WHITEVILLE – Whiteville scored on the third play from scrimmage, then held West Bladen on downs from the 4 Friday night that set the tone for the Wolfpack’s 34-7 high school football victory at Legion Field in the Southeastern Conference opener.

Whiteville (4-2) took possession at the West Bladen 40 following the opening kickoff and personal foul penalty against the Knights. A.J. Monroe ran for 22 yards on the first play, Sabeyhon Shipman ran for 12 on the second play and covered the final six yards to the end zone on the third play. Price Wheatley’s conversion kick gave the Wolfpack a 7-0 lead less than a minute into the game.

West Bladen (2-4) wasted little time moving into scoring possession. Isaiah Robinson’s 65-yard dash along the left sideline gave the Knights a first-and-goal at the four. Four carries by Ahmarie White netted only three yards and West Bladen turned the ball over on downs.

Whiteville then covered 99 yards in eight plays with quarterback Layton McLean running the final five yards for the touchdown. Wheatley’s conversion kick gave Whiteville a 14-0 lead with 3:30 remaining in the first quarter. Key plays in the drive were McLean’s 16-yard scramble on third-and-nine from the 2 and his pass to Monroe that covered 62 yards that put the ball at the West Bladen 9.

Whiteville scored twice in the second quarter following West Bladen punts. Josh Lacewell scored on a 1-yard run early in the period and McLean connected with Corey Faison on a 31-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and 20 late in the quarter that gave the Wolfpack a 28-0 halftime lead following two conversion kicks by Wheatley.

West Bladen took the second half kickoff and moved from its 35 to the Whiteville 12, but a pass was intercepted in the end zone by the Wolfpack’s Collin Hooks to end the drive.

Whiteville drove 80 yards in six plays for its fifth touchdown. It came on Shipman’s 4-yard run. The conversion failed and the Wolfpack led 34-0.

West Bladen followed with its lone score, driving 65 yards in eight plays with White busting in from the 1. Jonah Bryan’s conversion kick made it 34-7 with 8 minutes remaining in the game. The drive featured a 19-yard run by Sincere McKinley, 18-yard run by quarterback Devan Haire and Haire’s 23-yard pass to Hunter Hester.

Robinson led the West Bladen ground game with 98 yards on eight carries. For Whiteville, McLean completed five-of-six passes for 138 yards and a touchdown.

Whiteville finished with 365 total yards compared to 202 for West Bladen. Neither team lost a fumble and the lone turnover was by Whiteville in the end zone.

West Bladen is scheduled to host Fairmont next Friday in a Southeastern Conference game.

Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected].