Bluffton too much for Whale Branch, 42-7
The Bluffton High School football team showed off its sturdy defense and versatile offense once again Friday night, knocking off the visiting Whale Branch Warriors 42-7.
Quarterback Terrance Heyward threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns, receiver Tyrese Sandgren had seven catches for 160 yards and a score, and the Bluffton defense kept Whale Branch's offense off the scoreboard to help the Bobcats improve to 4-1 on the season.
Bluffton forced four turnovers on the night.
The first quarter shaped up as a defensive battle, with Bluffton daring the Warriors to throw the ball -- which they didn't -- and Whale Branch denying the Bobcats any room to run the ball between the tackles.
It wasn't until Whale Branch's standout lineman Nyles Pinckney began lining up outside that the Bobcats decided to attack the middle, finding success on several runs late in the first quarter.
Cameron Bent opened the scoring early in the second quarter, scoring on a fake field goal from the 4-yard line to put the Bobcats up 6-0. The Warriors were caught flat-footed by the swinging gate formation the Bobcats like to use when lining up for kicks.
The Bobcats went ahead 12-0 later in the second quarter after Heyward hit Lorenz Taylor on an inside screen, and Taylor took the ball 38 yards to the end zone, catching a disorganized Whale Branch defense off guard. Heyward was 3 for 4 passing on the quick-strike drive.
The Bluffton defense followed that up with a strong stand, pushing Whale Branch deep into its own zone.
A blocked punt set up Bluffton at the Warriors' 13-yard line with just over two minutes left in the opening half. Five plays later, the Bobcats went up 19-0 on another touchdown run by Bent, and the Warrior defense was showing signs of fatigue against Bluffton's up-tempo attack.
Bent had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown in the win.
Any hope of a comeback by the visitors seemed to disappear on the first play of the second half, as Bluffton defensive back Corey McKie stepped in front of a Jamar Scott pass and returned it 25 yards for a score.
Scott was only 3 of 9 passing for 56 yards, but had 66 rushing yards on 14 carries. Stephon Eugene had 47 yards on 19 carries.
The Bluffton defense continued to stay strong up the middle and show good quickness to the edges after halftime, keeping Whale Branch's ground game bottled up.
Heyward and Sandgren hooked up for a 77-yard scoring strike down the sideline late in the third quarter. Sandgren beat a Whale Branch defensive back on a jump ball and ran untouched to the end zone.
The Warriors (1-3) avoided a shutout, but not with their offense. With the Bobcats backed up inside their 20, Pinckney hit a Bluffton runner in the backfield to force a fumble and the Whale Branch star recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.
Bluffton's special teams capped off the scoring, as Corey Barron notched a safety on a punt attempt in the final minute. Christian Lopez had trouble gathering in a low snap, and Barron wrapped him up when he finally scooped up the ball in the end zone.
Bluffton 42, Whale Branch 7
Whale Branch 0 0 0 7 -- 7
Bluffton 0 19 14 9 -- 42
Second Quarter
BLF -- Cameron Bent 8 run (run failed), 10:23
BLF -- Lorenz Taylor 38 pass from Terrance Heyward (pass failed), 4:42
BLF -- Bent 2 run (D.J. Chappelear kick), 1:18
Third Quarter
BLF -- Corey McKie 25 interception return (Chappelear kick), 11:43
BLF -- Tyrese Sandgren 77 pass from Heyward (Chappelear kick), 1:25
Fourth Quarter
BLF -- Bent 29 pass from Heyward (Chappelear kick), 9:49
WB -- Nyles Pinckney fumble recovery in end zone (Christian Lopez kick), 4:51
BLF -- Safety, Charles Barron tackles Lopez in end zone, 0:24
This story was originally published September 18, 2015 at 11:57 PM with the headline "Bluffton too much for Whale Branch, 42-7."