TEACHEY — As if facing the state’s No. 1 Class 1-A team wasn’t tough enough, West Bladen was forced by torrential rains on Thursday to move the game from The Castle to Wallace-Rose Hill’s home field on Friday. And playing with a banged-up roster, the Knights got handed a 49-6 Four County Conference loss.

West Bladen fell to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference, while the Bulldogs moved to 6-0 and 2-0.

The outcome was never in question, as Wallace-Rose Hill scored early and often.

“The first quarter was probably the worst 15 minutes in the history of North Carolina high-school football,” West Bladen coach Todd Pait said. “We played terrible.”

The Bulldogs used an interception return for a touchdown, a fumble return for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown to build an insurmountable 43-0 advantage in the first quarter.

Wallace-Rose Hill added a field goal in the second quarter to take a 46-0 lead into halftime.

The Knights’ bright spot for the evening came on the first play of the second half, when running back B.J. Drake took the hand-off from quarterback Scott Bowen at the West Bladen 12 and rumbled 88 yards for a touchdown. The point-after was missed, but the Knights were on the board, trailing by 46-6.

Later in the third quarter, Wallace-Rose Hill booted another field goal to open a 49-6 lead, and neither team put points on the board in the fourth quarter.

“We are 2-4, and to the person on the outside looking in, that seems like an unsuccessful season,” Pait said. “But we are developing character every day. We’re learning to better young men every day, and we’re laying the foundation for success day by day — and admittedly, some days are more painful than others. Friday night was painful, but we will grow from it.

“We are struggling with injuries and have to pull together to finish the season st6rong,” he added. “We will work hard to get better.”

Drake led West Bladen with 103 yards rushing and the touchdown on just seven carries.

The Knights will travel to Rocky Point on Friday for a Four County Conference game against Heidi Trask at 7 p.m.

W. Curt Vincent can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.

W. Curt Vincent

cvincent@civitasmedia.com