ELIZABETHTOWN — Not since the first week of September has East Bladen had a regular routine.
Practices Monday through Thursday, play on Friday — Hurricanen Florence disrupted all that. But at long last, that’ll be the case coming off a third win in nine days.
The Eagles throttled visiting South Robeson 49-14 in Three Rivers Conference football Saturday night, winning for the eighth consecutive outing. The game was moved from Friday because of inclement weather.
East Bladen (7-0 Three Rivers, 8-1 overall) remained on track for a season-ending showdown at South Columbus, but first will go to archrival West Bladen. South Robeson exited 1-6 in the league, 1-8 overall.
“Our goal was to get this win,” said senior Tyvon Townsend, giving credit to Red Springs for extending the team in a 21-20 tussle on Tuesday, and acknowledging the team knows South Columbus looms but isn’t jumping the gun. He was one of 10 seniors honored before the game, then chosen by the football team to be honored at halftime along with Anna Kate White as senior sweetheart.
“Third game in nine days, we tried to get out of there with no injuries,” said Eagles’ seventh-year head coach Robby Priest. “We tried to throw it a little in the red zone to save that pounding.”
The Eagles flexed their strength and strode to a 42-8 halftime lead. Though the state association mercy rule wasn’t mandated at that point, the teams agreed to a running clock the second half.
East Bladen scored touchdowns on each of its first seven possessions, none needing more than the first seven plays to open the third quarter with reserves plentiful. The Eagles had 24 snaps in the first half, with only six coming on their side of the 50-yard-line and two of those half dozen going for touchdowns.
“We wanted to play hard,” senior middle linebacker Dayveon Washington said. “We did that.”
Sophomore quarterback Zach Meares, who dashed for the winning touchdown with 17.9 seconds left on Tuesday, made four cuts to evade defenders en route to an 18-yard scoring run in the second quarter. He threw a scoring pass 55 yards to junior Xavier McKoy in the first quarter.
Senior Kasey Price ran for scores from 12 and 6 yards out. Others finding the end zone included junior Lawson Hester from 12 yards out, senior Eric Chancy with a 58-yard quick pitch burst and senior Josh McKoy on a 24-yard counter left.
Senior center Davis Alsup and senior tackle Tyreese McElveen led an offensive line that often employed three sophomores, including starting guard Josh Hayes. Brady Hollingsworth and Nick Norris also rotated regularly; right-side juniors Jordan Stanley and Rashard Willis were solid.
Defensively, the Eagles’ Washington and Price were seldom challenged on the second level at linebacker because the front of sophomore ReSean McKoy, senior Jordan Payton, Stanley, junior Zac Hester, Townsend and Chancy spent a good deal of time in the Mustangs’ backfield. Eight of South Robeson’s 39 runs ended in lost yardage.
“We talk to each other, have each other’s backs,” Townsend said. “We played with confidence. That makes us a good defense.”
Josh McKoy, in a leaping interception grab, secured the only turnover for the Eagles. He had the fumble recovery Tuesday that led to the winning touchdown.
“They find a way to win,” Priest said of his young squad, which has three wins by five points total, plus a rally from 10 points down at intermission. “They’re overachieving while getting valuable experience. The younger guys are coming along.”
East Bladen’s RaSean McKoy (on a knee) upends South Robeson’s P.J. Christian as Jordan Payton (right) arrives to help finish off the runner.
East Bladen’s RaSean McKoy (10), Kasey Price (middle) and Jordan Payton (right) put the stop on South Robeson’s P.J. Christian during the first half Friday.
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