BATESBURG – Richard Winn fell just short of the region-title last week, but this week they had the chance to end their regular season on a winning note when they headed to Batesburg to take on Wyman King Academy. Last year, King got the best of RWA 52-20, but this year the Eagles bounced back with a 36-6 victory.
Both teams coughed the ball up and lost possession on their first drive, but the Eagles turned it on after the hiccup. They moved the ball proficiently on their second drive en route to a 60-yard scoring drive that was highlighted by an 11-yard Zack Taylor touchdown pass to the playmaking receiver, Jimmy McKeown.
Senior (3) Peyton Gilbert finds a chunk of open space in his last regular season game as an Eagle. | Photos/Lee Holsclaw
A Taylor pass was picked off by the Knights early in the second quarter, but again the Eagles responded to the turnover by producing points on their next four possessions. After forcing a Knights’ punt, the Eagles got the ball back on their own 43-yard line.
It took the Eagles just five plays to move the ball 57-yards and get in range for Taylor to score on a four-yard quarterback keeper. King answered back with their first score on a 20-yard Jackson Parrish run, and that would be as close as the Knights would be the lead again.
RWA did not let the long Knight scoring drive go on without retaliation. The Eagles kept their busy second quarter rolling with a long seven-play, 65-yard drive capped off with another Taylor rushing touchdown.
The next Richard Winn scoring possession did not take quite as long, as they were able to cover 48 yards on just one play. Taylor racked up his fourth total touchdown with the 48-yard passing score to Jimmy McKeown, his second touchdown reception of the night.
King mounted a last minute drive before the half, but it eventually fizzled out like most of their offensive possessions had in the first half. Richard Winn held a dominant 29-6 lead heading into the locker-rooms.
Brandon Miller (1) and Noah Edwards (4) bring down the Knight’s receiver.
The second half was not friendly to the already struggling Knights. They went four-and-out on the drive’s opening possession, not gaining a single yard before they were forced to punt the ball away again.
After taking over on their own 47-yard line, Peyton Gilbert rushed for six yards on the first play, but got 15 more yards on a King face-mask penalty. Gilbert, a senior playing in his last regular game, found his way to the end-zone on a 36-yard scamper on the next play.
The Knights managed to work the ball deep inside of RWA territory on a couple of more occasions, but the Eagle defense overwhelmed and shutdown all opportunities. A rush for no-gain on the last play of the game was a fitting ending for King’s struggling offense.
Richard Winn ended the regular season with a 7-3 overall and 3-1 regional record. They begin their postseason run with a home game against Clarendon Hall.
SCORING
RWA: 7-22-7-0-36
WKA:-0-6-0-0-6
First Quarter
RWA – Jimmy McKeown 11 pass from Zack Taylor (Brandon Miller kick).
Second Quarter
RWA – Z.Taylor 4 run (Two point pass no good).
WKA – Jackson Parrish 20 run (Two-point run no good).
RWA – Z.Taylor 1 run (Z.Taylor run).
RWA – J.McKeown 52 pass from Z.Taylor (B.Miller run).
Third Quarter
RWA -Peyton Gilbert 36 run (B.Miller kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING: RWA- Zack Taylor 12-83, Noah Edwards 8-61, Peyton Gilbert 7-58, Dru Caldwell 1-6, Marshall Gibbons 2-9.
RECEIVING: RWA- Noah Edwards 4-71, Peyton Gilbert 1-4, Ethan McManus 1-27, Joey Bannister 1-1, Jimmy McKeown 4-66, John Russell 1-7, Marshall Gibbons 1-7.
PASSING: RWA – Zack Taylor 10-12 168 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; Dru Caldwell 3-6, 15 yards.
