BERKELEY - The streak belonged to Summerville for seven straight meetings, but Friday night in Moncks Corner, Berkeley flipped the script in emphatic fashion.
The Stags, ranked eighth in Class AAAAA, rolled past the sixth-ranked Green Wave 29-3 at Gerald Moody Field to move to 4-0. Summerville dropped its second straight game and slipped to 2-2.
Henry Rivers was the engine for Berkeley. The senior quarterback, a fourth-year starter, made play after play with his legs, scoring twice on the ground and repeatedly extending drives with third-down conversions. He also helped set up the rest of the Stags’ offense, which added touchdown runs of 55 and 45 yards and a field goal from Ryland Curwen.
Berkeley’s defense made the night miserable for Summerville. Jayven Williams never got loose, and the Green Wave couldn’t find much of anything through the air. By the end, Summerville had been held under 200 total yards.
The Green Wave struck first after Nate Beaver drilled a field goal to finish off the opening possession. Berkeley answered almost immediately. Cam McCune sparked the response with a long kickoff return, then Rivers connected on a long pass to Malik Callen before finishing the drive himself with a 4-yard touchdown run for a 6-3 lead.
On Berkeley’s next possession, three Summerville penalties helped keep the Stags moving. Rivers finished that march with a 7-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 13-3. Curwen then added a 33-yard field goal, his first of the season, and Berkeley went into halftime ahead 16-3.
The second half opened with another big Berkeley play. LJ Washington broke free for a 55-yard touchdown run to make it 22-3, and the Stags’ defense did the rest from there.
Both teams now turn to major Sept. 18 matchups. Berkeley will host two-time defending state champion Northwestern, while Summerville opens region play at ranked James Island.
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