An early share of first place in the Four County Conference will be on the line Friday night when Coach Robby Priest’s unbeaten East Bladen Eagles travel to Clinton to battle Coach Bob Lewis’ Dark Horses.
The Dark Horses are the defending NCHSAA Class 2-A Eastern Champions and are ranked No. 8 in the latest Class 2-A AP state rankings. East Bladen is the No. 5 rated team in the same AP poll.
East Bladen pulled out a 27-21 overtime victory over the Dark Horses last year behind the running of Farrell Murchison who ran for 255 yards and all 4 Eagle touchdowns. The Eagles have won 3 of their last 4 games against Clinton.
Murchison and his brother Larrell have departed via graduation, but this year’s Eagles feature another twin brother duo, Ethan and Eian Hines.
Eian Hines leads the Eagle rushing attack with 535 yards and 6 rushing touchdowns. However, he turned his ankle in Monday night’s 20-6 win at Midway.
If the game is played Friday night, Coach Priest says that Eian Hines will not play due to a sprained ankle. “Three days is not enough to recover,” said Priest. “He might be ready by Monday if the rain pushes it back.”
Ethan Hines has run for 482 yards and 7 touchdowns, and senior Nikita Owens has totaled 302 yards and 4 touchdowns rushing. Eagle quarterback Tyquan McMillian has thrown for 144 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Sincere Smith has 2 catches for 80 yards.
If Eian Hines is unable to play, junior Kyle Tatum who gained 84 yards and scored a touchdown against Midway will fill the other halfback slot.
The Eagle defense held Midway to only 67 total yards and had 3 sacks and 6 more tackles-for-loss for a total of minus 35 yards.
Leaders of the Eagle defense include junior Derrick Burney, senior lineman Chris Cromartie, sophomore Xavia McDowell, junior Michael Walter, Owens, Tatum and sophomore Bernard Robinson. Walter and Cromartie lead the team in sacks. Tatum and Owens have one pass interception each.
Junior Ryheem Skinner who rushed for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns in last year’s East Bladen game is Clinton’s leading rusher this season with 622 yards and 8 touchdowns. Junior Emari Oates (182 yards), senior Rayquan Faison (166 yards) and junior Tyion Wright (151 yards) round out the Dark Horse stable of running backs.
Sophomore quarterback Kris Williams has thrown for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns. “I just hope we can stop what they hope to do,” said Coach Priest, “Their quarterback is athletic and fast and that worries me.”
Defensively the Horses are led by sophomore linebacker A. J. Williamson, senior end Prentice Murphy, junior linebacker Isaiah Page and senior end L. J. Farrior, and sophomore end Zack Autry.
“I just hope we can match their intensity,” said Coach Priest. “They really fly to the football.”
Friday’s forecast is for 100 per cent chance of heavy rain, so this game may be pushed back to Monday if the heavy rains come.
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