RED SPRINGS – East Bladen capitalized on seven Red Springs turnovers to rack up a season-high 54 points en route to an important 54-32 Southeastern Athletic Conference football victory Friday night that cemented the Eagles hold on a Class 2A football playoff spot.
Coach Robby Priest’s Eagles improved to 3-2 in the SAC-7 and 4-5 overall. East Bladen will host St. Pauls Friday night in their regular season finale.
Four Eagles – senior Jordan Mathis, sophomore Malikah Moore, junior Jadon Pridgen, junior Kalec Autry – intercepted Red Springs passes and the East defense recovered 3 Red Springs fumbles.
Junior Masion Brooks paced the Eagle rushing attack carrying 15 times for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior Zamar Lewis ran 3 times for 51 yards and a touchdown, and Autry picked up 49 yards and scored 1 touchdown on 2 carries. Mathis, Moore and Brooks also scored touchdowns on returns.
The Red Devils struck first as quarterback Scottie Locklear hurled a 57-yard touchdown pass to Mishon Wilson for a 6-0 lead with 9:41 on the 1st period clock.
Back came the Eagles with the powerful Brooks bulling into the end zone from 10 yards out to tie the game 6-6 at the 4:28 mark.
East Bladen blitzed the Red Devils with 4 touchdowns in the final 6:45 of the half to take a 35-6 lead. Mathis picked off a Red Springs pass and raced into the end zone to start the spurt.
The Eagles regained possession and Mathis banged into the end zone from a yard out. Sophomore Kewane Maynor tossed a 2-point conversion pass to junior Chris Harding that grew the lead to 20-6 with 3:18 on the clock.
Two minutes later Lewis bolted 29 yards for another East touchdown. Maynor connected with Moore on the 2-point conversion pass that pushed the lead to 28-6.
With 20 seconds remaining before intermission, Locklear was sacked and fumbled. Brooks scooped up the fumble and galloped 63 yards for a touchdown. Junior Blaine Pope kicked the extra point to stretch the lead to 35-6.
The Red Devils answered quickly as Jamey Tedder threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Mishon Wilson on the last play of the half that trimmed the lead to 35-12.
The Eagles struck quickly after halftime as Autry popped free on a 35-yard touchdown run only 32 seconds into the half. Pope tacked on the point for a 42-12 lead.
Moore intercepted a Red Devil pass 2 minutes later and scooted into the end zone for the score that widened the gap to 48-12.
Locklear ran 2 yards for a Red Springs touchdown to whittle the margin to 48-18 with 1:31 left in the period.
Brooks blasted through the line and bolted 21 yards for the final Eagle touchdown with 10:42 left to play that upped the count to 54-18.
Mishon Wilson ran 6 yards for a Red Devil touchdown then caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Locklear. Jakelsin Mack accounted for the final margin with a conversion run.
Locklear completed 12 of 23 passes for 184 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Red Devil offense. Tedder connected on 3 of 4 passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. Mishon Wilson caught 9 passes for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns and also carried 12 times for 58 yards and another touchdown.
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