Hudson Wade slips behind the defensive back and makes the aerial catch. | Martha Ladd
WINNSBORO – Richard Winn put a cap on the regular season with a Thursday night showdown against Wardlaw at Ruff Field. The Patriots led 28-20 at halftime, but the second half belonged to the Eagles. RWA went on a 29-0 run in the second half to put the finishing touches on the 49-34 win. The win improved the Eagles to 6-4 on the season and pushed their win streak to five games.
Wardlaw looked strong in the early going and led off the game with a five-play, 80-yard drive. Will Padgett broke the drive open on a 29-yard run, and later in the possession he scored from 15 yards out.
The Eagles followed up the long Wardlaw scoring drive with a long possession of their own. A face-mask call on the Patriots accelerated the Eagles’ drive, and it took them just five plays for Zack Taylor to find the end-zone on a four-yard run. A Brandon Miller extra point gave the Eagles a 7-6 lead.
Taylor notched his 100th career touchdown last at King Academy, and he followed his milestone performance with another monster game. Taylor had 272 yards through the air, and three passing touchdowns. He also had 102 yards rushing and three more scores on the ground.
Late in the first quarter, an unsuccessful RWA fake punt attempt from deep in their own territory cost them the lead. Padgett capitalized a few plays later with a five-yard touchdown run.
Richard Winn’s offense regrouped on their next possession and wore the Patriots defense down over the course of the 12-play, 56-yard drive. The drive ended on a 17-yard pass from Taylor to Hudson Wade.
Less than a minute after the Eagles regained the lead, Wardlaw struck again. It took the Patriots just three plays including a 55-yard Padgett touchdown, to capture the lead again. A Taylor pass was picked off on the next Richard Winn drive, but the Patriots fumbled on their following drive.
A nine-yard touchdown pass from Taylor to Jimmy McKeown gave RWA a 21-20 lead late in the second quarter. Wardlaw’s Britt Gossett fielded the kickoff after the Richard Winn score and took it 95 yards for a touchdown.
Wardlaw led 28-21 at halftime, but the Patriots fell flat in the second half. The Eagles tied the game up early in the third quarter after Taylor completed another nine-yard touchdown pass to McKeown.
The Patriots fumbled for the second time during their first possession of the second half, and the Eagles hopped on the loose ball. Taylor scored a few plays later via a four-yard quarterback keeper.
After the score, Richard Winn booted and recovered an onside kick. The Eagles keep it on the ground for eight-straight plays on their next drive until Taylor powered into the end-zone from a yard out.
Brandon Miller put the final touches on the Eagles 29-point scoring streak with a seven-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Will Padgett scored a two-yard touchdown later in the quarter, but that was as close as the Patriots got to a comeback.
The Eagles are on the road Friday for their opening round playoff match against Beaufort Academy.
Scoring
RWA– 7-13-21-7–49
WA– 12-16-0-6-34
First Quarter
WA – Will Padgett 15 run (Two-point conversion no good).10:00.
RWA – Zack Taylor 4 run (Brandon Miller kick).7:53.
WA – W.Padgett 5 run (Two-point conversion no good).1:57.
Second Quarter
RWA – Hudson Wade 17 pass from Z.Taylor (B.Miller kick).9:01.
WA – W.Padgett 55 run (Two-point conversion good).8:10.
RWA – Jimmy McKeown 9 pass from Z.Taylor (B.Miller).3:22.
WA – Britt Gossett 95 kickoff return (Two-point conversion good).3:06.
Third Quarter
RWA – J. McKeown 9 pass from Z.Taylor (B.Miller).10:28.
RWA – Z.Taylor 4 run (B.Miller kick).7:09.
RWA – Z.Taylor 1 run (B.Miller kick).3:34.
Fourth Quarter
RWA – B.Miller 7 run (B.Miller kick).8:04.
WA – W.Padgett 2 run (Two-point conversion no good).5:38.
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing: RWA – Zack Taylor 22-102, Brandon Miller 13-64, Luke Martin 13-61.
Receiving: RWA – Jimmy McKeown 10-152, Luke Martin 5-87, Hudson Wade 2-27, Zack Taylor 1-14, Jake Clyburn 2-6.
Passing: RWA – Zack Taylor 19-27, 272 yards, three touchdowns, one interception
Richard Winn honored fall sports seniors at their final home game of football regular season. From left, Hannah Gibbons, Cross Country; Jennifer Haney, cheer; Emy Russell, cheer; Jake Clyburn, football; Luke Martin, football; Hannah Smith, cheer; Jordan Rawl, cheer; Caleigh Caldwell, cheer. | Martha Ladd
