Beatty, Irish Take Fight Out of El Dorado

Kelvin Beatty rushed for 152 yards and scored four touchdowns as Kennedy High defeated El Dorado, 33-14, at Handel Stadium Thursday night in an Empire League opener.

Beatty, whose four touchdowns tied a career high, scored on runs of 18, 19, one and four yards as the Fighting Irish improved to 5-1.

Late in the first quarter, Kennedy took advantage of a botched El Dorado punt to set up its first score. Golden Hawk punter Brian Zurhellen’s third-down quick kick traveled only seven yards and gave Kennedy the ball at the El Dorado 18-yard line. Two plays later, Beatty scored from 18 yards to give the Fighting Irish a 7-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Kennedy increased its lead to 14-0 when Beatty capped a 10-play, 67-yard drive by scoring on a 19-yard run.

El Dorado (1-5) used its next possession to put together its best drive of the game and cut the Kennedy lead to 14-7. P.J. McNiff culminated the 10-play, 78-yard drive with a two-yard scoring run.

Beatty scored his third touchdown when his one-yard run capped a 70-yard drive midway through the third quarter.

Late in the third quarter, Rhema McKnight returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown to increase the Kennedy lead to 26-7. It was the third touchdown on a punt return this season for McKnight, who also caught six passes for 51 yards.