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By Sonny Jones

ELIZABETHTOWN — With first place on the line West Columbus came to Lenon Fisher Stadium on Friday and overpowered homestanding East Bladen 24-8 on the Eagles’ Senior Night in a hard-hitting, defensive high school football game.

The Vikings (7-1, 4-0 Waccamaw) scored on a 1-yard fumble return, had its second touchdown set up by a blocked punt and used its defense to keep East Bladen (5-4, 4-1 Waccamaw) off the scoreboard until 8:34 remained to play.

East Bladen had its four game win streak snapped and fell behind West Columbus for the top 1-A seed in the split Waccamaw 1-A/2-A Conference. The Eagles are scheduled to play at 2-A Whiteville (6-2, 3-1 Waccamaw) on Friday to close its regular season.

West Columbus is slated to play Pender (4-4, 1-3 Waccamaw) on Friday, then close the season Oct. 27 at East Columbus (2-6, 1-3 Waccamaw).

With its ground game ineffective against a stout West Columbus defensive that has allowed only 69 points this season, the Eagles tried to move the ball through the air. Quarterback Kewone Maynor completed 13 of 29 pass attempts for 159 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Malaki Moore caught five passes for 90 yards and Na’Toren Corbett had three receptions for 33 yards and a score on an 11-yard play with 8:34 remaining that pulled East Bladen within 21-6.

East Bladen’s Masion Brooks, who set a school record a week earlier in a 59-36 victory against Pender with 359 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, was limited to 65 yards on 15 carries against the Vikings.

Jaylen Bellamy led the West Columbus offense with 107 yards rushing and a touchdown on seven carries.

East Bladen drove into West Columbus territory four times in the first three quarters, but couldn’t cross the goal line.

The East Bladen defense limited West Columbus to 137 yards rushing and 78 yards passing.

A goal line stand by the Eagles defense late in the scoreless first quarter gave East Bladen possession at the West Columbus 2. However, on the second play from scrimmage, a fumble was recovered by the Vikings’ Junior Stewart who carried it 1 yard into the end zone on the first play of the second quarter. Ryan Strickland’s conversion kick gave West Columbus a 7-0 lead.

East Bladen drove to the West Columbus 9 on the ensuing possession, but a fourth down pass from the 17 intended for Moore in the corner of the end zone was out of bounds.

The Eagles drove to the West Columbus 20 in the final minute of the first half. A pass to Moore was ruled caught out of the end zone.

A blocked punt by West Columbus’ Tony Jordan set the stage for the Vikings’ second score. After an unsportsmanlike penalty moved the ball back to the 38, West Columbus needed only four plays to cover 62 yards to take a 14-0 lead. Jahan Lesane-Powell ran 17 yards to the 21, then covered the final six yards on the next play with 1:29 remaining in the third quarter.

East Bladen couldn’t move the ball on its next series and punted. On the first play from scrimmage, Bellamy ran 54 yards down the sideline that gave West Columbus a 21-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.

East Bladen answered with a six-play, 47-yard drive capped by Maynor’s 11 yard pass to Corbett with 8:34 remaining.

Strickland booted a 26-yard field goal with 5:26 remaining.

Later, West Columbus took an intentional safety with Strickland punting from his own end zone. He opted to step out of the end zone to give East Bladen two points, then kicked off to the Eagles from the 20.

Seventeen seniors played their final home game Friday for East Bladen. They were Darius Williamson, Matt Kemp, Blaine Pope, J’marius Smith, Masion Brooks, Jayden Dailey, Reginald Parrot, Na’Toren Corbett, Chris Harding, Keyon McKoy, Micah Rivera, Jadon Pridgen, Kaden McKoy, Kalec Autry, Elijah Cain, Rodney Lacewell and Jalil Hayes.

West Columbus 0 7 7 10 — 24
East Bladen 0 0 0 8 — 8
WC — Junior Stewart 1 fumble return ((Ryan Strickland kick)
WC — Jahan Lesane-Powell 6 run (Strickland kick)
WC — Jaylen Bellamy 54 run (Strickland kick)
EB — Na’Toren Corbett 11 pass from Kewone Maynor (pass failed)
WC — Field goal Strickland 26
EB — Safety, Strickland stepped out of end zone