Josiah Borton hands off to Jaquell Davis in West’s 24-21 win over Ashley.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/W.A. Myatt)
West Brunswick assured itself of a winning record in varsity football with a 24-21 Carolina Coastal Conference victory over Ashley on Friday on Senior Night.
The outcome gave the Trojans a 6-4 record going into the NCHSAA 6-A playoffs, after a tying field goal attempt in the final minute by the Eagles caromed off the right upright and was no good.
The last winning record for the Trojans was 6-2 in the spring of 2021 when the 2020 season was postponed due to COVID.
Ashley’s final possession came off an interception after the Trojans had driven to the visitors’ 4-yard line on the running of Jaquell Davis.
West went up 14-0 on second quarter scoring passes from Josiah Borton to Eden Romero and K’Veon Griffin. The second score came after an onside kick recovery by Romero.
Ashely had a kickoff return for a score to spark a comeback that produced a tie at 14. There were three touchdowns in 19 seconds after the 30-yard TD pass to Romero with 11:39 left in the half.
Carmine Sleavensky put the Trojans ahead to stay at 17-14 with a 34-yard field goal with 48.4 seconds left in the half.
West took the second half kickoff and drove to go up, 24-14, on Borton’s 13-yard pass to Griffin with 9:49 left in the third. Maddie Richardson kicked the conversions after all three West TDs.
The Trojans have not played a 6-A team this season going into the 6-A playoffs. West has a 3-3 record in league play with wins over an 8-A (Laney) and two 7-As (Topsail and Ashley).
The Eagles fell to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in the CCC.
West has an open date next week, the final playing date of the regular season. The first round of the playoffs is Nov. 7.
