By Sonny Jones
ELIZABETHTOWN — Slowly, but surely, the East Bladen football team has been putting together the pieces, trying to find the right fit to a sometimes puzzling season.
Friday night, on Senior Night in a steady, light rain at Lenon Fisher Stadium, everything came together for the Eagles in a dominating 53-28 win against St. Pauls in the final game of the regular season.
Senior Zamar Lewis rushed for 191 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries and Masion Brooks added three more scored and 132 yards on 30 carries in leading East Bladen to its fourth consecutive win after beginning the season with five losses in its first six games.
“It’s better to be peaking at the end instead of early or in the middle (of the season),” East Bladen head coach Robby Priest said. “I like the way we’re playing right now.”
The win gave East Bladen a 4-2 record and in a three-way tie for second place in the Southeastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles are 5-5 going into next week’s N.C. High School Athletic Association 2-A playoffs. Pairings are expected to be announced Saturday.
Lewis, known more for his defensive prowess along the line, erupted for his scores on runs of 12, 33 and 55 yards in the second quarter that staked the Eagles to a 23-14 halftime lead. He also added a two-point conversion run in the fourth quarter. Lewis entered the game with 57 yards rushing and a touchdown on only nine carries.
“We’ve been working with him and bringing him along slowly,” Priest said. “He’s very, very coachable. You tell him something one time and you don’t have to repeat it. This is his first year playing football.”
Lewis also is the starting center on the basketball team and starting first baseman on the baseball team.
Brooks, a junior, continues his stellar campaign. He scored on runs of 3, 4 and 1 yards in the fourth quarter and added four two-point conversion runs after touchdowns.
St. Pauls’ star running back Kemarion Baldwin was limited to 76 yards on 13 carries while battling an ankle injury, yet still scored three of the Bulldogs’ four touchdowns. Baldwin has rushed for more than 1,700 yards and 27 touchdowns this season.
East Bladen ran only six more plays from scrimmage than St. Pauls, but held possession more than 10 minutes longer, collected nine more first downs and won the yardage battle 372-to-246. There were 20 penalties accepted for 180 yards between the teams.
Kalec Autry scored East Bladen’s final touchdown on a 34-yard scamper with a minute remaining.
After a scoreless first quarter, the teams combined for five scores in the second quarter. Lewis’ three touchdowns were countered by Jamir McMillian’s 1-yard dive and Baldwin’s 5-yard score.
Baldwin brought the Bulldogs within 23-22 with 8:45 left in the third quarter on an 8-yard run and 2-point conversion run.
Brooks and Baldwin traded scores early in the fourth quarter and Lewis had a 2-point conversion run that put the Eagles ahead 31-28. East Bladen scored three touchdowns in the final six minutes of play.
It brought to an end a season that early on featured non-conference losses against the likes of Whiteville, Wallace-Rose Hill and 4-A Wilmington Laney along with a 55-7 blowout loss against conference champion Clinton.
East Bladen didn’t lose in October and now awaits its playoff opponent Saturday.
“The non-conference schedule that we played, maybe I was thinking that we were supposed to be better than we were,” Priest said. “But it’s starting to settle in.”
It came at the same time as the puzzle pieces all began to fit.
St. Pauls 0-14-8- 6 — 28
East Bladen 0-23-0-30 — 53
EB — Zamar Lewis 12 run (Masion Brooks run)
SP — Jamir McMillian 1 run (run failed)
EB — Lewis 33 run (Blaine Pope kick)
SP — Kemarion Baldwin 5 run (Baldwin run)
EB — Lewis 55 run (Brooks run)
SP — Baldwin 8 run (Baldwin run)
EB — Brooks 3 run (Lewis run)
SP — Baldwin 10 run (Baldwin run)
EB — Brooks 4 run (Brooks run)
EB — Brooks 1 run (Brooks run)
EB — Kalec Autry 34 run (run failed)
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