Pike's TD pass jump starts Warriors

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 9, 2013 11:50 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne worked hard to defend Eastern Wayne on every snap on a bone-chilling Friday evening.

The Warriors had too many athletes.

Quarterback Mitch Pike threw a touchdown pass on the opening play from scrimmage and the Warriors rolled past the Saints 40-13 at the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex. It was the Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference regular-season finale for both teams.

"At times we executed well, but we've got to do some things better," said EW head coach Bubba William, who guided his squad to an eight-win season for the second time since 2010.

The Warriors (8-2 overall, 4-2 ECC) couldn't have been much better on their first offensive play. Pike rolled out and connected with Dayshawn Pridgen near the Eastern Wayne sideline.

Pridgen turned upfield and rambled 52 yards to the end zone.

"We knew number one, I don't know his name, was a threat to catch a hitch pass and go to the house, or was a threat to go deep," Saints' head coach David Lee said. "It was a good throw, right on the money."

Pike ended the night an efficient 4 of 7 passing for 90 yards and two TDs. He threw a 9-yard scoring strike to Deshawn Boudy in the third quarter.

KK Best provided the Warriors' second TD of the game, a 1-yard plunge with eight minutes left in the opening quarter. Eastern Wayne scored twice in the second period on Pike's 9-yard run and Jake Wiser's 30-yard fumble return.

Wiser has two fumble returns for TDs this season.

"The fumble return was big ... unfortunate," said Lee.

Eastern Wayne's defense recorded 19 stops that resulted in either zero or lost yardage. The Warriors sacked senior quarterback AJ Williams twice and limited the Saints to one third-down conversion in the second half.

"I thought the defense played well," Williams said. "We talked well, read guards well and got to the ball well."

Southern Wayne grinded out 181 yards of total offense on 54 plays. Jartarvis Bradshaw and Marquis Baldwin each logged a rushing touchdown for the Saints, who lead the all-time series 22-21-0 against the Warriors.

"We found spots on their defense we could attack, but they just get to the ball so well ... get off blocks," Lee said. "By the time you get there, the holes are closed up. (My) hat's off to them."

Fullback Larry Newsome capped the Warriors' scoring with a 4-yard run early in the fourth quarter. Eastern Wayne compiled 281 yards of total offense and needed nine or more plays to cash in on three possessions.

But 94 yards in penalties drew Williams' ire.

"Penalties are killing us, eating us alive and that's two weeks in a row," Williams said.