West Bladen’s Travis Baxley lining up for a play on offense.
Alex Brooks | The Bladen Journal
BLADENBORO—The West Bladen Knights travel to Lake Waccamaw to take on the East Columbus Gators in a non-conference match-up this Friday.
The Knights are coming off a 27-15 loss to West Columbus last week but will have another opportunity to get back to winning ways when they take on a familiar foe. West Bladen defeated East Columbus 23-0 at home last season for a strong display of the ground game. The Gators have also had a tough couple of weeks with two straight losses and they’ll be searching for their second win of the season in front of their home crowd.
The Knights fought hard against the Vikings last week but fatigue on the defensive side of the ball played a factor down the stretch. East Columbus is run-first type of team and is spearheaded by junior running back Davonte Marshburn. Marshburn’s best game came in week one against Swansboro with over 302 yards on the ground in a 62-0 blowout victory.
The Gators haven’t been able to recreate their week one magic since with only 16 points scored in the past two games. West Bladen’s sophomore quarterback Hunter Hester has approved a lot since his freshman year and he hasn’t hesitated to throw the ball downfield. The Knights athletes at skill positions and quarterback play will give them a slight edge going into Friday’s game.
West Bladen’s junior wideout Hezikiah Adams was utilized in several different looks on the offensive side of the ball last week, including under center in the wildcat formation. Adams scored two touchdowns and snagged an interception as a defensive back despite the loss. The Hester and Adams connection will be something to look for going into Friday nights game.
Both defense’s have given up an average of 32 points per game so this match-up could come down to the wire down the stretch. The Gators offense can be very one-dimensional at times but the occasional pass down field is never out of the cards. The Knights defense has been good at forcing turnovers this season and turnovers can be key to turning the game in their favor.
Kickoff will be at 7:30 pm this Friday at East Columbus for the week three clash.