Summerville shuts out Fort Dorchester

By Roger Lee

Contributing Writer

Summerville - Running back Jayven Williams, on Oct. 16, became the first Summerville football player to rush for more than 5,000 yards in a high-school career.

During the Green Wave’s home game against Fort Dorchester the senior, who became Summerville’s all-time leading rusher last month, grounded out 150-plus yards and scored on an 18-yard catch and an 84-yard run to lead Summerville to a 45-0 victory.

“That’s awesome, said Summerville coach Ian Rafferty. “He is probably over 6,000 total yards now, which is great for him.”

Summerville scored in all three aspects of the game, before halftime, and had two running backs both finish with two touchdowns.

Williams’ fellow teammates in the Summerville offensive backfield also had a good night. Sophomore Maxwell Grant had a 14-yard TD and a 1-yard TD. Junior Zayden Smalls didn’t score, but had some big carries.

Starting quarterback Ethan D’Water completed passes to nine different receivers, including the 18-yard scoring strike to Williams. While for the most part his shots weren’t deep, his completions did keep the Fort defense honest and helped move the sticks.



After D’Water left the game early in the final quarter, sophomore backup QB Quinten Bitting led Summerville on a scoring drive that he capped with a 5-yard TD scramble.

“It was a struggle in the first half because they did a really good job on defense,” Rafferty said. “They made it hard on us the first half and then we kind of got some things going in the second half. I told the kids this was good team football tonight. Our defense was outstanding and then the offense kind of got rolling and we did really good on special teams.”

Williams’ opened the scoring with his 18-yard TD catch. The drive was set up when linebacker Jaylen Pryor recovered a punt Fort Dorchester mishandled.

Summerville then added to its lead when Pryor recovered a Patriots’ fumble and returned it 25-plus yards into the end zone for a TD. Just when it was looking like the 14-0 lead would hold until halftime, junior defensive back Lance Hieke intercepted a Fort pass.

The pick set Summerville up at the Patriots’ 35-yard line. However, there was only 1:07 remaining before the half. The Wave went to D’Water’s arm and he came through with four completions, though one was called back on a penalty.

That was good enough to set up a 22-yard field goal by senior Nate Beaver for a 17-0 Summerville lead entering the half. Beaver also finished 5 for 5 on PAT kicks. Kicker Thomas Lauer kicked the final PAT of the evening.

Summerville defensive back Mikel Shider ended the Fort’s first possession of the second half when he pulled down a deflected pass for an interception. The Wave then drove 67 yards to score on Grant’s first TD run.

Grant scored his second TD of the half with 3:21 remaining in the third for a 31-0 Summerville lead. Williams scored his second TD in the final minute of the quarter for a 38-0 lead.

Smalls ran for a pair of first downs halfway through the fourth to set up the final score, the 5-yard TD run by Bitting.

The defenses for both teams made a goal-line stand in the game. Summerville finished with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Fort Dorchester’s Zaire Warren also had an interception and the Patriots’ special teams blocked a field-goal attempt.

Fort Dorchester’s best offensive drive of the night featured a 60-yard reception by junior receiver Devin Gates and covered 79 yards. However, it ended at the Summerville 1-yard line.

Gates led all receivers in the game.

Summerville improved to 5-3 on the season with a 3-1 mark in Class 5A Region 5, putting the Wave in second place in the region standings behind James Island. The Wave travels to Stall (2-6, 0-4) Oct. 23 and then wraps up its schedule by hosting Ashley Ridge (2-6, 2-2) Oct. 30.

“We still have two regular-season games remaining including another rivalry game, but the kids are doing the things we are asking them to do,” Rafferty said. “We are still trying to find the right pieces, but we have played really well the last three weeks. A lot of people are getting to play and get experience so we are moving in the right direction, but we can get a lot better.”

Fort Dorchester dropped to 4-5 and 3-2, putting it in third place for the region. The Patriots wrap up region play Oct. 23 by hosting Stratford (1-7, 0-4).