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DUBLIN – Sophmore Kerron Wahington returned 2 kick-offs for fourth quarter touchdowns that preserved a 40-30 Four County Conference junior varsity football victory Wednesday night for West Bladen over Pender.
The two teams combined for 40 points in a wild and furious fourth quarter. West Bladen had edged ahead 16-14 in the final 12 seconds of the third period when a Patriot snap sailed over the punter’s head and over the backline of the end zone for a safety.
After the Pender free kick, the Knights drove 43 yards for a touchdown. Freshman Da’Shawn Hines darted 24 yards to start the drive then capped it with a 6 yard run for the touchdown. Gabriel McDowell bulled into the end zone for the 2-point conversion and a 24-14 West lead.
Two swing passes and a personal foul penalty sparked a Patriot drive that trimmed the Knight lead to 24-22 after the 2-point conversion.
Washington scooped up the Patriot kick-off and bolted straight up the middle of the field 62 yards for a touchdown. Hines carried into the end zone for the conversion and a 32-22 lead with 5:51 left to play.
Back came the Patriots aided by another 15-yard penalty and a 22-yard quarterback keeper. The Pender touchdown and conversion trimmed the Knight lead to 32-30 with 4 minutes left.
Washington fielded the ensuing Pender kick-off at this own 20 yardline, veered left and dashed down the left sideline to complete an 80-yard kick-return. Hines ran another conversion that boosted the lead to 40-30 with 3:46 remaining.
Hines ran for 114 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 two-point conversions. Hines also hurled a 48-yard halfback pass to Aldo Hernandez for another touchdown.
Washington had the 2 kick-off return touchdowns and also rushed for 68 yards. McDowell ran for 33 yards, and Hernandez added 28 yards rushing.
The Knights drove 81 yards for a touchdown on their second possession of the game. Hines ignited the drive with runs of 16 and 11 yards then scored the touchdown on an 18-yard twisting cut-back run. West led 6-0 with 1:42 left in the first quarter.
After a failed onside-kick, the Patriots scored on a 44-yard touchdown run to tie the game 6-6 at the 1:19 mark.
Freshman Trashawn Ballard galloped 21 yards, and Washington raced 42 more to begin a 73 yard Knight drive that stalled at the Patriot one yardline in the second quarter.
With 12 seconds left in the half, Hines threw the 48-yard halfback pass to Hernandez who was wide-open behind the Patriot defense. Hines scooted into the end zone for the conversion and a 14-6 halftime lead.
Pender scored on the third play of the second half on a 37-yard pass play then tacked on the conversion to tie the game 14-14.
Another West Bladen drive was stopped on downs at the Pender one yardline late in the third period. Four plays later the high snap on the punt produced the safety.
The victory closed out the season for the Knights of Coaches Kris Williams and John Ammons with a 4-6 record.
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