LOWCO LIGHTS | Week 0 | Aug. 19, 2024

Hey, it’s officially high school football season, and that means it's time for Lowco ’Lights on WHHI, powered by LowcoSports.com.
The Friday Night Lights were shining bright in three spots around the Lowco, and we had Lowco-on-Lowco matchups in two of those venues, and a state title defense launching in the other.
Not bad for a dress rehearsal before the full onslaught this week.
Let’s start on Lady’s Island, where Team Lowco’s Wes Kerr was on hand for Beaufort Academy’s home opener and the debut for new Hilton Head Prep coach Doug McFadden.
The Dolphins hung in early, but they couldn’t corral BA’s Nych Underwood and Dietrich Shuford. Shuford threw for 168 yards and a score and added 109 yards and two TDs on the ground, and Underwood racked up 181 rushing yards and two touchdowns and snagged a pair of picks on defense, powering BA to a 36-7 victory after dropping its opener to Northwood Academy last week.
Shuford joined us on Lowco Pigskin Live after the game to share his insight from under center and help break down the keys to BA’s victory.
I made the trek up the road to Walterboro, where another matchup of Lowco squads was on tap with Colleton Prep opening its season at home against John Paul the 2nd.
The Golden Warriors came out hot off the rip, as Sebastian Slusne stripped the ball away on Colleton Prep’s first possession, leading to a Bryant Jolley touchdown run, but the Warhawks’ defense buckled down the rest of the way. Cale Owens and Perry Corbett hooked up for a touchdown pass to tie it, and Walker Bryan broke a long TD run for a 13-6 halftime lead, before a Connor Nettles field goal was the only scoring in the second half.
CPA wins it 16-6. JPII lost leading receiver Jackson Sanders to an injury in the second quarter.
And Hilton Head Christian Academy opened its SCISA Class 3A title defense at home against rising SCISA 4A power Porter-Gaud, with our friends from Beaufort’s Own on the broadcast.
It was a tough night for the Eagles’ young defense, which couldn’t slow down the Cyclones’ power rushing attack led by quarterback Nolen Shuman and running Jammall Fludd.
But the offense did its best to keep pace for much of the night. Reid McCollum was spectacular in his debut as QB1, completing 29-of-38 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns and adding 152 yards and a TD on the ground. Harry Cunningham was on the receiving of both touchdown strikes and finished with 128 receiving yards, and Joey Houpt went over the century mark receiving.
Ron Peduzzi has a hot new gunslinger, and the Eagles are going to be fun to watch.
They travel to Battery Creek on Friday, and we’ll also have Lowco-on-Lowco matchups with Whale Branch at Bluffton and Colleton County at Hampton County, plus 11 other games on the first full slate of the season.
Be sure to join us LIVE on Friday night from 9:30 until we round up all the scores, stats, and highlights we can find from around the Lowco, including live look-ins from correspondents at the biggest games, postgame interviews, and much more.
We’ll also be live at 9:30pm every weeknight starting this week, so tune in to the Lowco Media YouTube channel for all the LOCAL sports news you need all season long.
For LowcoSports and WHHI, I’m Justin Jarrett. Until next time, Go Lowco.