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ELIZABETHTOWN – Only the clock could stop senior Xavier Wooten and the East Bladen Eagles Friday night.
Wooten ran 27 times for 309 yards and 6 touchdowns, and the Eagles scored touchdowns on 10 of 12 offensive possessions en route to a 68-28 victory over Greene Central in the second round of the NCHSAA Class 2A Football Play-offs.
On their final possession of each half, time ran out with East Bladen inside the Greene Central 32 yardline. Those were the only two Eagle possessions that didn’t end with a touchdown.
Junior Eric Chancy carried the ball 18 times for 175 yards and a touchdown as the powerful Eagle ground attack generated 557 yards rushing on 60 rushes.
“That’s what we do,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “That is what we hang our hat on. We had some lucky breaks too – some fumbles that we got back.”
Senior quarterback Quinton Bedsole completed 5 of 7 passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles racked up 640 yards of total offense.
Meanwhile the Eagle defense held Greene Central to 32 yards rushing and 152 yards of total offense. Ram quarterback Jackson Batchelor connected on 8 of 15 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
“I liked our energy tonight,” said Coach Priest. “We played inspired football. The sideline was into the game – everybody pulling for each other.”
Junior Josh McKoy returned the opening kick-off 31 yards out to the Eagle 49 yardline. On the first play from scrimmage, Bedsole found senior Sincere Smith streaking down the left sideline, and Smith grabbed the pass and completed the 51-yard touchdown play. Junior Pierce Melvin drilled the first of 8 extra points to put East up 7-0 fifteen seconds into the game.
“We probably caught them off guard with that,” stated Coach Priest. “We like throwing it when it is not expected instead of when we have to.”
Greene Central’s A. J. Dupree fielded the Eagle kick-off, veered to the left sideline and sprinted 73 yards for a Ram touchdown. Taboris Bynum, the holder for the extra point kick, took the snap and circled right end for the 2-point conversion and an 8-7 lead 27 seconds into the game.
The Eagles answered with a 64-yard drive in 7 plays. Wooten broke loose for runs of 20, 19 and 9 yards before barreling into the end zone from 2 yards out for the touchdown. Melvin added the conversion for a 14-8 lead at the 8:54 mark.
Back came the Rams with a 61-yard drive in 8 plays. Javon Edwards had runs of 7, 13 and 11 yards, before Batchelor fired a 19-yard touchdown pass to Bynum. Nelson Madrigal’s extra point kick put Greene Central up 15-14 with 6:37 on the clock.
The Eagles covered 86 yards in just 3 plays. After Chancy picked up 22 yards on a counter-play to the right, Wooten popped into the clear on a counter to the left and dashed 63 yards down the middle of the field for his second touchdown. Melvin booted the point for a 21-15 East lead with 5:17 remaining in the quarter.
The East Bladen pass rush batted down 2 passes and forced a 3-and-out. Sophmore Jordan Robinson grabbed the Ram punt on the run and returned it 33 yards to the Greene Central 27 yardline.
Wooten banged through the line for 12 yards, before Chancy took a quick-pitch to the right and scooted 9 yards for a touchdown. Melvin tacked on the point for a 28-15 lead 2:18 before the quarter break.
After a Ram 3-and-out, the Eagles marched 55 yards in 9 plays. Wooten started the drive with runs of 7, 11 and 9 yards. On fourth down and five at the Greene Central 15 yardline, Bedsole threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to sophmore Tayshaun Berkeley. Melvin nailed the extra point kick as the lead grew to 35-15 with 8:09 left in the half.
Bynum fielded the Eagle kick-off and raced all the way across the field then sped down the left sideline on an 81-yard touchdown return. The conversion failed and East led 35-21 with 7:54 on the clock.
“We have got some work to do on staying in our lanes on kick-off coverage,” said Coach Priest.
Smith returned the Ram kick-off 20 yards, and the Eagles responded with a 60-yard drive in 9 plays. Chancy began the drive with runs of 24, 14 and 10 yards. A holding penalty nullified a Chancy touchdown, but Bedsole converted a fourth-and-seven play with a 10-yard pass to Berkeley. Wooten rammed into the end zone from 2 yards out for the touchdown. Melvin kicked the point for a 42-21 East lead 3:30 before halftime.
Eagle senior Adonis Avery made a leaping interception of a long Ram pass at the East Bladen 19 yardline. The Eagles advanced 50 yards in 10 plays A 26-yard gallop by Wooten moved the ball to the Ram 26 yardline, but time ran out in the half.
Melvin aimed a short pop-fly kick-off near the sideline, and Avery pounced on the loose ball at the Ram 30 yardline. Wooten grabbed a 7-yard pass from Bedsole, and senior fullback Xavia McDowell pounded the middle for 6 yards. Wooten popped free again on the counter and darted 17 yards for the touchdown. Melvin split the uprights on the conversion to stretch the lead to 49-21 with 10:39 on the clock.
The East Bladen defense forced another 3-and-out, and a short Ram punt that netted only 11 yards set the Eagles up on the Greene Central 39 yardline. Wooten blasted through the middle for gains of 15 and 11 yards, before the burly McDowell plowed through the middle on an 11-yard touchdown run. The extra point was blocked and East led 55-21 with 7:26 left in the quarter.
The Rams rallied with a 68-yard drive. Batchelor hit Bynum for 14 yards, then found Dupree on the left side for a 53-yard touchdown pass play. Madrigal kicked the extra point to trim the gap to 55-28 with 3:37 remaining.
Bedsole caught the Rams onside kick attempt at the Eagle 47 yardline. Wooten picked up gains of 8 and 9 yards, before Chancy scooted 29 yards to the Ram 7 yardline. Wooten bolted into the end zone on the next play. Melvin converted the extra point kick as the lead grew to 62-28 with 2:17 left in the third period.
East Bladen drove 70 yards in ten plays to begin the final quarter. Chancy started the march with runs of 8 and 10 yards. Junior James Higgins skirted right end for 16 yards, and Wooten reeled off runs of 9 and 14 yards, before scoring his sixth touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run. A mishandled snap foiled the conversion attempt and the Eagles led 68-28 with 6:31 on the clock.
The Eagle defense batted down 5 passes in the game, and Avery won the Eagles ‘Gold Chain’ award for his interception and onside kick recovery.
“We started that back during the summer even before Miami did it,” said Coach Priest. “The kids really get excited about it.”
The Eagles recorded their ninth straight victory and improved to 12-1 on the season. Next up is Southwest Onslow – an old play-off nemesis for the Eagles. However unlike those past meetings that game will be played at East Bladen.
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