Eagles’ shining moment: Beaufort High School wins its first football state championship
It was a history-making night for the Beaufort High football team.
The Eagles won the school’s first state championship with a 41-31 victory Thursday night over Powdersville in the Class 3A title game at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.
“It is so exciting. I’m just stuck in the moment right now,” Beaufort running back Kacy Fields said.
Beaufort is the first state champion from the county since the Beaufort Tidal Wave won two titles in 1935 and 1945 before integration.
Beaufort was playing in its second straight championship game, something that hasn’t been done in the Lowcountry since defunct H.E. McCracken High School made two straight appearances in 1976 and 1977.
South Pointe defeated the Eagles 41-7 last year in the Class 4A championship game. Beaufort moved down to Class 3A this year because of realignment.
Beaufort coach Bryce Lybrand said he has yet to watch last year’s championship game. Two-way standout Colton Phares said the team got rid of that game’s film in the spring.
Beaufort won’t want to get rid of Thursday’s game film, full of highlights and moments worth watching and remembering for years to come.
Players and fans started their celebration as the final minutes ticked down off the clock Thursday. Lybrand was doused with Gatorade as the final horn sounded, and some players made their way into the stands to celebrate with the big crowd that made the two-hour plus trip to Columbia.
“We said we didn’t want that feeling again, so we worked all spring, all summer,” Phares said. “We knew we had a championship-caliber team, so we had to keep working, trust each other. One team, one family.”
Beaufort finished the season with 13 straight victories and came from behind to win its final three playoff games. The Eagles trailed 24-21 at halftime against Powdersville.
The Eagles’ dynamic running back duo of Kacy Fields and Phares, along with a physical offensive line, paved the way for the championship. Fields and Phares combined for 417 yards and six touchdowns as the Eagles wore down Powdersville, which was making its first championship appearance.
Lybrand went with a two-back approach during the team’s second playoff game against Crestwood and rode that plan to the championship game. Fields started the season as a receiver but moved to running back in the third game.
“They are unbelievable and deserve it. But they would be the first ones to tell you it takes a whole group,” Lybrand said.
Fields, who finished with 219 yards rushing, had the go-ahead touchdown on a 75-yard run in the third quarter to put Beaufort up 34-31. He also had a 93-yard kickoff return for a score.
Phares, who is committed to Appalachian State, finished with 198 yards and also had some big plays on defense. Beaufort didn’t attempt a pass in the game.
“We just wanted to keep on pounding the rock. No need to pass it if you are going to run it like that,” Lybrand said. “We are big up front. Kacy and Colton are big, physical kids and they are hard to handle. We just kept leaning on people, and that is what we were able to do.”
After Beaufort took the lead, the Eagles stopped Powdersville running back and Virginia Tech commit Thomas Williams on fourth-and-2 at the Eagles’ 43-yard line. Williams finished with 236 yards but had only 21 in the second half.
Beaufort then put together a 12-play drive capped off by Fields’ 1-yard run with 5:36 left.
“I told them, let’s just get one stop,” Lybrand said.
Beaufort’s Carter Bowsox then recovered a fumble on Powdersville’s next possession to seal the victory.
How they scored
——First quarter——
PWD (9:17): Eli Hudgins 6 yd run (Nate Spearman kick), 7-65/2:43
PWD (5:06): Thomas Williams 25 yd run (Spearman kick), 7-55/2:42
——Second quarter——
BFT (9:35): Colton Phares 5 yd run (Jack Troutman kick), 18-82/7:31
BFT (4:28): Phares 31 yd run (Troutman kick), 9-74/3:16
PWD (3:34): Williams 69 yd run (Spearman kick), 2-69/0:54
BFT (3:12): Kacy Fields 93 yd kickoff return (Troutman kick)
PWD (0:22): Spearman 36 yd field goal, 8-47/2:50
——Third quarter——
BFT (7:34): Fields 12 yd run (Troutman kick blockd), 11-66/4:26
PWD (5:00): Williams 1 yd run (Spearman kick), 5-56/2:34
BFT (3:35): Fields 75 yd run (Troutman kick), 3-81/1:25
——Fourth quarter——
BFT (5:36): Fields 1 yd run (Troutman kick), 12-57/5:11
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: P: Williams 20-236; Hudgins 17-46. B: Fields 37-219; Phares 28-198; Bonds 2-7.
PASSING: P: Hudgins 4-8-0 99. B: None.
RECEIVING: P: Huggins 1-47; Williams 1-37; Hunsinger 1-9; Rice 1-6. B: None.
Beaufort football 2022 schedule, results
* denotes playoffs
- Aug. 26: Fort Dorchester 21, Beaufort 6
- Sept. 2: Beaufort 24, Hilton Head Island 7
- Sept. 9: Beaufort 6, Goose Creek 0
- Sept. 16: Beaufort 13, May River 7
- Sept. 23: Beaufort 55, Bluffton 23
- Sept. 28, Beaufort 34, Philip Simmons 14
- Oct. 8: Beaufort 37, Battery Creek 7
- Oct. 20: Beaufort 48, North Charleston 8
- Oct. 28: Beaufort 49, Hanahan 14
- Nov. 4: Beaufort 52, Orangeburg-Wilkinson 0*
- Nov. 11: Beaufort 45, Crestwood 42*
- Nov. 18: Beaufort 31, Gilbert 21*
- Nov. 25: Beaufort 30, Dillon 21*
- Dec. 1: Beaufort 41, Powdersville 31*
This story was originally published December 1, 2022 at 10:20 PM.
