By DAN BISER
Sports Editor

DUBLIN - There was little resemblance to this past Friday and the night of Friday, Aug. 17, as far the Whiteville Wolfpack football team was concerned.

Back in that August season opener, the Wolfpack took a hard-earned 21-12 victory over the host West Bladen team, making use of a defense that stepped up to make several crucial stops, and an offense that kept coming up with key plays when the chips were down.

But this past Friday night, the West Bladen offense kept making big play after big play, and kept running, running and running.

In the meantime, the Whiteville offense showed a few signs of life, but for the most part was plagued by penalties, mistakes and a fired-up West Bladen defense.

West Bladen walked off the field with a 34-7 victory in the first round of the state 2A football playoffs.

Along with exacting revenge over the Wolfpack, the Knights also claimed its seventh win in eight games to put its season record at 7-5 and gaining the right to play host to Burlington Cummings in the second round of the playoffs.

Coach Raymond Marlowe’s Knights rolled up 410 yards rushing as they pulled away from a 14-7 halftime advantage to completely dominate the final two quarters.

It was the fifth loss in six games for Whiteville, which closed its season with a 6-6 record, its worst finish since 2002 when it posted the same mark.

West Bladen, which tied East Bladen and St. Pauls for the Southeastern 1A-2A Conference championship, scored on its first two possessions while yielding Whiteville’s only score of the night in between.

A 63-yard run by Kendrick McKoy on the Knights’ first possession, set up a four-yard touchdown run by Terrance Autry with 3-1/2 minutes left in the opening quarter. Jarod Carroll kicked the extra point.

Coach Mark Little’s Whiteville team came back to drive 75 yards for its only score The march was ignited by a 40-yard run by Julian Thomas. The Wolfpack got the touchdown on an eight-yard run by David Mosley. Zach Stanley kicked the extra point to tie the score at 7-7 with six seconds left in the first quarter.

West Bladen used 16 plays to drive 68 yards for its second quarter touchdown. The score came on a 17-yard fourth-down pass from Austin Hillis to D.J. McNair midway through the quarter, and Carroll kicked the PAT.

West Bladen moved into scoring position again right before halftime, but a 27-yard field goal attempt by Carroll was wide right.

In the third quarter, West Bladen got a 24-yard scoring run by Matt McCall and a 36-yard TD sprint by Trent Evans.

The Knights wound out the scoring in the fourth quarter when McCall broke loose for 45 yards and his second TD.

“This is the best defensive effort we’ve had all season,” Marlowe said. “We’ve talked all week about having to come out sharp in the playoffs if we expect to do anything. Our kids stepped it up for this one.”

McKoy led WBHS rushers with 174 yards on 17 carries, and McCall carried 13 times for 132 yards.

Thomas was Whiteville’s leading rusher with 82 yards on 11 carries.

The Wolfpack started out the season with five wins in its first six games.

The loss marked the third time in four years that Whiteville had fallen in the opening round of the playoffs.

WB - Terrance Autry 4 run (Jarod Carroll kick).
W - David Mosely 8 run (Zach Stanley kick).
WB - D.J. McNair 17 pass from Austin Hillis.
WB - Matt McCall 24 run (kick failed).
WB - Trenton Evans 36 run (Carroll kick).
WB - McCall 42 run (Carroll kick).