By Sonny Jones
Keveon Rodgers’ season statistics were impressive.
The junior quarterback’s performance against East Bladen in the opening round of the NCHSAA 2-A football playoffs were even more so.
One of the interesting aspects of playoffs are going against schools and players you don’t know. High school sports fans in Bladen County now know Keveon Rodgers. He looked as good Friday night as he numbers suggested in leading Hertford County to a 40-8 win against East Bladen.
The numbers: Rodgers completed 12 of 15 passes (14 of 15 if you include passes caught by East Bladen defensive players) for 155 yards and a touchdown. He ran nine times for 147 yards and four touchdowns. Oh, by the way, he ran for two 2-point conversions and passed for three more.
In short, the Eagles couldn’t contain him. They aren’t alone. In 11 games he’s accounted for more than 3,300 yards and 55 touchdowns running and passing. The Bears are averaging 54 points per game and have lost only once.
Rodgers also plays basketball for the Bears. Last season, as a sophomore, he averaged 12 points, 8.4 rebound and 4.3 assists.
A truly remarkable athlete. It will be worth following the rest of his time at Hertford County.
• Tip of the hat to the East Bladen football team. The Eagles won their final four games to get into the playoffs. The team was 1-5 midway through the season, but recovered.
• The Waccamaw Conference went 5-0 in the first round of the football playoffs. Whiteville and Heide Trask won in the 2-A classification and West Columbus, East Columbus and Pender won in 1-A.
• Three Columbus County teams won in the first round of the football playoffs for the first time since Nov. 11, 2005, according to The News Reporter. On that date, South Columbus beat Northwest Halifax 42-7, West Columbus beat Polk County 41-34 and Whiteville beat Goldsboro 27-12.
• Abbeville, S.C. High scored 70 points Friday night in its playoff win against Columbia. The Panthers won 70-14 and ran only 11 plays from scrimmage, reports Greg K. Deal of the Greenwood (S.C.) Index-Journal. You read correctly. 70 points and 11 offensive plays. Abbeville scored on a blocked punt in the end zone, two punt returns and an interception return to go along with six offensive touchdowns. Offensively, Abbeville completed 3 of 5 passes, two of which went for touchdowns, and averaged 40 — yes, 40! — yards per rush on six attempts.
• Enjoy your Couch Potato Saturday. It’s going to be a multiple-screen day.
SATURDAY’S PICK TO CLICK
Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos homer as Philadelphia beats Houston to force a decisive Game 7 on Sunday in the World Series. This series deserves to go seven games.
FRIDAY’S PICK: Riley Leonard throws for a touchdown and runs for a score as Duke becomes bowl eligible with a win at Boston College. RESULTS: Leonard threw for a touchdown and ran for one in the first half as the Blue Devils held off the Eagles 38-31.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
• 1994 — George Foreman regains part of the heavyweight title he lost to Muhammad Ali in 1974, stopping Michael Moorer with a two-punch combination at 2:03 of the 10th round. Foreman, 45, captures the IBF and WBA championships to become the oldest champion in any weight class.
POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY
• DP WORLD TOUR: Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, 7 a.m., GOLF
• SOCCER: Fulham at Manchester City, 11 a.m., USA
• FOOTBALL: Air Force vs. Army, 11:30 a.m., CBS
• FOOTBALL: Ohio St. at Northwestern, noon, ABC
• FOOTBALL: North Carolina at Virginia, noon, ACCN
• FOOTBALL: W. Kentucky at Charlotte, noon, CBSSN
• FOOTBALL: Florida at Texas A&M, noon, ESPN
• FOOTBALL: Minnesota at Nebraska, noon, ESPN2
• FOOTBALL: Tulane at Tulsa, noon, ESPNU
• FOOTBALL: Texas Tech at TCU, noon, FOX
• FOOTBALL: Iowa at Purdue, noon, FS1
• GYMNASTICS: World Championships, noon, NBC
• FOOTBALL: Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech, 12:30 p.m., BALLY SOUTH
• HORSE RACING: Breeders’ Cup World Championships, 1 p.m., USA
• SOCCER: Leicester City at Everton, 1:30 p.m., NBC
• NHL: Colorado vs. Columbus, 2 p.m., NHLN
• TENNIS: WTA Finals round robin, 2:30 p.m., TENNIS
• PGA: World Wide Technology Championship, 3 p.m., GOLF
• FOOTBALL: Penn St. at Indiana, 3:30 p.m., ABC
• FOOTBALL: Syracuse at Pittsburgh, ACCN
• FOOTBALL: Tennessee at Georgia, 3:30 p.m., CBS
• FOOTBALL: New Mexico at Utah St., 3:30 p.m., CBSSN
• FOOTBALL: Oregon at Colorado, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
• FOOTBALL: UCF at Memphis, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
• FOOTBALL: Oklahoma St. at Kansas, 3:30 p.m., FS1
• HORSE RACING: Breeders’ Cup World Championships, 3:30 p.m., NBC
• FOOTBALL: Navy at Cincinnati, 4 p.m., ESPNU
• MLS CUP: Philadelphia at LA FC, 4 p.m., FOX
• NASCAR XFINITY: Xfinity Series Championship, 6 p.m., USA
• FOOTBALL: UNLV at San Diego St., 7 p.m., CBSSN
• FOOTBALL: Alabama at LSU, 7 p.m., ESPN
• FOOTBALL: Houston at SMU, 7 p.m., NFLN
• FOOTBALL: Texas at Kansas St., 7 p.m., FS1
• FOOTBALL: BYU at Boise St., 7 p.m., FS2
• NHL: Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m., NHLN
• FOOTBALL: Florida St. at Miami, 7:30 p.m., ABC
• FOOTBALL: Auburn at Mississippi St., 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
• FOOTBALL: James Madison at Louisville, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
• FOOTBALL: Clemson at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., NBC
• FOOTBALL: Clemson at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., PEACOCK
• NBA: Boston at New York, 7:30 p.m., NBATV
• WORLD SERIES: Philadelphia at Houston, 8 p.m., FOX
• FOOTBALL: Wake Forest at N.C. State, 8 p.m., ACCN
• TENNIS: WTA Finals round robin, 8 p.m., TENNIS
• BOXING: David Morrell vs. Aidos Yerbossynuly, SHO, 9 p.m.
• NBA: Portland at Phoenix, 10 p.m., NBATV
• FOOTBALL: California at Southern Cal, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
• FOOTBALL: UCLA at Arizona St., 10:30 p.m., FS1
• FOOTBALL: Hawaii at Fresno St., 10:30 p.m., FS2
• LPGA: Japan Classic, 11 p.m., GOLF
• RODEO: PBR Team Series Championship, 11 p.m., CBSSN
Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com.
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