The Morning After: Eagles win in 4OT, Emereau Wins in Volleyball

BLADEN COUNTY, NC - Why “The Morning After”? When Thursday evenings (and many others evenings) get packed with volleyball, football, and middle school matchups, it makes sense to bring everything together in one place.

Rather than flooding the site with separate articles, The Morning After gives you a snapshot of all the action across Bladen County, from JV rivalries to rising middle school talent.

Let’s dive in.

🏈 East Bladen JV Outlasts West Bladen 28-22 in 4OT

BLADENBORO, NC - The JV version of the Battle of the Bell lived up to its name.

Thursday night in Bladenboro delivered a classic as East Bladen JV edged West Bladen JV 28-22 in a game that stretched into four overtimes.

What started as a controlled performance by West Bladen turned into a battle of wills, heart, and late-game execution.

For much of regulation, the Knights looked poised to seal the rivalry win on their home field.

But with just four minutes left, the Eagles found a rhythm and engineered a gutsy touchdown drive, capped off by a two-point conversion that tied the game at 22-all.

What followed was a back-and-forth overtime gauntlet, each team trading clutch plays under pressure until East Bladen broke through in the fourth overtime to snatch the win.

Both programs showcased the kind of developing talent that will make noise at the varsity level in the near future.

With the varsity version of Battle for the Bell on tap tonight at 7 p.m., the tone has been set.

🏐 East Bladen Varsity Volleyball Pushes Hobbton to Five Sets

ELIZABETHTOWN, NC - In one of their most competitive matches this season, East Bladen battled Hobbton to five sets, narrowly falling 3-2 in front of a supportive Elizabethtown crowd.

Despite dropping the first set 25-13, the Eagles clawed their way back into the match with back-to-back 25-23 wins in sets two and three, showing resilience and energy.

Hobbton regrouped to take the fourth set decisively, then held off a late East Bladen push to close out the fifth, 15-10.

The Eagles’ performance was anchored by Aubrei Nixon, who delivered a massive 23 serve attempts, chipped in 8 attacks, notched 3 kills, swatted away 5 blocks at the net, and added 2 digs. Her all-around effort set the tone.

Taylor Dowless was right behind her with 14 serve attempts, 3 aces, 14 aggressive attacks, 6 kills, a block, and 4 digs, relentlessly keeping the ball in play.

Cabria Baldwin held her own on both sides of the net, logging 13 serves (2 aces), 2 kills, 3 blocks, and 5 digs.

In the back row and rotation, Marlee Potter was steady with 13 serve attempts, 6 attacks, 2 kills, and 4 digs, while Ariel Cromartie played clean defense with 4 serves, a blocked shot, and 3 digs.

Martin added consistency with 14 serve attempts, while Nadya Colon chipped in 6 serves, 1 attack, and 2 digs in her rotation.

The Eagles look to bounce back on the road Tuesday at North Duplin in conference play.

🏐 East Bladen JV Volleyball Sweeps Hobbton with Strong Team Effort

ELIZABETHTOWN, NC - The JV Lady Eagles put together a composed, balanced performance to defeat Hobbton in straight sets, 25-14 and 25-6, behind strong serving and execution from every position.

Harlie Shaw quarterbacked the offense, dishing out 11 assists and firing in 4 aces that kept Hobbton scrambling.

Addison Douglas provided complementary passing and serving with 3 aces, 4 assists, and a kill, while Chloe Merritt added 4 assists and an ace, helping to string together long rallies.

At the net, Julia Flowers was dominant, registering 1 attack, 3 kills, a block, and a dig. Gracey Edwards swung with confidence, adding 2 kills off 2 attacks, plus an ace.

Bella Beard contributed on both ends with 4 aces and 3 attacks, and Tenley Dowless found the scoresheet with a kill on 3 attacks.

Maylin McMichael chipped in 2 attacks, while Avianna Whittington added a timely ace to complete the win.

The JV squad will travel with varsity to North Duplin Tuesday evening for conference action.

🏐 West Bladen Varsity Falls to Trask for First Loss of the Season

ROCKY POINT, NC - The perfect start came to an end Thursday as West Bladen dropped their first match of the year, losing 3-0 (21-25, 16-25, 20-25) to a disciplined Heide Trask team.

Now sitting at 6-1, the Lady Knights aim to regroup heading into next week.

Emmy Bryant paced the defense with 8 digs and 2 assists, anchoring the back row. Greer Pope handed out 9 assists, added a kill and an ace, and kept her team organized during long rallies.

Natalee Sykes logged 6 assists and contributed on defense with a dig and an ace. Jaylyn Clark brought energy at the net with 3 kills, 2 blocks, and a dig, while Halaina Conklin matched that attack with 4 kills and a block.

Kimberly Dowless provided a strong presence with 3 kills and 3 blocks, and Kali Allen added balance with 1 ace, 1 kill, 5 digs, and an assist. Makenna Thurman tallied 3 kills, 1 ace, and a dig, and Shanna Lewis added a kill, ace, and 3 digs in a steady performance.

Brenna Hester contributed 2 digs off the bench, while Tahlela Bethea and Karlee Gause rotated in with effort at the front line, putting up several attacks despite not landing a kill.

The Lady Knights will host Union on Tuesday.

🏐 West Bladen JV Rallies Past Trask in Three Sets

ROCKY POINT, NC - After dropping the opening set to Heide Trask, the JV Lady Knights roared back to win sets two and three—25-15 and 25-20—and secure a gritty 2-1 victory.

Kensleigh Kinlaw led the charge with 6 aces, 9 assists, 2 kills, 5 attacks, and 2 digs, orchestrating both offense and defense with poise. Berkleigh Guy showcased her back-row instincts, digging out 7 balls and delivering 3 aces of her own.

Vera Valentiner was efficient up front with 2 kills, 4 attacks, 1 assist, and 4 digs, while Amiya McCarty-Maxfield chipped in 2 aces, 1 block, an attack, and 3 digs to bolster the rotation.

Chloe Walters, the libero, turned in a tremendous effort with 13 digs and 5 attacks, while Hadley Dove added defensive depth with 3 digs.

Abigail Dicicco registered a dig in a key rotation, and Bristol Allen added to the front line with a block and an attack.

The Knights will look to keep the momentum rolling at home Tuesday against Union.

✈️ Emereau Volleyball Battles To A Win Over Harrells Christian

The Aviators of Emereau Charter delivered a statement win Thursday, sweeping Harrells Christian 2-0 with a blend of aggressive serving and team chemistry.

The victory levels Emereau’s record at 1-1 on the season.

In Set 1, Quinlyn Bass set the tone with an opening ace, followed by Harper Allen’s two-point service run that included an ace.

Keri Faye Burgess was dominant, racking up five points and two aces, while Kenley Brisson added another ace to the run.

Delana Phillips and Kaitlynn Wright kept the rally alive with consistent serving, with Wright scoring two aces. Burgess returned to the line to finish the set with three straight service points.

In Set 2, the Aviators turned up the intensity.

Bass opened with a serve point, then Burgess took over again with ten points and six aces in a stunning stretch.

Anna White, Harper Allen, and Isabella Green each added critical aces, Green finishing things off with two big serves that sealed the match.

It was a full-team effort that showcased energy, execution, and Aviator pride.

Emereau heads to Old Main Stream Academy on Tuesday for a 4pm matchup.

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The Morning After: Eagles win in 4OT, Emereau Wins in Volleyball