By Sonny Jones
ELIZABETHTOWN — Stephone Stanley ran for a 177 yards, scored a touchdown and set up two others Friday night to highlight a 393-yard rushing attack as James Kenan toppled East Bladen 42-14 in a non-conference high school football game at Lenon Fisher Stadium.
The loss dropped the Eagles to 1-3 as they head into Waccamaw Conference play next Friday at home against South Columbus (2-1), which was a 61-0 winner Friday against Union.
James Kenan, a member of the East Central Conference, is 3-1. The Tigers will open conference play next Friday against East Duplin.
East Bladen, which trailed 22-6 at half, cut it to 22-14 midway through the third quarter when quarterback Kewone Maynor connected with a wide open Chris Harding on a 50-yard pass play. Matt Kemp’s conversion run came with 8:25 remaining.
However, James Kenan scored the final three touchdowns to pull away.
The victory was James Kenan’s fourth in seven games against the Eagles since 2006. It’s three previous wins all came in the state playoffs — 41-34 in 2021, 28-7 in 2007 and 17-14 in 2006. East Bladen beat the Tigers 39-33 in the 2017 playoffs and won regular season meetings in 2010 and 2009.
Masion Brooks led the East Bladen offense with 72 yards rushing on 16 carries. Maynor was 4-for-4 passing for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
The teams exchanged touchdowns on their initial possessions. The Tigers march 73 yards in five plays with Eli Avent scoring from the 2. The score was set up by four consecutive runs by Stanley for 71 yards. Coarey Smith ran the conversion for an 8-0 lead.
East Bladen answered on its fifth play from scrimmage. Malaki Moore caught a pass from Maynor at about the 40 yard line, shook off a tackle and raced down the right sideline for a 62-yard touchdown. The conversion run failed.
Following the ensuing kickoff, Stanley ran 75 yards around the left side that moved the ball to the East Bladen 2. Hasaan Kornegay carried the final two yards that gave the Tigers a 1-6 lead with 7:24 remaining in the first quarter.
After setting up James Kenan’s first two touchdowns, Stanley scored on a 4-yard run and added the 2-point conversion that put the Tigers ahead 22-6 with 48 seconds left in the second quarter.
East Bladen’s scoring drive that opened the second half began on their own 7 yard line. Three first downs, highlighted by an 18-yard run by Brooks, moved the ball to midfield. On the next play, Maynor faked a handoff inside and passed to Harding, who was uncovered about 15 yards downfield. Harding outran the Tigers’ secondary for the score. Kemp’s conversion made pulled the Eagles within eight.
However, James Kenan controlled the rest of the game. Avent scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak, David Zeleya swept around the left side for a 14-yard scoring run and Shykwon Williams scored the final touchdown on a 10-yard run after the Tigers had recovered a fumble at the East Bladen 23.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter
JK — Eli Avent 2 run (Coarey Smith run)
EB — Malaki Moore 62 pass from Kewone Maynor (run failed)
JK — Hasaan Kornegay 2 run (run failed)
2nd Quarter
JK — Stephone Stanley 4 run (Stanley run)
3rd Quarter
EB — Chris Harding 50 pass from Maynor (Matt Kemp rush)
JK — Avent 1 run (Brayan Guardado kick)
JK — David Zeleya 14 run (run failed)
4th Quarter
JK — Shykwon Williams 10 run (Guardado kick)
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