In a game that much of the time could have been mistaken for a track meet, the Whiteville Wolfpack and the West Columbus Vikings combined for nearly 700 yards of total offense in Whiteville’s 47-14 non-conference football victory over their longtime arch-rival.

All of Whiteville’s offense came on the ground as the Wolfpack rolled up 424 yards rushing, including a school-record 97-yard touchdown sprint by junior back Tyson Wilcox late in the second quarter.

Wilcox rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries while teammate Jarrod McKinney ran for 150 yards and four TDs on 17 carries. Coach Mark Little’s Whiteville squad held a 20-0 halftime lead as it went on to put its season record at 3-1.

West Columbus junior quarterback Travis Leggett scored both Viking touchdowns on third-quarter runs of 57 and 75 yards. He finished the evening with 155 yards on 16 carries and he also completed 11 passes for 95 yards with Tyrale George making six receptions. It was the third straight loss for the Vikings, whose record now stands at 1-3.

The Whiteville defense, came up with three pass interceptions and a fumble recovery while holding an opponent scoreless in the first half for the third time this season.

“It was a good effort,” Coach Little said. “We relied on a running game all the way tonight and we played pretty hard on both sides of the ball.

“We gave up quite a bit of yardage, but Travis Leggett does a lot of things for them that can be tough to defend.”

Whiteville took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter when McKinney ripped off an eight-yard scoring run with 8 minutes, 17 seconds left in the first quarter. The point-after kicking attempt was blocked

In the opening minute of the second quarter, Whiteville put up another touchdown on a 29-yard scamper by Wilcox. David Hodgson’s PAT made the score 13-0.

Wilcox’s 97-yard run from scrimmage came with just under three minutes left in the first half. The previous WHS record was 95 yards by Bruce Shipman in 1995 and Dee Brown in 2003, both at East Columbus. Hodgson’s PAT made the halftime score 20-0.

In the third quarter, McKinney capped a Wolfpack drive with a three-yard blast and Hodgson’s kick made the score 27-0.

West Columbus bounced back quickly on its next possession as Leggett broke free for his 57-yard TD run, and Dylan Floyd’s PAT put the score at 27-7 with 7:59 left in the third period.

Whiteville answered quickly as McKinney rambled 14 yards for his third touchdown of the night with 6:28 left in the quarter. Zack Stanley kicked the extra point for a 34-7 WHS lead.

But Coach Vernon Brigman’s West Columbus squad refused to quit as Leggett again burst free, this time for 75 yards and a touchdown with 31 seconds left in the quarter.

McKinney added a 35-yard touchdown run on the opening play of the final quarter, and Brad Babson scored the other WHS TD on four-yard run with less than three minutes remaining.

George Spearman and Albarin Powell paced the WHS defense. Kevin Gamble, Carter and E. Brown came up with pass interceptions for the Wolfpack.

It was the Wolfpack’s fourth straight win in its football rivalry series with West Columbus, which dates back to 1965. Whiteville has now won 31 of the 42 games in the series.

Whiteville will travel to play West Brunswick this Friday while West Columbus is scheduled to take on neighboring South Columbus at the SCHS field.

W – Jarrod McKinney 8 run (kick blocked).

W – Tyson Wilcox 29 run (David Hodgson kick).

W – Wilcox 97 run (Hodgson kick).

W – McKinney 3 run (Hodgson kick).

WC – Travis Leggett 57 run (Dylan Floyd kick).

W – McKinney 14 run (Zack Stanley kick).

WC – Leggett 75 run (Floyd kick).

W – McKinney 35 run (kick failed).

W – Brad Babson 4 run (Stanley kick).