Ben Vaigneur sat on the tailgate of a pickup truck Friday after Beaufort High School's home loss to Cane Bay, preparing to leave the parking lot after a long night on the field.

Time would tell the extent of a hip injury the Eagles quarterback aggravated during the second quarter.

Two things Beaufort High football head coach Mark Clifford knows: Vaigneur is a leader. And his backup, Shuler Black, is capable if called on again.

Vaigneur was hurt on the Eagles' first drive of the second quarter, when running back JaClay Mixon broke free on the first play on his way to a 60-yard touchdown run. Vaigneur sold his fake, and then followed Mixon downfield to block.

The quarterback remained on the ground after the play ended and was tended to by an athletic trainer. He would return, but with a noticeable limp.

Clifford didn't know Vaigneur's status immediately following the game, except to confirm his quarterback was hurt.

"He's a great leader, and he's going to block somebody," Clifford said. "He's not going to carry out a fake and just stay there."

The sophomore Black led the Eagles during the fourth quarter and connected twice with receiver Thomas Parker, the first for an 11-yard gain and the second, on Beaufort High's final drive, a 20-yard completion that helped Beaufort High move into striking distance.

"He threw some good balls, handled the ball well," Clifford said. "I was proud of him for stepping in and doing that".

Beaufort High slipped to 2-2 with the loss to the Cobras.

The Eagles play host to Carolina Forest at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

THE DO-IT-ALL DOLPHIN

"Offense, defense, special teams," Battery Creek head coach Jim Shuman said of the Dolphins' versatile star Yuneek Crittendon. "He puts it all out there."

But can he kick?

Battery Creek was actually pretty close to finding out during Friday's 39-18 win over Garrett Tech Academy that ended the Dolphins' 13-game losing streak.

"Tonight, actually, he was our backup kicker," Shuman said.

Shuman said Battery Creek had lost its first two kickers -- one to an injury and another to a concussion. Porter Mahan kicked for the Dolphins on Friday, making one of three point-after attempts.

"We had to go to our third kicker, who did a great job," Shuman said. "But we would have had to gone to Crittendon if he went down."

ONE COMES BACK, ONE GOES DOWN

Senior Justin Frazier returned from a dislocated kneecap to shore up the Battery Creek offensive line Friday. But as soon as he returned, another Dolphin lineman went down.

"He came back, and three or four plays in, we lost the guy right next to him, Shakill Gause, to a high ankle sprain. So we get one back and we lose one."

Shuman said Gause's ankle sprain was serious.

"We're not sure if he'll play next week or not," he said.

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