03/28/2024
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BLADENBORO – Sophomore KeMarion Baldwin ran for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead St. Pauls to a 48-8 Three Rivers Conference football victory over West Bladen Thursday night.

Freshman Cornelius Esters started the game by recovering West Bladen’s onside kick at the Knight 46 yardline, but 3 plays later a high snap by the Knights turned the ball over to the Bulldogs at the Knight 35. On the next play Knight sophomore Xavier Lopez pounced on a Bulldog fumble at the West Bladen 41.

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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong

The turnover exchange continued as Bulldog junior Jamarcus Simmons intercepted a Knight pass and returned the ball 8 yards to the St. Pauls 47. The Bulldogs covered the 53 yards in 5 plays. Brown galloped 29 yards before senior Demonte Williams carried 13 yards for the touchdown and a 6-0 lead.

A trio of penalties backed the Knights up to their own 2 yardline, and a short punt gave St. Pauls possession at the West 26. Baldwin gained 8 yards then dashed 18 yards for the touchdown. Williams ran the 2-point conversion to boost the lead to 14-0.

Knight senior ShyRon Adams fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own six, beat the coverage team to the corner then flew down the right sideline on a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Sophomore Gary Parker dove into the end zone for the conversion that trimmed the margin to 14-8.

St. Pauls answered with a 55-yard drive in 4 plays. Junior quarterback Mikail Breeden hurled a 45-yard touchdown pass to senior William Ford that pushed the lead to 20-8 with 3:11 left in the 1st quarter.

Two plays later the Knights lost another fumble and junior Ronald Reed recovered for St. Pauls at the Knight 37. The Bulldogs drove to the 11 yardline, but sophomore Deonte Lacey sacked Breeden for a 6-yard loss and the Knight defense held on downs.

A bad snap in punt formation by the Knights gave St. Pauls the ball at the West 27. After a holding penalty, Baldwin broke loose for 32 yards. The Knights’ Javonta Matthews picked off a Bulldog pass in the end zone and returned the ball out to midfield, but a roughing the passer penalty nullified the play. Simmons banged into the end zone from a yard out to up the count to 26-8.

The Bulldogs drove 52 yards in 3 plays on their next possession. Baldwin barreled through the line for 15 yards, before Breeden hooked up with senior Waltay Jackson on a 29-yard touchdown pass. Simmons ran the conversion for a 34-8 halftime lead.

After Baldwin reeled off a 23-yard run, Simmons burst through the line on a 26-yard touchdown run with 6:54 remaining in the 3rd period to stretch the lead to 40-8.

Baldwin bolted 56 yards for the final Bulldog touchdown with 2:07 left in the quarter. Simmons ran the conversion.

Breeden completed 4 of 11 passes for 97 yards as the Bulldogs amassed 365 yards of total offense.

Parker led the Knight runners with 35 yards on 12 carries. Junior Demarius Robinson rushed 7 times for 22 yards and caught a 16 yard pass from quarterback Devon Strange. Strange completed 2 passes for 31 yards.

The Knights were plagued by 4 lost fumbles, a pass interception, 3 4th down plays where they turned the ball over on downs and 12 penalties for 85 yards.

“A lot of mistakes and turnovers,” said Knight Coach Jon Sherman. “St. Pauls has been a really good team for the past two years, but we have got to clean up our mistakes and get better. We have got one more week to clean it up.”

The Knights will host East Bladen Friday, April 9th in their season finale. St. Pauls, now 3-0, will close out their season with games at Fairmont Monday and at Red Springs Friday.

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