December began with an epic third-round football play-off game at South Columbus where the Stallions coached by Bladen native Russell Dove edged East Bladen 42-41. South Columbus scored the game-winning touchdown and conversion with 57 seconds left in the game.
Coach Robby Priest’s Eagles were led by junior Xavier Wooten who rushed for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass. Senior Ethan Hines ran for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns. Quarterback Quinton Bedsole passed for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The East Bladen football team’s locker room was robbed during the play-off game at South Columbus. The Eagle players lost cell phones, cash, laptops, tennis shoes and clothing items valued at over $2600. Members of the community immediately went to work soliciting donations to replace the lost items.
Tournament Most Outstanding Player Sayaun Dent scored 23 points to lead West Bladen to a 59-57 victory over Dillon, SC, and the Knights third consecutive Woodmen Life Christmas Tournament Championship. Senior Kalvin Page tossed in a lay-up and 2 free throws in the final 25 seconds and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Page scored 10 of his 18 points in the final 4 minutes as the Knights defeated Whiteville 67-63 in the semi-finals. Senior John Bowen pumped in 22 points and Dent added 15. Dent fired in 22 points in a 58-45 Knight opening round victory over North Brunswick. Bowen posted a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Page followed with 14 points.
Dent banked in the tying 3-point shot at the regulation buzzer then sank the winning free throws in a 42-40 overtime victory at Red Springs. Dent scored 20 points in a 51-45 win at South Brunswick. Bowen fired in 19 points in a 65-31 conference win over Union. Dent (25 points, 12 rebounds) and Bowen (18 points, 16 rebounds) posted double-doubles in a 64-40 rout of West Columbus. Coach Travis Pait’s Knights finished the month with 8 straight wins and an 8-2 record.
Senior Eian Hines posted a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds, and guard Denzel Johnson added 20 points and 8 steals as they led East Bladen’s Eagles to their first basketball win of the season 68-55 over North Brunswick in the Woodmen Life Christmas Tournament.
Johnson threw in 23 points and senior Ethan Hines scored 18 in a 78-71 loss to Scotland. Eian Hines racked up 24 points and 16 rebounds in an 89-78 opening round loss to Fairmont. Johnson finished with 16 points.
Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson scored 15 points, and senior Emily Scott grabbed 13 rebounds in East Bladen’s girls 39-31 win over Word of God Christian. Shardajah Brown’s 11 points led the Lady Eagles to a 37-11 victory over St. Pauls. Moore-Peterson threw in 20 points in a 44-35 win over Midway.
Moore-Peterson poured in 30 points in a 49-30 victory at Cape Fear. Moore-Peterson tossed in 15 points, and freshman Patience Ward recorded a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds in 45-23 win over Whiteville in the East Bladen Holiday Classic. Coach Patty Evers’ Lady Eagles finished December with an 8-3 record.
Ten different West Bladen girls scored in a 56-18 basketball victory over Union. Senior Akira Grimes led West with 12 points. Senior Logan Autry tossed in 19 points, including 6 in overtime, in a 54-47 victory over West Columbus. Grimes scored 6 of her 11 points in the fourth period as the Lady Knights held off Whiteville 33-31 in the East Bladen Holiday Classic to even their record at 5-5.
East Bladen grad Larrell Murchison was named National Junior College All-American Honorable Mention as a defensive lineman. Murchison, a 290-pound defensive tackle, was a captain for the undefeated Louisburg Hurricanes this past season.The Elizabethtown native was credited with 29 solo tackles and 41 total tackles, 5.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.
East Bladen’s Ethan Hines was named to the Wilmington Star-News All-Area Football First Team Offense and to the Fayetteville Observer’s All-Cape Fear Region Second Team Offense. Hines rushed for 1,913 yards and 24 touchdowns and finished with 2,521 all-purpose yards and 34 total touchdowns.
East Bladen defensive lineman Caleb Strait and defensive back Kyle Tatum were named to the All-Area Second Team Defense. Strait blocked a key field goal and recorded 79 tackles this season – 31 solo. Tatum racked up 67 total tackles – 29 solo. He also recovered 3 fumbles and intercepted 2 passes.
West Bladen grad Rahu Purdie pumped in 22 points in a 67-64 victory for Lander over Erskine. Purdie scored 15 in Lander’s 77-69 loss at Montevallo.
Lauren Bowen fired in 5 goals as Clarkton School of Discovery clinched the Bladen Five Middle School Conference Girls Soccer Championship with a 5-2 victory over Elizabethtown. Katie Evans assisted on 3 of Bowen’s goals.
Joseph Masaid and Jake Garrison scored one goal each as Clarkton School of Discovery clinched the Bladen Five Middle School Conference Boys Soccer Championship with a 2-0 victory over Elizabethtown. Garrett Melvin assisted on both Blue Devil goals. Jacob Priest recorded the shutout in goal for Clarkton.
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