Spread the love

By John Clark

TABOR CITY- Sophomore quarterback Hunter Hester threw for 176 yards and 3 touchdowns, junior Hezekiah Adams broke loose for a pair of long touchdowns, and the West Bladen defense held on for a 29-22 victory over South Columbus in their non-conference season opener.

Three times in the final period the Knights drove inside the South 10 yard line but couldn’t tack on a clinching score. However, the only 2 times the Stallions crossed midfield in the final quarter, they turned the ball over on the next play.

“We definitely needed to take advantage of those chances we had to put the game away,” said Knight Coach Stanley Williams. “But our guys battled and held their ground. We have preached conditioning and discipline all season, and the need to play all 4 quarters. We did that tonight.”

Williams also pointed out this was West Bladen’s 1st victory over South Columbus since 2001 – the Knights 1st season. It was also the Knights 1st win in a season opener since outscoring South Brunswick 39-36 in 2017.

Senior Stefane Jessup pounced on a South fumble at the West 45 yard line in the opening period. One play later Hester connected with Adams on a crossing pattern, and the speedy junior dashed the remaining 40 yards to complete a 60-yard scoring play. Junior Cade Allen kicked the extra point for a 7-0 Knight lead at the 3:46 mark.

South answered with a 58-yard drive in 6 plays. Junior Rush Blackwell hurled a 39-yard TD pass to sophomore Easton McPherson. The conversion failed and West led 7-6.

The Stallions covered 55 yards in 5 plays on their next possession. Sophomore Cayden Batton plowed 17 yards down the right sideline for the touchdown, and Blackwell ran the 2-point conversion for a 14-7 South lead 8:40 before halftime.

West Bladen answered with a 59-yard drive in 7 plays. Senior Messyah Whitted popped free for gains of 20 and 8 yards. Hester traveled 9 yards on a keeper then flipped a 10-yard pass to senior Travis Baxley. Hester capped the drive with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Baxley who made a leaping catch on the left sideline. Allen tied the game 14-14 with the conversion kick at the 3:57 mark.

South spent the rest of the half driving 72 yards in 12 plays, but after Blackwell connected with Javon McLaughlin for 24 yards, he was tackled for no gain at the West 13 yard line as time ran out.

Adams made a juggling catch of a bouncing Stallion punt, zipped past 2 defenders, and flew 55 yards down the right side of the field for a Knight return touchdown. Allen split the uprights again to boost the West lead to 21-14 with 8:50 on the 3rd period clock.

The Stallions bounced back with a 60-yard drive in 7 plays. Senior Demonta Gore carried 3 times for 29 yards, and McPherson added runs of 11 yards then 19 yards for the touchdown. Gore ran the 2-point conversion to edge South ahead 22-21 at the 5:38 mark.

Back came the Knights with a 64-yard drive in 3 plays. Hester fired a 10-yard pass to junior Elijah McCollum then tossed a swing pass to Whitted who raced 60 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown. Junior Noah Hall snared Hester’s 2-point conversion pass to pad the lead to 29-22 with 4:28 remaining in the quarter.

On their next possession, West Bladen marched 55 yards to the South 1 yard line. Whitted ripped off runs of 20 and 9 yards, and Hester kept the ball twice for a pair of 11-yard gains. However, a fumble near the right pylon was recovered by South’s Blackwell to end the threat.

The Stallions picked up a pair of 1st downs, but the ball bounced free from a Stallion runner near midfield and was recovered by Knight senior Malijah McKoy at the West 39 yard line. The Knights drove 52 yards in 8 plays, but a 26 yard field goal attempt failed with 3:19 on the clock.

Gore and Aveon Bellamy gained 17 and 16 yards respectively as the Stallions crossed midfield. However Malijah McKoy intercepted a Stallion pass on the next play and sped 62 yards down the left sideline to the South 3 yard line.

After a sack backed the Knights up, a 4th down pass was intercepted by South’s Logan Todd in the end zone with 19 seconds left. A high snap resulted in an 11-yard loss for the Stallions, and Jessup upended a Stallion on the hook-and-ladder play as time ran out.

Hester completed 7 of 11 passes with the 1 interception and ran 9 times for 30 yards. Whitted rushed for 63 yards on 14 carries and caught the 60-yard TD pass. Adams had the 55-yard punt return for a touchdown and caught the 60-yard TD pass. Baxley had 2 receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Aaron Lewis led the Knight defense with 10 tackles. Seniors Cornelius Esters and Jahmar Richardson had 8 tackles each. Jessup had 7 tackles and a fumble recovery. Malijah McKoy had the pass interception and a fumble recovery.

South racked up 398 yards rushing and 80 yards passing but suffered 2 lost fumbles, a pass interception and 11 penalties for 100 yards. Gore rushed 17 times for 186 yards, and Blackwell passed for 80 yards and ran for 87 more on 19 carries.

West Bladen will visit rival East Bladen Friday night, while South Columbus will travel to South Brunswick.