Eastern Wayne upends Bruins

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on October 21, 2007 2:03 AM

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Just what the doctor ordered.

Eastern Wayne survived a late scare and picked up a much-needed 28-20 win over Wilson Beddingfield on Homecoming Friday night at Little Big Horn.

With the victory, the Warriors improved to 5-4 overall, and perhaps more importantly, moved to 1-2 in Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference play. After starting the season 3-0, Eastern Wayne had lost two straight games and four of five overall entering Friday night's contest.

"We needed it, we needed it," Warriors' head coach Jeff Price said. "With four close losses ... and this one got close, too. The big plays are what's hurting us. Our boys played hard, though."

Hassan Best's 15-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, capped a 10-play Warriors' drive and put them on top 7-0. Best finished with 104 yards on the ground.

The Bruins' Marcus Ruffin fumbled on the Eastern Wayne 14-yard line midway through the second quarter. Just two plays later, Dwight Ulmer raced 86 yards to the end zone.

Warriors' quarterback Dan Price hooked up with Will White from six-yards out late in the second quarter, pushing the lead to 21-0.

Beddingfield quarterback Lance Price got the Bruins on the scoreboard just before halftime with a 12-yard pass to Tyrese Vick. The two-point conversion failed, and the Warriors seemed to be in complete control with a 21-6 halftime lead.

On the third-quarter's first play from scrimmage, Ulmer appeared to turn out the lights on the Bruins hopes of a comeback. The senior rumbled 55 yards for a touchdown, giving Eastern Wayne a 28-6 advantage.

Ulmer finished with 121 yards on the ground to go with his two scores. He left the game in the second half with an injury, but said after the game he expects to play next week.

"I just want to thank my offensive line," Ulmer said. "They block each week and they've gotten better. I just score."

Lance Price, who finished the night with 292 yards passing and three scores, hit Jumal Rolle for a 43-yard touchdown with just over 5 1/2 minutes to play. The two-point conversion was good and the lead was cut to 28-14.

Price got the Bruins (2-7, 1-2) in the end zone again on their next possession and all of the sudden a homecoming rout had turned into a nail biter.

"With the nature of that (spread) offense, you can give up so much so quickly," Jeff Price said. "That's the third time we've seen it, and I guess we played as well as we could play it with our personnel."

Lamar Lamb fumbled on Eastern Wayne's very first play following the Beddingfield touchdown, setting up one last chance for the Bruins. However, the drive never got on track and Beddingfield turned the ball over on downs.

Eastern Wayne's defense sacked Lance Price three times, two of which came from linebacker Anthony Williams.

The Warriors visit county rival Charles B. Aycock next Friday.

Wilson Beddingfield 0 6 0 14 --20

Eastern Wayne 7 14 7 0 -- 28

First quarter

EW - Best 15 run (Hughes kick), 3:48

Second quarter

EW - Ulmer 86 run (Hughes kick), 7:23

EW - White 6 pass from Price (Hughes kick), 2:40

WB - Vick 5 pass from Price (Smith pass failed), 21.5

Third quarter

EW - Ulmer 55 run (Hughes kick), 11:50

Fourth quarter

WB - Rolle 43 pass from Price (Vick pass from Price), 5:38

WB - Eddie 9 pass from Price (Price pass failed), 2:19

WB EW

First downs 15 10

Rushes-yds 15-38 45-296

Passing-yds 316 42

Total-yds 354 338

C-A-I 25-52-1 2-7-0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 4-1

Penalties-yds 2-10 2-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Wilson Beddingfield -- Dashawn Batts 3-38; Marcus Ruffin 7-13; Keenon Bullock 2-4; Dahnique Eddie 1-1; Lance Price 3-(-18). Eastern Wayne -- Dwight Ulmer 14-121, 2 TDss; Hassan Best 18-104, TD; Brandon McCullen 1-65; Demetrius Morgan 1-(-3); Dan Price 1-(-6).

PASSING -- Wilson Beddingfield -- Lance Price 24-48-1 248, 3 TD's, Dahnique Eddie 1-2-0 24, Marcus Ruffin 0-1-0, Quashawn Smith 0-1-0. Eastern Wayne -- Dan Price 2-7-0 42, 1 TD.

RECEIVING --Wilson Beddingfield -- Jermal Artis 7-111, Tyrese Vick 9-93, TD; Jermal Role 4-81, TD, Dashawn Batts 3-20; Dahnique Eddie 1-9, TD; Quashawn Smith 1-2. Eastern Wayne -- Will White 2-32, TD.