WARE SHOALS — The Whitmire High Schools Wolverines returned from Ware Shoals on Friday night with a 28-12 victory over the Ware Shoals Fighting Hornets.

The Wolverines were first on the board when Avery Renwick scored a touchdown run with seven minutes on the clock in the first quarter. A two-point conversion failed.

The Fighting Hornets also scored and the first quarter ended 6-6.

Neither team scored during the second quarter, but a referee and a player were injured.

“The Ware Shoal players hit our player late out of bounds and three players slammed into the referee. He walked off the field and he was sitting with the first responders at the ambulance. I think he was just shaken up a little,” said Wolverines Head Coach Charlie Jenkins.

Colton Evans, outside linebacker and leading tackler for the Wolverines, hurt his knee right before the half near the Fighting Hornets side of the field.

“When it happened our trainer, Beverly Wood, decided that we should just carry him to their sideline because they had a doctor on hand and it was also closer to the ambulance had we needed it. So at the half we sprinted over to Colton. I knew the guys were concerned and I knew it would lift Colton’s spirits,” Jenkins said. “Coach Jarrod King led us in a little prayer. Colton went to Self Memorial in Greenwood and had X-rays. Nothing was broken. He will go to a specialist Monday.”

Jenkins added that they are hoping it is just a bad sprain.

The Wolverines took charge in the third quarter. Devin Vo ran for a touchdown and the quarter ended 12-6 in the Wolverines favor. In the fourth, Ware Shoals scored and took the lead 13-12.

The Wolverines came back with a touchdown of their own when Jaylen Brown ran for 52 yards run followed by a successful two point conversion. This was Jenkins’ highlight play of the night.

“After the PAT to take a 13-12 lead we responded quickly, huge momentum shift. Devin Vo returned the kickoff out to the 50 yard line. He almost broke it for a touchdown. Had one man to beat,” he said. “On the first play from scrimmage 10th grade wingback Jaylen Brown went 52 yards for a touchdown on a jet sweep. That gave us the lead right back. Those two plays were huge.”

The final touchdown of the night came from Renwick with a touchdown run, followed by successful two point conversion. The final score of the night was 28-12.

Before Friday’s game, Jenkins said that the Fighting Hornets were a speed team.

“Our defensive coaches drilled the mess out of our kids regarding their responsibilities. We wanted to keep the ball funneled to the middle of the field and we wanted to keep the ball in front of us,” Jenkins said. “Last week versus Bethune we slipped up a few times on those responsibilities and it cost us a game. This week we did a much better job.”

The Wolverines now have their first region win under their belts.

“Ware Shoals is a good team and this was a quality win. Definitely our most solid all around game of the year, and that is good because it happened at just the right time. It’s been a long time since Whitmire started out 1-0 in the region,” Jenkins said. “We have an open date next week then we go to Calhoun Falls for region game number two.”

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By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com