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Junior fullback Xavia McDowell caught the game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Quinton Bedsole, and East Bladen’s defense held Ayden-Grifton a yard short as the Eagles advanced to the third round of the NCHSAA Class 2A Football Play-offs with a 28-21 overtime victory Friday night.
The first three quarters of the game featured a battle between the star halfbacks from each team. East Bladen’s Ethan Hines carried 28 times for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns, caught one pass for a 33-yard gain and another pass for a 2-point conversion.
“Ethan’s really banged up,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “But he gave us a big game tonight.” Hines has now rushed for 1,829 yards and 22 touchdowns this season.
Ayden-Grifton senior Modica Whitehurst rushed 25 times for 183 yards and 3 touchdowns, intercepted a pass to stop an Eagle drive and recovered a fumble to give the Chargers a chance at a game-winning field goal in the closing seconds.
Ethan Hines also returned a Charger punt 29 yards midway the final period to set the Eagles up at the Charger 35 yardline with the score tied 21-21. On fourth down from the 30, Whitehurst made a leaping pass interception at the Ayden-Grifton 2 yardline.
Charger quarterback Blake McLawhorn completed a 28-yard pass to Daniel Mosley and a 22-yard pass to Jamil Waters, but the Ayden-Grifton drive stalled at midfield.
After a Charger punt, the Eagles picked up one first down, but Whitehurst scooped up the only Eagle fumble of the game at the East Bladen 17 yardline with 50 seconds left in regulation.
McDowell sacked McLawhorn for an 8-yard loss on second down, before a 9-yard completion to Nate Brimmage moved the ball back to the 17. Wyatt Russell’s 32-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Eagle junior Caleb Strait, and sophmore James Higgins scooped up the ball and dashed 46 yards to the Charger 29 yardline.
“We had put in a stunt to go for the block,” said Coach Priest. “We told the kids during the time-out that it was going to be a scoop and score. But we didn’t quite get there.”
On the last play of regulation, Ethan Hines almost pulled in Bedsole’s pass at the 2 yardline, but Whitehurst broke it up.
The Eagles took possession first in the overtime. On third down from the 11, Bedsole connected with McDowell in the right flat near the 5 yardline, and the 260-pound McDowell bowled over a couple of tacklers on his way to the end zone. Sophmore Pierce Melvin booted the extra point for a 28-21 lead.
“Coach (Terry) Smith said that Xavia was going to have a good game tonight,” noted Coach Priest. “ And he did –on both sides of the ball.”
On Ayden-Grifton’s first play in overtime, Eagle junior B. J. Robinson threw Waters for a 4-yard loss on the jet sweep. “B. J. made a big play to get them behind the chains,” said Priest.
After 2 incomplete passes, Waters made a diving catch at the one yardine on fourth down to end the game.
The Chargers took the opening kick-off and covered 65 yards in just 5 plays. Whitehurst picked up 15 yards on his first carry and slipped through the line on a delay and bolted 41 yards for the touchdown. Gilmar Hernandez kicked the point for a 7-0 lead with 10:21 left in the quarter.
East Bladen answered with a punishing 67-yard, 12-play drive that took 6 minutes off the clock. Ethan Hines darted 12 yards to start the drive, and McDowell blasted through the line and carried tacklers 15 yards.
Ethan Hines took a pitch and darted around right end on a 10-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was wide right, and the Chargers still led 7-6 at the 4:14 mark.
After forcing a Charger 3-and-out, the Eagles marched 71 yards in 14 plays and consumed almost 8 minutes off the clock. Junior Xavier Wooten banged through the line for 9 yards, and Ethan Hines gained 10 more.
Ethan Hines had 5 more carries in the drive for 31 yards including an 11-yard run on a counter-play for the go-ahead touchdown. Bedsole tossed a pass to Ethan Hines for the 2-point conversion and a 14-7 East Bladen lead with 7:11 remaining in the half.
The Chargers displayed some ball control of their own with a 65-yard, 13-play drive that consumed 6 minutes. Whitehurst ignited the drive with a 20-yard run and ended it with a 13-yard touchdown run. The Chargers converted two fourth down plays on the drive – one that was courtesy of an Eagle offside. Russell’s extra point kick tied the score 14-14 with 1:06 on the clock.
On the first play of the next East Bladen possession, Bedsole found Ethan Hines streaking down the left sideline. Hines pulled away from a tackler near midfield and appeared to have scored on an 82-yard pass. However, a flag came out behind the play for a block-in-the-back and nullified the score.
The Eagles started the second half with a 67-yard drive in 9 plays that consumed over 4 minutes. Ethan Hines ripped off runs of 11, 7, 4, 2 and 8 yards, before popping through the line and scooting 28 yards for the touchdown. Melvin tacked on the extra point and East led 21-14 with 7:36 left in the period.
On their next possession, the Eagles came up 3 yards short on a fake-punt play and turned the ball over at their own 37. Whitehurst scampered 18 yards, then 19 yards for the touchdown. Russell’s kick tied the score 21-21 with 50 seconds left in the quarter.
Wooten finished with 43 yards rushing on 10 carries, and McDowell picked up 30 on 6 rushes to go with the winning 11-yard reception. Bedsole completed 2 of 10 passes for 44 yards and the touchdown. The Eagles held a 232-185 edge in rushing yards, but 96 passing yards gave the Chargers a 281-276 advantage in total yards.
McLawhorn completed 6 of 13 passes for 96 yards. Waters caught 2 passes for 35 yards, and D. J. Suggs grabbed 2 for 24 yards.
“They are a really good team,” said Coach Priest about the No. 2 seeded Chargers, now 9-4. “It feels bad for them to come that close.” Then he chuckled, “But hey my high school baseball career ended here on a grand-slam in the play-offs.”
The Eagles, the No.3 seed in the MidEast. improved to 9-4 and will travel to top seed South Columbus Friday night. Coach Russell Dove’s Stallions advanced to the third round with a 75-42 victory over Fairmont.
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