War Eagles close regular season unblemished

By By Dale McKee / special to The Star
Oct. 30, 2004
WAYNESBORO The Wayne County War Eagles wrapped up the first undefeated regular season in the 15-year history of the school with a 34-6 win over Northeast Jones in Friday night prep football action.
Drexler Johnson, who did not play in the final quarter, hit on
14-of-25 passes for 384 yards and three touchdown passes to lead the War Eagles.
Wayne County improved to 6-0 in Region 5-4A play and 10-0 overall. Northeast Jones falls to 4-2 and 7-3 overall.
Both teams will be in action next week as Northeast Jones meets South Pike while Wayne County will host Lawrence County. All South State playoff games will have a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Wayne scored twice in the opening period to lead 14-0 after the opening 12 minutes.
Johnson moved the War Eagles 41 yards in six plays as Kennard Arrington scored from the one with 6:08 to play in the quarter. Carlos McDougle recovered a Tiger fumble at the NEJ 25 yard line. On the War Eagles' first offensive play, Johnson hit Jacques McBride, giving WC a two touchdown lead.
Neither team scored in the second period. The War Eagles did move to the Tigers' eight yard line before missing on a 37-yard field goal attempt.
WC came back strong in the third period as Johnson hit Randall Lofton on a 60-yard TD pass play and then hit Marquese Ray on a 52-yard TD pass two minutes later at the 7:37 mark of the third period.
The War Eagles moved out to a 34-0 lead a t the 3:03
mark when Arrington scored on a one-yard run that climaxed a 94-yard, 10-play drive. Brandon Sellers hit on his fourth of five kick conversions attempts, and
the War Eagles had their final score of the night.
Northeast scored in the fourth period when quarterback Bud Dial ran 10 yards for the score. The two-point conversion failed.
The Tigers had recovered a War Eagle fumble at the WC 16-yard line and moved to paydirt in four plays.
Tiger defensive back Antonio Reed intercepted his second pass of the game with 5:27 to play in the game and returned it to the War Eagles' seven-yard line.
Bryon Wilson picked Dial to end that threat.
Dial led the Tigers with 136 yards on 15 carries. Dial completed one pass to Brent Holifield for 11 yards in the second period.
Wayne was led by Marcus Jones with 59 yards on 16 totes. WC rushed for 78 yards while passing for 389 yards in the game.
Ray led the War Eagle receivers with five catches for 127 yards.
This was the first undefeated team in Waynesboro since the 1964 Waynesboro-Central went 11-0. The 1952 Waynesboro team also went 11-0.
The Wayne County Schools also in recent years have had two other teams go undefeated, the 1977 Beat Four team and the 1980 Clara team.