TAYLORS – Westwood upset number-one seeded North August last week, but this week their playoff run and their season came to an end with a 48-15 loss to the Eastside Eagles. The Redhawks, despite a very tough schedule, improved their record from 2-9 last season to 6-6 this year.
The Dan Morgan led Eagles came out of the gates as strong as they could, racking up 27 unanswered points. Eagles’ quarterback Jordan Morgan rung-up Daniel Baldwin for a 14-yard score in just under a minute.
Cortes Braham (8) eyeballs the Eagle defender as he speeds past. Braham was on the receiving end of two touchdown passes. | Leroy Howard
Later, Morgan tallied his second touchdown pass of the quarter, a three-yard pass to Payton Mangrum. After a successful PAT, Eastside booted a short onside kick and their hands team scooped it up.
The Eagles quickly chewed up 55 yards after the onside kick recovery, and Chance Pride polished off the drive with a two-yard touchdown scamper. Then, the turnovers began to creep up on Westwood.
Westwood lost possession on a fumble midway through the second, but an interception later in the quarter proved to be more costly. JaiMeer Goodman stepped in front of an Elijah Heatley pass, and returned it for a 44-yard pick-six.
Eastside was up 27-0 and the game seemed to be over before halftime, but like they had done all season, Westwood kept fighting. Heatley zipped in a seven-yard touchdown pass to Cortes Braham with two minutes to go before halftime.
A minute later, Heatley struck again. He rocketed another score in to Braham, and Westwood followed it with a successful two-point conversion. Heatley’s touchdown passes trimmed the lead to 27-15.
After halftime, the Redhawk defense kept the Eagles’ high-powered offense at bay until the midway in the third quarter. Morgan struck again on a 28-yard keeper.
Late in the third, Dondre Thompson picked off Heatley for the second time. The Eagles converted the turnover into points with another Morgan rushing touchdown.
Morgan continued to chew up the Redhawks defense in the fourth quarter. He tallied his third running touchdown of the game with a 34-yard scramble.
Another Morgan touchdown nailed down the win with five minutes remaining.
SCORING
WHS– 0-15-0-0-15
EHS– 14-13-14-7–48
First Quarter
EHS – Daniel Baldwin 14 pass from Jordan Morgan (Joseph Bontrager kick).
EHS – Payton Mangrum 3 pass from Jordan Morgan (J.Bontrager kick).
Second Quarter
EHS – Chance Pride 2 run (J.Bontrager kick).
EHS – JaiMeer Goodman 44 interception return (two-point failed).
WHS – Cortes Braham 7 pass from Elijah Heatley (David Strother III kick).
WHS – C.Braham 10 pass from E.Heatley (Two-point conversion)
Third Quarter
EHS – J.Morgan 28 run (J.Bontrager kick).
EHS – J.Morgan 9 run (J.Bontrager kick).
Fourth Quarter
EHS – J.Morgan 34 run (J.Bontrager kick).
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING: WHS – Jaylon Riley 15-57, Joshua Heyward 2-4, Elijah Heatley 4-9. EHS – Jordan Morgan 11-76, Chance Pride 5-1, Reggie Rodgers 7-14, Armani Elmore 1- (-1).
PASSING: WHS – Elijah Heatley 15-31, 150 yards two touchdowns, two interceptions.EHS – Jordan Morgan 28-56, 340 yards, two touchdowns.
RECEIVING: WHS – Montre Miller 7-62, Cortes Braham 6-86, Jaylon Riley 1-1 Daquan Wise 1-1. EHS – Chance Pride 8-69, Daniel Baldwin 6-93,Payton Mangrum 11-151, Reggie Rodgers 2-25, Haven Berry 1-2.
