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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
LUMBERTON – Senior Xavier Wooten scored the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run with 23 seconds remaining to lift East Bladen to a 12-8 victory over Latta, SC in the opening game of the Battle of the Carolinas football scrimmage Thursday night.
The Eagles marched 63 yards in 8 plays on their final possession after Latta had taken an 8-7 lead with under 6 minutes remaining.
Quarterback Quinton Bedsole found senior Xavia McDowell on a short route, and the burly senior shook off a pair of tacklers for a 21-yard gain. Bedsole then connected with senior Sincere Smith on an 8-yard pass play.
“I wanted to see better quarterback play earlier,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “But when we needed it, Quinton checked down and found Xavia. That was a big play.”
Two plays after the Smith catch, Wooten popped free on the counter and raced down the right sideline for 22 yards and a first down at the Viking 3 yardline. Two plays later Wooten bulled through the left side for the winning touchdown.
“We looked good, especially for having played last night (at Wallace-Rose Hill),” said Coach Priest. “I was especially pleased with the offensive line play.”
The Vikings threatened on their second possession of the game as junior quarterback Dylan Brewer hooked up with junior Deonte Stanley on pass plays of 36 and 14 yards that moved the ball to the East 21 yardline. However a pair of procedure penalties and four incomplete passes stopped Latta on downs.
The Eagles responded with a 74-yard drive in ten plays. McDowell plowed through the middle for a pair of ten-yard gains. B. J. Robinson banged through the left side for 10 yards, and Wooten carried 5 times for 32 yards on the drive.
Wooten darted 10 yards on an inside-counter for the touchdown with 3:42 left in the half. The conversion pass fell incomplete and East Bladen led 6-0.
The Eagles moved 35 yards to the Latta 30 yardline on their first possession of the second half, but a procedure penalty and a quarterback sack bogged down the drive.
Latta covered 65 yards in 6 plays to take the lead. A 20-yard completion by Brewer got the Vikings moving and Kendall Moultrie’s leaping catch of a 28-yard pass at the 2 yardline set up Jamarcus Leggette’s touchdown run. Chandler Nolan pounded the middle for the 2-point conversion run and an 8-6 lead.
Wooten finished with 11 carries for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Eagle offense. McDowell rushed for 29 yards on 6 attempts and caught the 21-yard pass. Bedsole completed 2 of 4 passes for 29 yards with one interception.
Brewer connected on 5 of 11 passes for 102 yards to supply the Latta offense. The Eagle defense that is being directed this season by former head coach Lenon Fisher held the Vikings to only 7 yards rushing on 6 attempts.
East Bladen rushed for 133 yards and totaled 162 yards to Latta’s 109 total yards.
“This is a first-class event, and if there is a better jamboree around, I don’t know where it is,” said Priest. “James Grainger and Mackie Register do a great job putting it on, and we will come as long as they will invite us.”
The Eagles return to the practice field Friday and have an open date next Friday before opening the season at Clinton on August 25th.
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