SCISA Class A title game with semifinal win over Clarendon Hall
Reed Almers has 1,685 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 100-yard games for 9-2 Raiders
St. George – For three straight seasons, Dorchester Academy has found its way into the semifinal round of the SCISA Class A football state playoffs. And, in each of those years, the Raiders came away with a loss.
Well, DA is once again back in the semifinal round, and it is ready to not only take the next step, but the next two, in fact.
“We’ve got several guys who are tired of just getting to the semifinals,” said Dorchester head coach Michael Nelson. “They’re hungry for a state championship, and hopefully that all works out for us.”
The Raiders, the No. 1 team in the High School Sports Report Class A rankings, rolled over Carolina Academy 55-6 in the first round. DA, which is 9-2 on the season will play host to 5-6 Clarendon Hall in the semifinals on November 13.
Dorchester put up 28 points in the first quarter against Carolina and led 41-0 at halftime. The second half was played with a running clock.
The Raiders ran for 256 yards with junior Reed Almers continuing his impressive season with 156 yards and three touchdowns on just six carries while returning a kickoff 76 yards for a score. Almers now has 1,685 yards and 25 touchdowns on 203 carries and has had 10 100-yard games.
Junior Warren Judy had three carries for 64 yards and two scores. Junior quarterback Carter Beeks completed 6 of 9 passes for 84 yards and two TDs. Senior Noah Risher had three receptions for 33 yards, Judy had two catches for 13 yards and a touchdown, and junior Colson Williams had a 38-yard catch.
Senior Will Quattlebaum led the defense with seven tackles, an interception, two tackles for a loss and one quarterback sack. Junior Boone Gruber also had an interception while freshman Levi Headden had six tackles.
Clarendon Hall advanced with a 34-0 win over Thomas Heyward Academy. The teams faced each other during the regular season with DA winning 66-13.
Nelson has been busy reminding his team that none of that matters now.
“Everybody is 0-0 come playoff time,” he said. “It’s a fresh start, everyone is 0-0, the winner moves on and the loser goes home. We have to have that kind of mentality.”
Beeks has continued to improve as a passer. He has completed 80 of 138 attempts for 1,263 yards and 22 scores. Risher is his top target with 28 catches for 497 yards and eight TDs, while junior Graham Varnadoe has 24 receptions for 353 yards and five touchdowns. Williams has 13 catches for 277 yards and three more TDs.
“We’re actually throwing the ball really well right now,” Nelson said. “We’ve got guys who can make some plays for us.”
