Hunt tops Eastern Wayne in opener
By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on August 22, 2009 11:41 PM
The Guy Williams era opened at Eastern Wayne with a lesson learned and a disappointing 42-14 loss to Wilson Hunt at Little Big Horn on Friday night.
The visiting Warriors started fast behind a potent ground game and one big play through the air. Hunt quarterback Tyrell Vinson found wide receiver Travoris Lofton for a 44-yard scoring strike to cap a 61-yard, 98-second drive.
Eastern Wayne suffered a three-and-out on its next possession and things went from bad to worse when a high snap led to a rushed punt that covered just one yard. Hunt took over on the Eastern Wayne 10-yard line and scored three plays later on Caleb Bass' eight-yard plunge.
"We did a very good job on the offensive line tonight," said Hunt head coach Randy Raper. "The running backs did a great job, but none of that happens if the offensive line doesn't work together."
Hunt made it 20-0 just one minute and 37 seconds later after an Eastern Wayne fumble set the visitors up at the 25-yard line. Fullback Cam Williams darted in from two yards out on the fourth play from scrimmage and capped the first-quarter scoring.
"We got behind early and a lot of that was due to shooting ourselves in the foot," said EW's coach Williams. "They played more physical than we did and that allowed them to build a lead."
Bass delivered the play of the game in the opening moments of the second quarter when he broke right, cut back to the middle of the field and raced 90 yards for a touchdown.
Trailing 27-0 at halftime, the host Warriors made some positive adjustments in the second half.
Eastern Wayne's Rashawn Barnes made the most of his first varsity start at quarterback and found Will White for a 16-yard scoring strike two minutes into the third quarter. Barnes promptly ran in the two-point conversion and gave the home crowd a reason to cheer.
After Hunt answered with a 45-yard touchdown run by Cam Williams, Eastern Wayne put together a second touchdown drive.
Barnes hit Best for the big play of the possession, a 58-yard strike that took the ball to the one-yard line. One play later, the ball squirted free at the goal line and was recovered by Brandon Williams in the end zone.
"I have to give my guys a lot of credit because they never quit," said coach Williams. "We did some good things in the second half and we definitely have some positives to build on."
Eastern Wayne finished with 238 total yards of total offense, including 190 through the air. Barnes finished 19-of-29 with one touchdown and two interceptions.
"Rashawn made some nice plays with his feet tonight and made some big plays," said Williams. "We need to do a little better job pass blocking, but I was pleased with the passing game in general."
Eastern Wayne (0-1 overall) travels to cross-town rival Goldsboro next week.
"I always like a rivalry game," said Williams. "I have been around a few good rivalries in my day and I am sure that our game with Goldsboro will be hard fought."