BY F.W. MANNING II

Special to The Pilot

The Pinecrest junior varsity football team belted Union Pines 47-0 Thursday at Woodrow Wilhoit Stadium.

The Patriots took a 20-0 lead into intermission. Juwanza Harris got the Pats on the board early in the opening period with a 27-yard punt return for a touchdown. Tavis Pearson capped off a 45-yard scoring drive for Pinecrest with a 4-yard rushing touchdown that extended the margin to 12-0.

After turning the ball over on downs in their next two possessions, Pinecrest found pay dirt for a third time in the half when Zach Strickland busted a 9-yard dive up the middle for a touchdown. He also tacked on the two-point conversion to give the Patriots a 20-lead with 2:47 left to play in the second quarter.

Union Pines had trouble all night on offense handling the snap out of its shotgun formation. The Vikes fumbled seven times in the first half, with three resulting in turnovers in their own territory.

When play resumed after intermission, Pinecrest wasted no time building its lead. Dee Kirkpatrick took the third quarter's opening kickoff to the house for a 74-yard touchdown return, as the Patriot's edge swelled to 26-0.

Midway through the quarter Pinecrest's offesne took over, after a punt, with a short field starting at the Viking 28. Strickland soon scored his second touchdown of the night - from 22 yards out - giving the Pats a 32-0 lead.

Late in the third Kirkpatrick got his second touchdown, on a 17-yard scoring scamper, to cap of a 53-yard drive for the Patriots. Matt Epley's kick made the score 39-0.

Not to be left out, Pearson added a 76-yard score when he bounced off tackle and hit the left sideline for his second touchdown of the tilt. Epley then capped off the scoring when he converted the two-point try on a sweep after a fake kick bringing the final margin to 47-0.

Pearson finished the night with 122 rushing yards on six carries for the night along with two scores.

Contact F.W. Manning II at (910) 639-5481 or by email at frankwm2@gmail.com.