WARSAW – James Kenan senior Andrew Pender piled up 301 yards of total offense and his 5th touchdown of the game with 14 seconds remaining lifted the Tigers to a 41-34 victory over East Bladen in the opening round of the NCHSAA Class 2A Playoffs Friday night.
Trailing 33-28 with 4:43 left to play, the Eagles covered 50 yards in 7 plays after sophomore Britt Sasser recovered James Kenan’s onside kick at midfield. Senior Tim McLean popped loose for 13 yards to ignite the drive, and senior Javius Brooks added a pair of 5-yard runs.
On 4th down and a half-yard to go, junior Masion Brooks, Javius’ brother, raced around right end on a 17-yard touchdown run that pushed the Eagles ahead 34-33 with 1:20 remaining.
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Back came the Tigers as Pender hurled passes to 6 foot-3 end Hayden McGee for gains of 12 and 28 yards that moved Kenan to the East 2 yard line. Pender appeared to be stopped short on the next play, but after a lengthy discussion, he was awarded the go-ahead touchdown. Junior Emmanuel Bostic ran the 2-point conversion for the final margin.
McLean reeled off runs of 7 and 28 yards to move the Eagles out to their own 46 yard line, but the Tigers intercepted a long East Bladen pass as time expired.
“The team that had the ball last won the game,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “We played well enough to win. I am proud of our seniors. It was a gutty effort by our guys tonight.”
Javius Brooks carried the ball 25 times for 130 yards and 3 touchdowns and also had a 10-yard pass reception. “I can’t say enough about the sacrifices that he has made for the team,” said Priest. “Playing quarterback in the early games while we were getting Ahmad ready even though at 6-3, 230 pounds, he is a stud running back.”
McLean racked up 126 yards on 18 rushes, and Masion Brooks toted the ball 17 times for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Eagles held a 369-197 edge in rushing yardage, a 387-337 edge in total yardage and a whopping 33-14 advantage in time of possession. East Bladen also produced 27 1st downs to 19 for Kenan.
Eagle junior Malaki Monroe recovered an Eagle onside kick on the game’s opening kickoff to set up a 55-yard, 12-play scoring drive that took 7:36 off the clock. McLean carried 4 times for 23 yards, Javius Brooks grabbed a 10-yard pass from senior Ahmad Powell to convert a 4th down play, and Masion Brooks bulled through the line on a 7-yard scoring run that put the Eagles up 6-0.
Pender answered with 8 carries for 49 yards on James Kenan’s 51-yard scoring drive. Pender scored from 2 yards out to begin the 2nd quarter. Senior Mario Funes booted the extra point for a 7-6 Tiger lead.
The Eagles flew 61 yards down the field in just 7 plays. Masion Brooks contributed an 11-yard run, sophomore Kalec Autry chipped in with a 9-yard run, but Javius Brooks reeled off runs of 9, 8 and 10 yards before bolting 16 yards for the touchdown. Powell tossed a 2-point conversion pass to senior Nazire Smith to pad the East lead to 14-7 at the 8:01 mark.
Pender fired a 19-yard pass to McGee that began a 49-yard, 5-play drive for the Tigers. Pender circled right end for a 21-yard gain then powered in from a yard out. Funes converted to tie the score 14-14 with 5:45 on the clock.
The Eagles bounced back and moved 66 yards in 14 plays to the Tiger 4 yard line. Javius Brooks carried 7 times for 38 yards on the drive. McLean gained 25 yards on the march including a 17-yard burst to the 6-yardline. A 3rd down pass from the 5 yard line fell incomplete in the end zone as the half ended.
The Tigers recovered their onside kick to begin the 2nd half that appeared to be touched by the kickers after only going 7 yards. However it didn’t matter as the Tigers coughed up the ball 3 plays later, and sophomore Jadon Pridgen recovered for the Eagles at their own 40 yard line.
Javius Brooks was the workhorse of the 60-yard Eagle scoring drive that followed picking up 31 yards on 6 carries and banging into the end zone from 3 yards out for the touchdown. Sophomore Blaine Pope booted the extra point to push East in front 21-14 with 5:45 left in the quarter.
The Eagle defense rose up and forced the Tigers into a 4th-and-10 play, but Pender faked the punt and galloped 51 yards around right end for the touchdown. Funes tacked on the tying point for a 21-21 deadlock at the 3:34 mark.
East Bladen responded with a 65-yard drive in 10 plays. Masion Brooks busted through the line for 27 yards, and McLean gained 20 yards on 4 rushes. Javius Brooks blasted through the line from 4 yards out for the touchdown. Pope nailed the extra point kick, and East led 28-21 with 10:15 remaining.
On the next play from scrimmage, Pender snatched a swing pass from quarterback Sladyn Smith and sped 60 yards to the end zone. However the extra point missed, and East was still on top 28-27 with 10:03 on the clock.
Eagle junior Cameron White pounced on another Tiger onside kick at midfield. Masion Brooks dashed 14 yards to start the drive, and McLean darted 12 yards to the Kenan 23 yard line. On the next play a disputed fumble was recovered by the Tigers’ Tristan Diaz even though the Eagle ball-carrier got up with the ball.
Pender touched the ball on every play of the 75-yard scoring drive that followed – catching a 12-yard pass from Smith, completing a 16-yard pass to McGee then scooting 28 yards to the one yard line. Pender scored on the next play to vault the Tigers ahead 33-28 with 4:43 remaining.
The Tiger star ran 19 times for 180 yards and 4 touchdowns, completed 3 of 3 passes for 60 yards and had 2 pass receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. McGee had 4 catches for 72 yards for Kenan.
The incomplete pass in the end zone at the end of the half, the fumble at the Kenan 23 yard line and the fake punt that Kenan scored on all loomed as key plays in the outcome. “We had our chances,” said Coach Priest. “But it was still fun. These kind of games are what you play for.”
The Eagles completed their season with a 4-7 record against a very tough schedule. All of their non-conference opponents made the 2nd round of the playoffs as well as St. Pauls and Clinton.
It was the 1st playoff win for Kenan since 2015, and it came in Tim Grady’s 1st fall season as head coach. The Tigers travel to Whiteville Friday.
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