03/29/2024
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DUBLIN – West Bladen scored on 5 of their 7 first-half possessions and rolled to a 49-14 non-conference victory over West Columbus Friday night in Coach Todd Pait’s home opener at the helm of the varsity Knights.

Junior Shaquille Johnson, senior quarterback Weston Pidgeon and junior B. J. Drake keyed the early Knight blitz that produced leads of 28-0 and 35-6.

Knight senior Trent West recovered West Columbus’ onside kick-off at the West Bladen 47 yardline to start the game.

On the first play from scrimmage, Pidgeon tossed a short pass to Drake in the right flat, and the junior back weaved his way 53 yards through the Viking defense to the end zone. Junior Scott Bowen kicked the extra point for a 7-0 Knight lead 25 seconds into the game.

Drake and senior James Moore started the next Knight drive with a 20-yard run each. Junior Davon Swindell gained 13 yards to the Viking 7 yardline, and Pidgeon picked up 6 more yards to the one before a holding penalty halted the 61-yard drive.

After the Vikings took over on downs at their own 7, Johnson intercepted a short West Columbus pass at the Viking two. The teams exchanged penalties before Drake and his mates moved the pile 4 yards for the touchdown. Bowen booted the extra point for a 14-0 Knight lead with 2:33 left in the quarter.

On the second play of the next Knight possession, Pidgeon threw a 45-yard touchdown bomb to Johnson who was streaking down the left side. A problem with the snap foiled the conversion attempt and West Bladen led 20-0 with 10:54 remaining in the half.

West Columbus picked up one first down before being forced to punt. Johnson fielded the punt at the Knight 25 yardline, rolled to his right and sprinted 75 yards down the right sideline for the touchdown. Moore ran the 2-point conversion to stretch the lead to 28-0 with 6:53 on the first half clock.

The Vikings answered with a 63-yard drive in 7 plays. The touchdown came on a 4-yard run, but the conversion run failed and West Bladen led 28-6 at the 3:56 mark.

After 16-yard runs by Drake and Moore, the Knights were forced to punt on their next possession, but the Vikings fumbled the punt and Swindell wrestled the ball away at the West Columbus 7 yardline.

Moore pounded the middle twice banging into the end zone from 5 yards out for the touchdown. Bowen tacked on the extra point for a 35-6 Knight halftime lead.

On their second possession of the second half, the Knights mounted a 58-yard, ten play scoring drive. Moore bolted 29 yards straight up the middle for the touchdown, and Bowen connected on another extra point for a 42-6 lead 25 seconds into the final period.

West Columbus returned the kick-off 75 yards for their final touchdown, and a 2-point conversion run made it 42-14.

The Knight reserves saw plenty of playing time in the final quarter and midway the period senior Tykee Jeffries charged through the line and scooted 61 yards for a final touchdown. Bowen kicked the point to finish 5-5 on extra point attempts.

“We are putting things together,” said Coach Pait. “I really liked the effort. When you get 11 guys playing hard, you usually get a good result.”

The versatile Johnson had a punt return touchdown, a receiving touchdown, a pass interception and 3 quarterback sacks for minus 10 yards. “Shaq is a very good player,” said Coach Pait. “I am looking forward to seeing what he can do here for the next 2 years.”

Moore finished with 14 carries for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jeffries rushed 3 times for 75 yards and a touchdown. Drake had the receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown.

Junior Zion Barrett sacked the quarterback twice for minus 19 yards, and junior Bryan Haro had a pair of tackles-for-loss for minus 9 yards.

The Knights rushed for 249 yards, and Pidgeon completed 5 of 10 passes for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. West Columbus was held to 65 yards rushing and 56 passing.

Penalties (8 for 90 yards) continue to be a problem. “We have got to fix that before conference play,” noted Pait. “It was good to have a chance to get the young guys in there at the end. They are the future of our program.”

The Knights improved to 2-0 and will travel to Whiteville Friday night.

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