03/28/2024
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East Bladen High SchoolELIZABETHTOWN – Two teams with potent high-scoring offenses will clash Friday night when East Bladen’s Eagles host Greene Central in the second round of the 2017 NCHSAA Class 2/A Football Play-offs.

Senior Xavier Wooten and junior Eric Chancy combined to rush for 398 yards and six touchdowns in East Bladen’s 39-33 first round victory last week over James Kenan.

Wooten ran for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns – 171 yards in the first half – against Kenan to raise his season totals to 1,524 yards and 23 touchdowns rushing. Chancy’s 148 yards and 3 touchdowns gives him 617 yards and 11 touchdowns for the season.

The Eagles have won 8 straight games since their one-point loss to South Columbus in mid-September and have outscored opponents by a 33-14 margin. The East Bladen offense averages 288 yards rushing and 321 yards of total offense per game.

Senior quarterback Quinton Bedsole has thrown for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Eagles. Senior Sincere Smith has caught a team-high 9 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown.

Wooten leads the Eagle defense with 60 tackles, and 300-pound senior Lakeyed Lesane has made 40 tackles. Senior Davonta McIver follows with 36 tackles and 3 fumble recoveries. Senior Xavia McDowell has 34 tackles, and senior Sincere Smith’s 3 pass interceptions leads the team.

The Rams from Snow Hill tied for second place in the Eastern Carolina Conference with Kinston then defeated the Vikings 28-6 in their first round play-off game.

Coach Allen Wooten’s Rams finished 4-2 in league play losing to Kinston 42-26 and to league champion West Craven 37-30. Non-conference losses were to Farmville Central 24-20 and Winterville South Central 45-27.

Greene Central has outscored their opponents by a 33-21 margin. Senior quarterback Jackson Batchelor who has thrown for 1,979 yards and 18 touchdowns presents a huge problem for an East Bladen defense that gave up 385 yards passing in the win over James Kenan.

Senior Torrence Clark leads the Ram receivers with 41 catches for 538 yards and 4 touchdowns. Senior Taboris Bynum has 32 receptions for 665 yards and 8 touchdowns.

While the Eagle defense completely stifled James Kenan’s ground game, the Rams and Willie Edwards present a much more formidable task. Edwards, a 210-pound senior, has rushed for 1,676 yards and 29 touchdowns. Senior Javon Edwards adds 681 yards rushing.

Senior free safety Tyreke Speight leads the Ram defense with 132 tackles followed by senior linebacker Wayne Warren with 111 tackles. Junior linebacker Jared Fields has 67 tackles and 3 fumble recoveries. Speight and Bynum have 5 pass interceptions each.

Senior Nate Madrigal has connected on 13 of 15 extra points for Greene Central while Eagle junior Pierce Melvin has converted 46 of 54 extra point kicks.

Game time Friday night will be 7:30 p.m.

 

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