RWA’s Webb Yongue (1) heads for the open field Friday against Pee Dee Academy.
WINNSBORO – It was a battle of the birds in the chilly skies Friday night as the Richard Winn Academy Eagles plucked every last feather off the Pee Dee Golden Eagles, dominating in a 53-26 win.
One of the highlights of the evening was a touchdown late in the fourth quarter by RWA eighth-grader Peyton Gilbert. It was his first touchdown of the season. Following behind his upperclassmen blockers, Gilbert took the ball in from the 10-yard line with 4:15 left on the clock.
Gilbert said it “felt great” to make that TD as he explained how the play developed.
“Matt (RWA quarterback Matt Taylor), he came out of nowhere and got one major block,” Gilbert said. “When I crossed the goal line, I thought ‘I made it!’”
Eagles head coach Dan Dickerson said the way the team was playing, they were able to call a play in to Gilbert to score the touchdown.
“We wanted him to have an opportunity, and just the way the Golden Eagles lined up, it worked out,” Dickerson said. “We were excited about that for him.”
Gilbert’s touchdown came after a string of earlier ones made by the Eagles, beginning with the 31-yard scoring run by Taylor with 10:39 on the clock. The PAT was good and the Eagles were on the board 7-0.
The Eagles would hold the Golden Eagles scoreless all through the first quarter.
The first Pee Dee TD came in the beginning of the second quarter, as Walker Richardson dove across the goal line from the 1 for the score with 10:40 left in the half. The 2-point pass attempt from quarterback Korey Thomas was incomplete and the RWA lead held at 7-6.
The Eagles did not let that score go unanswered, though. Sixteen seconds later, RWA’s John Coleman returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown. The PAT was no good and the score was 13-6 with 10:24 left in the half.
The Golden Eagles turned around and scored again on their next possession, with Chandler Tisdale taking the ball in from the RWA 12 for the score. Thomas’ pass attempt was broken up by Webb Yongue and once again the RWA lead stood at a single point, 13-12, with 8:50 on the clock.
Pee Dee’s onside kick attempt was recovered by the Eagles at their own 46-yard line, where RWA took charge and drove to the Pee Dee 14. From there, Taylor found Austin Knox for the scoring pass. Mitchell Gibbons’ PAT was good and the score was 20-12 with 5:09 left in the half.
The Golden Eagles again responded, this time with a pass from Thomas to Gib Fenters. The PAT was no good and the RWA lead stood at 20-18 with 3:01 on the clock.
On their next possession, the Eagles moved the ball to the Pee Dee 45 before bumping up against a fourth-and-7 situation. The Eagles rolled the dice and kept the chains moving. This set up a 19-yard run by Taylor with 26 seconds left in the half. Gibbons’ PAT failed, but the Eagles had stretched their lead to 26-18 at the break.
Pee Dee’s opening possession of the second half was stymied by the RWA defense, giving the Eagles the ball on their own 33. Winn quickly shoved their way into Pee Dee territory, helped along by a 27-yard pass from Knox to Conrad Sharpe to move the chains inside the Pee Dee 10. Taylor capped the drive with a 5-yard scoring run and Gibbons tacked on the point after to give the Eagles a 33-18 lead with 3:31 left in the third.
Coleman killed the next Pee Dee drive by picking off a Korey Thomas pass at the RWA 34 and returning it for a quick 6. Gibbons’ point after kick was true blue and with 1:45 left in the third period, RWA went up 40-18.
The Golden Eagles were again thwarted on their very next possession. Facing a crucial fourt-and-7, it was Pee Dee’s turn to roll the dice. But the Golden Eagles came up craps when Younge stepped in front of Thomas’s pass for the interception. The RWA offense took over and quickly drove to the Pee Dee 17. From there, Taylor finished off the drive with a 17-yard run and Gibbons’ PAT made it 47-18 with 9:11 left in the game.
The RWA interception habit continued as Conrad Sharpe got his hands on the ball to kill the next Pee Dee drive. The pickoff gave Richard Winn possession at the Golden Eagle 42 and set up the scoring drive capped by Gilbert’s 10-yard run. The PAT was no good and the score was now 53-18 with 4:15 left in the game.
Pee Dee would score for their last time with 34 seconds left as Thomas ran in for the touchdown from the RWA 3-yard line. Matthew Vinson would make it in for the 2-point conversion and the 53-26 final.
Next week the Eagles host the Jefferson Davis Raiders in the last game of the regular season during Senior Night. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
PD – 0-18-0-8 – 26
RWA – 7-19-14-13 – 53
First Quarter
RWA – Matt Taylor 31 run. Mitchell Gibbons kick. (10:39)
Second Quarter
PD – Walker Richardson 1 run. Pass failed. (10:40)
RWA – John Coleman 87 kick return. Kick failed. (10:24)
PD – Chandler Tisdale 12 run. Pass failed. (8:50)
RWA – Austin Knox 14 pass from M. Taylor. M. Gibbons kick. (5:09)
PD – Gib Fenters 43 pass from Korey Thomas. PAT failed. (3:01)
RWA – M. Taylor 19 run. Kick failed. (0:26)
Third Quarter
RWA – M. Taylor 5 run. M. Gibbons kick. (3:31)
RWA – J. Coleman 66 INT return. M. Gibbons kick. (1:45)
Fourth Quarter
RWA – M. Taylor 17 run. M. Gibbons kick. (9:11)
RWA – Peyton Gilbert 10 run. PAT failed. (4:15)
PD – K. Thomas 3 run. Matthew Vinson 3 run. (0:34)
PDA RWA
First Downs 17 20
Rushes/Yards 33-219 46-289
Passing Yards 153 111
C-A-I 10-23-3 8-13-0
Fumbles/Lost 1-1 0-0
RUSHING: RWA – Webb Yongue 7-56, Matt Taylor 23-140, Austin Knox 6-29, Peyton Gilbert 3-19, Nic Stillwell 4-16, Hunter Gibbons 3-19.
RECEIVING: RWA – Webb Yongue 5-54, Mitchell Gibbons 1-14, Austin Knox 1-10, Conrad Sharpe 1-33.
PASSING: RWA – Matt Taylor 7-12, 78 yards, TD; Austin Knox 1-1, 33 yards.
