Jones: Long layoff no problem for East Bladen football team

It had been 21 days since the East Bladen football team had played a “real” game when it took the field last Friday at Lenon Fisher Stadium to play Union in the second round of the state 2A playoffs.

Rust? What rust? The Eagles looked like they had bathed in Rust-Oleum in shutting out Union 50-0 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. East Bladen led 24-0 six minutes into the game and 44-0 at half. Only a running clock and Coach Robby Priest’s decision not to run it up kept the margin from being more.

The scheduling quirk came about when East Bladen had a bye on the final week of the regular season (Oct. 31) followed by a bye Nov. 7 for the first round of the playoffs by virtue of its No. 4 seed in the East region.

So, how does a football team fill a three-week gap between games?

“We took them bowling one day,” Priest said.

Does that explain how the Eagles were able to “bowl” over the Spartans? East Bladen’s defense was able to “pin” Union in its own territory for much of the game and kept the Spartans’ Tobias Cromartie from finding a running “lane.” The offense was able to “strike” quickly. The playoff victory was right down East Bladen’s “alley” as the Eagles didn’t “spare” any effort.

OK, enough with the bowling puns. Not wanting to be a “turkey,” although I was on a bit of a “roll” in sending this column into the “gutter.”

• The East Bladen players enjoyed a steak dinner during the break, a possible payoff by Priest after he told the team if it scored more than 30 points and shut out Lakewood on Oct. 16 that he would buy the team a steak dinner. The Eagles won 32-0.

Friday’s pregame meal was chicken. “I already put my order in for another thing of chicken,” Priest said. “So, if anybody wants to grill for us let me know.”

Manteo connection

East Bladen’s third-round opponent will be the Manteo Redskins on Friday at Lenon Fisher Stadium.

Believe it or not, my father played for Manteo High School in the early 1950s along with former state legislator Steve Basnight and legendary Manteo coach Jerry Cahoon. Another former teammate was Carlisle Davis, who, according to my dad, would eat garlic prior to basketball games, then breath on opponents so they would back off and he could take a shot. Carlisle later became mayor of Manteo. I presume he brushed his teeth and swished with mouthwash before hitting the campaign trail.

Coach Priest doesn’t have such fond memories of Manteo High School. “I think I was in college when my dad (Russell) and the baseball team went down there to play them in the playoffs. Both pitchers threw no-hitters and we lost 1-0. So, I have that little chip on my shoulder,” he said with a smile.

• As for Friday’s football game against the Eagles, Manteo (7-3) finished third in the Albemarle 2A Conference behind Edenton Holmes and Gates County. The Redskins are seeded fifth in the East and beat Northampton County 36-8 last Friday.

The winner of Friday’s game will play the winner between No. 1 Tarboro and No. 8 Hobbton.