By DAN BISER

Coming away with a shutout victory in a season football opener is generally something to be pretty happy about.

However, Whiteville High head coach Mark Little and his staff weren’t particularly pleased with the team’s overall performance in their 21-0 win over visiting West Bladen Friday night at Legion Stadium.

“We’re happy to get the ‘W’ and getting the shutout is good, but overall we know we have to get a lot better,” Little said. “We had trouble executing on offense and turning the ball over five times like we did tonight isn’t very encouraging.

“Our kids know we need to get better,” said Little, whose Wolfpack took its fourth straight season-opening victory and sixth straight win in its home opener. “We’ll have to be a whole lot sharper next week with East Bladen coming in here.”

Whiteville, which held a 14-0 halftime lead, was penalized nine times for 55 yards.

The Whiteville defensive unit, led by Kevin Gamble, Josh Smith, John McZeak and Albarin Powell, held West Bladen to 44 yards total offense and kept the Knights out of favorable field position the entire game. The WHS defensive unit garnered the first touchdown when Gamble made a blind-side hit on Knight quarterback Austin Hillis on a pass attempt in the end zone and Hillis fumbled the ball. Smith made the recovery for the touchdown.

The WHS offense rolled up 211 yards rushing. Junior back Jarrod McKinney led the Wolfpack with 97 yards on 14 carries, including a four-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Senior quarterback Harrison Jordan completed four of nine passing attempts for 46 yards. He was intercepted twice.

Gamble added the third Whiteville TD on a one-yard blast early the fourth quarter. The 220-pound Gamble also led the WHS defensive unit with 12 tackles, including five for lost yardage and a fumble recovery.

David Hodgson kicked two extra points and Zack Fisher kicked the other as Whiteville took its fourth win in five games with the Knights since 2001.

The Wolfpack’s longest scoring drive of night covered 60 yards, beginning in the final moments of the first quarter. The drive took eight pays, including a 27-yard scamper by McKinney, who carried the ball five times during the set. McKinney powered over from the four-yard-line on a fourth-down play with 10 minutes, 11 seconds still left in the first half. Whiteville’s final three possessions of the first half resulted in turnovers.

“That’s where we have to get better,” Little said. “We had at least two more strong scoring opportunities in the first half and gave up the football. That’s the kind of thing that will eventually get you beat.”

The Wolfpack defense kept the Knights from crossing midfield in the second half.

Whiteville, which posted a 9-3 record last fall, will play host to East Bladen this Friday night at 7:30 in East Bladen’s season opener.

W - Josh Smith recovered fumble in end zone. (David Hodgson kick).

W - Jarrod McKinney 4 run (Hodgson kick).

W - Kevin Gamble 1 run (Zack Fisher kick).