Aaron Powell guided West Brunswick to a 41-20 win on Friday night.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/W.A. Myatt)
West Brunswick opened the 2026 football season and the Aaron Powell head coaching era with a 41-20 nonconference win at county rival South Brunswick on Friday night.
Powell, who continues to serve as defensive coordinator, passed the credit to the Trojan players.
“The biggest factor was our kids,” he said, emphatically. “They did a great job of answering back.”
The Cougars had leads of 7-0 and 13-7 before West pulled away.
“Coach (Daniel) Yow (South) has done a great job with his guys,” Powell said. “They came out and hit us in the mouth early.”
The Cougars moved 48 yards in 10 plays after receiving the opening kickoff to take the lead on a 2-yard run by Amerius Revels, who played on the middle school level at Shallotte, with 7:48 left in the first quarter.
The Trojans drove from their 28 for a tying score on an 8-yard carry by Marzelle Stanley with three minutes left in the first. Senior quarterback Josiah Borton had a 13-yard scramble on 3rd-and-5 at the South 40 to keep the drive going. Stanley had a 19-yard gainer before going into the end zone on the next snap.
A West turnover led to a 2-yard run by Revels on the following play for a 13-7 lead with 9:15 remaining in the half. South missed the extra point.
A hold nullified a 62-yard touchdown run by Borton on the go-ahead possession, but Eden Romero snagged a 21-yard TD pass from Borton with a leaping effort over a defender. Ethan Kelly’s conversion kick with 6:31 left in the half put the Trojans ahead to stay at 14-13.
West took the second half kickoff and drove 71 yards to lead, 21-13, on a 20-yard run by Matoshi Lance with 7:32 left in the third quarter.
South lost possession on downs at the West 48 before the Trojans took a 28-13 lead on a 15-yard option keeper by Borton with 11:20 to go in the game.
A weather delay paused a West series that culminated with a Borton score. South returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown.
Borton closed the scoring with 7:28 left on a 30-yard run. He finished with three rushing TDs and one through the air.
West’s defense did not yield a score in the second half. Powell said there were no major adjustments.
“We just started tackling better,” he said.
