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AHOSKIE – Junior quarterback Keveon Rodgers lived up to his pre-game billing Friday night as he ran for 147 yards and 4 touchdowns and threw for 155 yards and another TD to lead Hertford County to a 40-8 victory over East Bladen in the opening round of the NCHSAA Class 2A football playoffs.

Rodgers carried the ball only 9 times but scored on runs of 4, 7, 39 and 51 yards. He also ran for a pair of 2-point conversions and passed for 3 more conversions. The 6-foot-3 athlete completed 12 of his 15 passes but did suffer a pair of interceptions. For the season Rodgers has now thrown for over 2,027 yards and 28 touchdowns and ran for 1,321 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Senior Colin Brock’s 31-yard kickoff return set the Bears up at the Eagle 34 yard line to start the game. Junior Elijah Outlaw darted 30 yards, before Rodgers plowed 4 yards into the end zone. Rodgers added the conversion for an 8-0 lead 27 seconds into the game.

Senior Zamar Lewis bolted 53 yards around right end on the Eagles 1st snap of the game. Three plays later junior Masion Brooks barreled into the end zone from 4 yards out, then carried again to score the conversion and knot the score 8-8 with 9:19 on the clock.

The Bears covered 61 yards in 7 plays to reach the East Bladen 5 yard line, but junior Jadon Pridgen intercepted a Rodgers pass on the goal line to end the threat.

Lewis galloped 44 yards on the next play then picked up 7 yards to convert a 4th down play as the Eagles reached the Hertford 25 yard line. However a holding penalty bogged down the drive, and a fumble on a sack turned the ball over to the Bears.

Early in the 2nd period, Outlaw popped free for runs of 36 and 15 yards. Rodgers dashed 7 yards for the touchdown then ran the conversion for a 16-8 lead 9:56 before halftime.

Then came the key sequence of the game. The Eagles ground out a 13-play, 60-yard drive that featured the running of Brooks (7 carries, 36 yards) and junior Kalec Autry who banged through the line on runs of 9 and 12 yards.

On 4th down at the Bear 7, the Eagle runner appeared to have made the 1st down, but the ball was knocked loose and backwards, It was recovered a yard short of the stick at the 4 yard line.

After that big stop, the Bears drove 96 yards in 10 plays and beat the clock to the end zone. Rodgers connected on 6 passes for 72 yards during the drive and scrambled 23 yards for a key 1st down. Rodgers lobbed a 6-yard pass to Rimiez Williams for the TD 4 seconds before halftime then threw for the conversion and a 24-8 halftime lead.

Rodgers broke loose for a 39-yard touchdown run with 8:43 left in the 3rd period and tossed a conversion pass to senior Isreal Powell to push the margin to 32-8.

Eagle senior Jordan Mathis got his hand on a Rodgers pass then reeled it in for an interception at the 10 yard line to end another Hertford threat.

Rodgers closed out the scoring with a 51-yard burst with 10:38 remaining. Brock snared Rodgers conversion pass for a 40-8 lead.

Lewis rushed 15 times for 153 yards to lead the Eagle offense before limping off with a leg injury in the 3rd quarter. Brooks carried 18 times for 61 yards before leaving with an injury in the 3rd quarter. Autry gained 25 yards on 3 attempts.

Outlaw rushed for 128 yards on 11 carries to lead the Bear ground game. Jamarcus White caught 4 passes for 43 yards, Powell had 3 receptions for 41 yards, and Jayden Robinson netted 36 yards on 2 catches.

The Eagles finished their season with a 5-6 record. Hertford County advances with a 10-1 record to play No. 6 seed West Craven.