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ELIZABETHTOWN – Senior Masion Brooks rushed for 147 yards and 4 touchdowns Monday night as East Bladen’s Eagles celebrated Homecoming with a 46-8 Waccamaw Conference football victory over East Columbus.

Brooks only carried the ball 8 times but scored on runs of 10, 6, 34 and 41 yards to lead the Eagle ground attack that piled up 256 yards. Senior Na’Toren Corbett picked up 50 yards on 5 rushes and scored on a 2-yard run.

Junior quarterback Kewone Maynor completed 4 of 5 passes for 84 yards and connected with junior Malaki Moore on a 24-yard touchdown pass. Senior Chris Harding caught 2 passes for 52 yards, and Moore had 2 receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown.

East Bladen finished with 340 yards of total offense and forced 4 turnovers. Brooks, senior J’Marius Smith and junior Jaylen Suggs recovered fumbles, and Harding intercepted a pass.

“I liked the way we kept our focus despite all that was going on today,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “A lot of distractions – a parade, 2 guys were in a wreck earlier today, pre-game meal and all of tonight’s activities.”

Brooks barreled through the line for gains of 8, 25 and 8 yards on the 1st Eagle scoring drive of 57 yards. Corbett powered into the end zone from 2 yards out, and senior Blaine Pope nailed the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 8:48 left in the 1st period.

The Eagles covered 55 yards in 3 plays on their next possession. Maynor fired a 26-yard pass to Harding then zipped the 24-yard TD pass to Moore for a 13-0 lead at the 5:11 mark.

After Brooks pounced on a Gator fumble at the East Bladen 41, the Eagles needed just 3 plays to move 59 yards to paydirt. Corbett broke loose for 34 yards to ignite the drive. Brooks then blasted through the line for 15 yards then carried again on a 10-yard TD run. Pope tacked on the point for a 20-0 lead 1:33 before the quarter break.

The Gators picked up 2 first downs and drove 30 yards on their next possession, before Smith scooped up an East Columbus fumble and raced 51 yards to the Gator 10 yard line. Brooks rammed through the line 2 plays later on a 6-yard touchdown run. Pope kicked his 3rd extra point for a 27-0 lead 6:49 before halftime.

Harding’s interception gave the Eagles possession at their own 20. Maynor threw a 26-yard pass to Harding then scooted right for 12 yards. Another pass to Moore netted 8 yards, before Brooks hammered the right side then galloped 34 yards for the touchdown. Pope converted the kick to boost the East Bladen lead to 34-0 with 4 seconds left in the half.

Brooks busted through the line again on the Eagles 2nd snap of the 2nd half and rambled through Gator defenders on a 41-yard touchdown run that padded the lead to 40-0 at the 8:06 mark.

Senior Jayden Dailey and junior Xavier Best ripped off 13-yard runs for East, and after the 2 teams traded fumbles near the Gator goal line, Dailey banged into the end zone from 3 yards out to stretch the margin to 46-0.

The 2nd half was played with a running clock, and on the last play of the game. Junior Davonte Marshburn ran 15 yards for a Gator touchdown. Senior Matthew George scored the 2-point conversion to whittle the final margin to 46-8.

George carried 12 times for 93 yards to lead the Gator offense.

The Eagles improve to 2-0 in the Waccamaw and 3-3 overall and will travel to Pender Friday night.