Seabrook – Friday night’s Region 7-Class A championship football game between
Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Whale Branch figured to be a physical contest, and the two teams
did not disappoint. When the dust had settled, it was the Red Raiders who walked away with a
region championship, defeating the Warriors 28-10 at the WBHS field.
“We pride ourselves on playing tough, physical football at Bamberg,” said a happy B-E
head coach Corey Crosby. “I’m so proud of the effort tonight. We are missing about 15 kids out
with the flu, so I told the seniors they would have to step it up tonight.
“Our motto all week was ‘Chop Wood, Carry Water,’ which means we had to step it up and
carry each other. That’s what the kids did and now we are the region champs.”
“We thought we were a physical football team, but Bamberg punched us in the mouth,
controlled the line of scrimmage and pushed us around all night,” said Whale Branch head
coach Jerry Hatcher.
The opening possessions for both teams set the tone for the game as the Red Raiders
went 65 yards in seven plays while the Warriors punted after picking up just 11 yards.
Behind senior All State running back Nick Folk (five carries for 27 yards), it took the Red
Raiders just 2:37 to take a lead they would never relinquish after Chanston Crosby hit Aden
Bunch with a 23-yard touchdown strike. The PAT made it 7-0.
Folk, who was returning from an injury, did his best Derrick Henry impersonation all night
as he ran over, around and through the Whale Branch defense. He also showed the “Henry”
stiff arm. pushing tacklers off him when they tried to tackle him. He would finish the night with
149 yards on 24 carriers and a touchdown.
“I can’t say enough about Nick. He has been a leader for us since he stepped on the field,
but tonight, he was special and would not let us lose,” said Coach Crosby.
The Red Raiders would increase their lead to 14-0 before the end of the first quarter when
Demetruis Odom burst up the middle and raced 23 yards for the touchdown.
Whale Branch responded on its next possession with a 10-play drive that resulted in a
24-yard field goal by Brian Ruiz making it 14-3. On the drive, KJ Chisholm carried the ball seven
times for 25 yards.
The Whale Branch defense came up with the biggest play of the first half when Jermon
Bowers read the seam route perfectly and picked off Crosby and returned the interception 65
yards to paydirt to cut the B-E lead to 14-10 at the half.
The second half belonged to the Red Raiders as the defense shut the door completely on
the Warrior offense. The Red Raider offense added on two more scores for the 28-10 final.
The defense held the Warrior’s to 33-yards of offense in the second half until their final
drive which ended at the B-E 2-yard line.
“We couldn’t block 21 (Jamie Downing) or 52 (Yzorion Washington) all night long,” said
Hatcher.
Crosby tossed his second touchdown pass of the night to Eric Lee from 14 yards, and Folks
scored from the 8 to finish up the scoring for the Red Raiders.
The class A playoffs start next week and both teams will be hosting opening-round games.
Bamberg-Ehrhardt (9-1, 4-0) will be hosting Hannah-Pamlico (3-7. 1-3). Whale Branch (8-1, 3-1)
will be hosting perennial state power Lake View (6-3, 2-2).
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