By DAN BISER

ELIZABETHTOWN – The East Bladen Eagles scored 21 points in less than two minutes of the second quarter Friday night, resulting in a shocking 42-7 non-conference football victory over the visiting South Columbus Stallions.

Six first-half turnovers by the Stallions contributed to East Bladen’s 35-0 halftime lead as the Eagles moved their season record 3-0.

South Columbus, which got its only points in the final quarter, fell to 2-1 for the season as the Stallions suffered their first loss to East Bladen since 2003.

East Bladen grabbed the game’s momentum late in the first quarter when Jahreal Cromartie picked up a Stallion fumble and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown with 36 seconds left in the period.

Early in the second quarter, South Columbus fumbled the ball away at its own 10-yard line and East Bladen scored three plays later on a one-yard run by Donovan Richardson. Tripp Lancaster’s second straight extra-point kick made the score 14-0 with 8:24 left.

Stallion difficulties continued to build as they fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff, and Richardson raced for 42 yards and another Eagle TD on the next snap. Lancaster toed the extra point and the score stood 21-0 with 8:09 left in the first half.

The Stallions, who have won eight of the last 10 Waccamaw Conference championships, were forced to punt on their next possession and Mike Smith grabbed the kick and raced 45 yards and another EB touchdown with 6:39 remaining.

East Bladen scored again after intercepting a pass at the Stallion 25. Smith got the touchdown on a six-yard run with 3:48 in the half to make the score 35-0.

East Bladen’s only score in the second half came on a five-yard sweep by quarterback Dom Whittington with five minutes left in the third quarter.

Andrae Jacobs scored the South Columbus touchdown on a one-yard smash with 10:09 left in the game. Donovan Watts kicked the extra point.

Richardson paced East Bladen with 129 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

“You turn the football over six times, you aren’t going to beat anybody,” said SCHS head coach Joey Price. “Things got out of hand for us in the first, half and we just can’t let that happen. We have to get ourselves back on track in a hurry.”
East Bladen coach Lenon Fisher said his team was able to take advantage of some early opportunities to take control of the game.

“We caught some breaks that you’re not normally get against a team like South Columbus,” Fisher said. “It really swung the momentum our way.

“This is a big win for us, and I’m really pleased with the effort.”

South Columbus, which lost standout running back Justin Smith to an ankle injury in its Sept. 1 win over Loris, S.C., was led in the rushing department by James Vereen with 43 yards on 11 carries. South Columbus, which alternated Michael Hewett and Josh Duncan at the quarterback position, had 95 yards in passing, including a 39-yard completion from Duncan to tight end Mark Alan Wright.

South Columbus will play host to West Columbus this Friday while East Bladen will travel to meet the defending state 2A champion Clinton Dark Horses.

EB – Jahreal Cromartie 38 fumble recovery return (Tripp Lancaster kick).

EB – Donovan Richardson 1 run (Lancaster kick).

EB - Richardson 42 run (Lancaster kick).

EB – Mike Smith 45 punt return (Lancaster kick).
EB – Smith 6 run (Lancaster kick).

EB – Whittington 5 run (Lancaster kick).

SC – Andrae Jacobs 1 run (Donovan Watts kick).