'Cats claw Patriots

Stewart lifts Rock Hill into next round of playoffs

By Karl Lyles - The Herald

Rock Hill spotted Fort Dorchester a 3-0 lead, then rattled off 34-unanswered points to win 34-10 in the first round of the Upper State playoffs.

The 10-2 Bearcats will get the winner of the Hillcrest at Irmo game tonight.

Rock Hill's Jatavius Stewart ran for two touchdowns and caught a third score to lead the Bearcats offensively. He finished just shy of a season-best with 122 yards rushing. He netted 128 earlier this year against Spring Valley.

Fort Dorchester was an offensive force on its first drive of the game. Guided by quarterback Galen Bennett, the Patriots moved the ball methodically on the ground. Michael Sellers and Dante Ravenel combined for 47 yards on the first four plays from scrimmage. In the process, Rock Hill lost three-year starting linebacker Brandon Jackson to an injury. Jackson did not return to the game and was being checked for an arm injury.

The Bearcats' defense stiffened and Terrance Bingham came up with a big stop on a Patriots third-and-5 play from the 17-yard line. Bennett kept the ball on a zone read and Bingham put a big hit on him. Bennett left the game with a separated shoulder and Fort Dorchester settled for a field goal.

The Patriots were a much different team without their starting QB. Fort Dorchester (7-5) played the first four games without Bennett and the team went 1-3.

"We had a good game plan. It just went to pot after (Bennett) was injured," Fort Dorchester coach Steve LePrad said.

Fort Dorchester gained 63 yards on its opening drive, then were held to 30 yards of total offense until midway through the fourth quarter.

Rock Hill coach Joe Montgomery agreed that the loss of Bennett made the game much easier for his team.

"That was a big part of it. We were able to key in on their tailback and we picked up the intensity on defense. We did a good job," Montgomery said.

"We knew the starting quarterback was a runner. Once he was out, we just concentrated on getting 11 guys to the football," Bearcats linebacker Mike McClure said.

"Rock Hill has great speed, but we thought we could knock them off the ball with our size," LePrad said.

Rock Hill played the game without two offensive starters. Junior running back Jamal Tyler and Asa Watson were in street clothes.

Tyler was injured last week against South Pointe. The initial diagnosis was a pulled muscle. The reality is a season-ending fractured pelvic bone.

Watson, a senior tight end, suffered a concussion in practice on Monday.

Jerante Hood carried the bulk of the handoffs in place of Tyler. Hood ran for 73 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns.

His first score was set up by a 32-yard pass play to the Patriots 2 from Randall Dixon to Stewart. Hood ran in on the next play, with just 20 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Bearcats a 14-3 lead.

Hood scored again in the third quarter on a 21-yard run and Stewart followed with a 51-yard scamper later in the quarter to push the lead to 27-3.

Montgomery told his players after the game "the hardest (playoff) game, truthfully, is the first one."

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