SOUTHPORT – Senior B. J. Drake rushed for 238 yards and scored 3 touchdowns to lead West Bladen to a 39-36 non-conference football victory over South Brunswick in the Knights season opener and first game under new Coach Kris Williams.
Drake broke loose on touchdown runs of 61, 66 and 19 yards. Dayvon Swindell piled up 102 yards rushing, and junior Kerron Washington scored twice, a 21-yard run and 65-yard run, and finished with 85 yards rushing.
“The kids fought hard,” Williams said. “We overcame some mental mistakes and untimely penalties and hung on. I am extremely proud of the effort. Nothing bad happened that we can’t fix.”
For the game the Knight ground attack racked up 480 yards rushing – 253 in the second half. The West Bladen defense held South Brunswick to only 92 total yards in the second half. The Cougars rushed for 181 yards in the first half but only 30 in the second half and all of their 62 yards passing came after intermission.
Swindell returned a second quarter kick-off 86 yards for a touchdown as the Knights battled back from an early 15-7 deficit to pull within 21-19 at halftime.
West Bladen took the lead with 25-21 with a third quarter touchdown and scored two touchdowns plus a 2-point conversion pass from sophmore Tyre Boykin to Swindell in the fourth quarter to keep their lead.
Jose Garcia had booted a first quarter extra point for the other Knight conversion.
Senior lineman Jonathan Robinson led the Knight defense with 13 tackles – 3 unassisted. Senior Jalen Drew was credited with 11 tackles – 3 unassisted, and senior Michael Hepburn made 6 solo tackles and finished with 9 total tackles.
West Bladen will entertain Midway Friday night in their home opener.
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