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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
ELIZABETHTOWN – Senior Xavier Wooten rushed for 189 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead East Bladen to a 34-0 non-conference football victory over North Brunswick Monday night.
Wooten carried the ball 24 times and scored on touchdown runs of 3, 48 and 7 yards. Senior fullback Xavia McDowell rushed 9 times for 49 yards, and senior Sincere Smith ran for 48 yards and a touchdown on 4 attempts.
For the game the Eagles rushed for 372 yards and outgained the Scorpions 387 total yards to 83. East Bladen’s ball-control offense kept the ball for 34 minutes compared to only 14 minutes for North Brunswick.
“The line blocked good, and the running game was pretty impressive,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “We are getting a little better and had several plays in the first half when we were just a block away from breaking a big one.”
The Eagle defense limited North to only 31 yards rushing and 52 yards passing. “The defense is getting better,” said Coach Priest. “We still have a lot of room to grow. We had some missed assignments, and some didn’t get lined up right a few times.”
The Eagles converted two fourth-downs on a 17-play, 64-yard clock-eating drive in the first quarter. A 13-yard run by Wooten and a 14-yard carry by James Higgins keyed the drive that culminated with a 5-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Quinton Bedsole to senior Trevares Carter. Junior Pierce Melvin booted the extra point for a 7-0 Eagle lead with 22 seconds remaining in the quarter.
On their next possession the Eagle marched 62 yards to the Scorpion 6 yardline before a fourth down pass fell incomplete. Wooten reeled off runs of 13 and 10 yards in the drive, before McDowell powered his way through the Scorpions for 16 yards.
A 22-yard punt return by junior Shy Pone put the Eagles on the North 30 yardline. Six plays later Wooten bulled into the end zone from 3 yards out for a touchdown 8 seconds before halftime. East Bladen led 13-0 at intermission.
Wooten broke loose for a 48-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to cap a 73-yard, 7-play drive. Melvin connected for his second extra point to stretch the Eagle lead to 20-0 with 8:18 left in the third period.
A 31-yard punt return by Smith set up the Eagles at the Scorpion 34 early in the final quarter. Seven plays later Wooten bolted 7 yards for his third touchdown. Melvin tacked on the point with 8:54 on the clock to pad the lead to 27-0.
A 67-yard drive resulted in Smith dashing 20 yards for the final Eagle touchdown with 2:28 left. B. J. Robinson picked up 13 yards to get the drive started, and Eric Chancey added a 9-yard run. Melvin kicked the extra point for the final 34-0 margin.
Bedsole completed 2 of 5 passes for 15 yards and a touchdown.
The Eagles, now 2-0, open Three Rivers Conference play Friday night at Whiteville at 7 p.m.
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