East Burke opens WPC play with 36-0 win over Patton

After losing three consecutive nonconference games to begin the year, the East Burke football team got the Western Piedmont 3A/4A Conference portion of its season off to a strong start, defeating visiting Patton by a 36-0 final on Friday at Danny Williams Field in Icard.

Following a three-and-out by the Panthers (0-4, 0-1 WPC) on the game’s opening drive, the Cavaliers (1-3, 1-0) lost a fumble on their first offensive play. But after again forcing Patton to punt after three plays, EB found the end zone on each of its next five possessions.

Cayson Mooneyham scored the first touchdown at the 5:44 mark of the first quarter when he recovered a teammate's fumble in the end zone, with RJ Williams adding the two-point conversion run. EB moved the ball 80 yards in six plays on the drive, led by three carries for 47 yards from senior running back Zayne Newman – who only touched the ball twice in the first three games combined after suffering a shoulder injury on the Cavs’ first offensive play of the season – and two carries for 29 yards from junior quarterback Carter Bennett.

EB’s Aiden Deal then recovered a Patton fumble late in the opening period before the hosts put together another TD drive that ended when Newman scored from 9 yards out on the initial play of the second quarter. Bennett tacked on the two-point conversion run this time to double the Cavs’ advantage.

The Cavs crossed the goal line twice more before halftime, with a 4-yard scoring scamper from Ossie Burkeen and a 10-yard TD pass from Bennett to Mooneyham – the latter of which was followed by a two-point conversion run from Newman on the final play of the half – making it 30-0 at the intermission. The latter score came after EB’s Kendale Cook blocked a punt, one of five by Patton in seven total possessions.

In the third quarter, EB brought the mercy-rule running clock into effect thanks to a 16-yard TD run from Burkeen that capped a five-play, 62-yard series to begin the half. Burkeen had four carries for 52 yards on the drive, while Bennett added a 10-yard burst.

For the game, Newman and Bennett carried the ball 11 times apiece for 103 and 91 yards, respectively, while Burkeen finished with 60 yards on seven attempts. Bennett also completed 6 of 7 passes for 50 yards, connecting with Mooneyham (two catches, 19 yards), Williams (two catches, 17 yards), Jesiah Rees (11-yard reception), and Luke Evans (3-yard reception).

Defensively, the Cavs held the Panthers to 50 yards of total offense, and Patton didn’t pick up a first down until the game’s final series, ultimately tallying three first downs in the contest. EB’s Trevor Fraley and Cash Wittenberg forced fumbles, while Williams had two tackles for loss to go with one each from Daniel Cook (team-high seven tackles, sack), Deal (sack), and Fraley.

Patton notably lost sophomore running back Jet Chatman to an injury he suffered on the second play from scrimmage. Burke County’s leading rusher entering the game, Chatman was injured on a 9-yard completion from junior QB River McCrary.

EB continues league play with a trip to Hibriten next week, while Patton hosts Draughn in a battle of winless squads.