Whiteville back Tyson Wilcox (center) makes a big gainer with East Columbus defenders Jay Graham (left) and Jolly Jacobs in pursuit. Wilcox helped spark a 20-point third quarter surge for the Wolfpack as it went on to take a 39-7 victory over the Gators.

East Columbus quarterback Alex Williamson releases a pass while lineman Joe Gore (73) provides protection.

Whiteville back Sprandon Mahoney (8) battles for extra yardage while East Columbus lineman Petey Graham makes the stop.

Staff photos by Fuller Royal

By DAN BISER
Sports Editor

LAKE WACCAMAW - Whiteville High football coach Mark Little said that it had not been a particularly good week of practice for his Wolfpack, but added that he was encouraged early-on by his team’s intensity in Friday night’s Waccamaw 1A-2A Conference opener with the host East Columbus Gators.

Behind a punishing offense and a “rise-to-the-occasion” defense, the Wolfpack ran to a 39-7 victory over the Gators on the strength of a 20-point third quarter.

The game was played in front of the largest homefield crowd in ECHS football history.

“We knew we’d be playing a much better East Columbus team than we had seen the last two or three years,” Little said. “We couldn’t afford to come out flat like we had in most of our earlier games this season.

“I was pleased with our intensity the whole way,” Little added. “We still made some mistakes and shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times in the first half, but this is as focused as we have been all season.”

The loss snapped East Columbus’ school record four-game winning streak, and Whiteville gained its sixth straight win over the ECHS squad.

The win put Whiteville’s season record at 5-1 while East Columbus dropped to 4-2.

The Wolfpack maintained strong field position throughout the game with David Mosley, Josh Lennon and Tyson Wilcox leading the ground attack.

Mosley scored touchdowns on a nine-yard first-quarter run and on a 34-yard screen pass from Ben Deans. Mosley also had an 85-yard kickoff return for touchdown wiped out by a penalty flag.

Wilcox ran for two touchdowns, including a 51-yard scamper in the closing seconds of the third quarter. Lennon, who turned in several power running thrusts from his fullback spot, added a three-yard touchdown run and George Spearman scored on a one-yard smash.

East Columbus became the first team to score on the Wolfpack in four games when running back B.J. Bracey sprinted 41 yards to cap a five-play, 82-yard drive midway through the second quarter.

East Columbus, which was plagued by poor field position and several dropped passes, gave up 312 rushing yards after holding each of its last two opponents, South Robeson and Red Springs, to negative yardage on the ground.

“This is the worst we have played,” said third-year head coach Travis Conner. “We have a much improved team this year, but when you’re a program that has been down for so long, it can be difficult when it comes time to step up in a game like this. This game had a big time atmosphere, and we just didn’t respond to it like we needed to.

“If we’re going to get established as a football program, it is this type of game that we have to come out and be at our best,” he said. “It wasn’t that way tonight, and as coach, I take responsibility for it.”

East Columbus got off on the wrong foot early when it misplayed the opening kickoff and started its initial drive from its own eight yard line. The Gators were forced to punt after three downs and Whiteville took over at the ECHS 36. The Wolfpack used five plays to get the first score with Mosley carrying in from nine yards out on a first-down play with just over three minutes gone in the game.

Whiteville, which three times got the ball inside the Gator 20 in the second quarter without scoring, got its second TD after a punt return by Mosley gave WHS the ball at the Gator 24.

Whiteville again used five plays to score its next touchdown, a one-yard run by Spearman. The Gator defense broke through to block Zack Stanley’s second straight extra-point attempt and the score remained 12-0 with 6:40 left in the half.

East Columbus came back with its lone scoring drive as it changed its offense to an unbalanced look in the line and utilizing the running of Bracey, Blanks and quarterback Alex Williamson. On a first down from the WHS 41, Blanks took a handoff, broke off tackle and sped to the Gator TD. Demetrius McKelvie kicked the extra point to make the score 12-7.

Mosley returned the ensuing kickoff for what appeared to be a quick answer to the Gator score, as he outran several defenders to the goal line.

However, an illegal blocking penalty brought the ball back to the WHS 36.

A 40-yard pass from Deans to Chris Ward in the closing minutes helped set up a 31-yard field goal attempt by Stanley. The attempt was off the mark and the Wolfpack kept its five-point halftime lead.

Whiteville back Dequan Thompson gave the Wolfpack a boost to open the second half when he returned the kickoff to midfield.
The Wolfpack used six plays to Lennon, scoring from three yards out and Stanley booting the PAT with 9:15 left in the third quarter.

With just over two minutes left in third quarter, Deans connected with Mosley on a fourth-down screen pass and Mosley ran the ball in from 35 yards out to extend the lead to 26-7.

Wilcox broke loose on his 53-yard TD run in the closing seconds of the final quarter and added the last score on a three-yard run following a pass interception Nur Abdullah.

Lennon and Wilcox each rushed for 79 yards for the Wolfpack and Mosley had 47 yards on six carries.
Jay Graham carried six times for 56 yards for East Columbus.

Whiteville will play host to Pender Friday, and East Columbus will travel to meet North Brunswick.

W - David Mosley 9 run (kick blocked).
W - George Spearman 12 run (kick blocked).
EC - Fred Blanks 41 run (Demetrius McKelvie kick).
W - Josh Lennon 3 run (Zack Stanley kick).
W - Mosley 34 pass from Ben Deans Stanley kick).
W - Tyson Wilcox 53 run (kick failed).
W - Wilcox 3 run (Stanley kick).