High School Football: Patrick Blee, South Point run past Lincolnton in season opener
The South Point Red Raiders made a statement in the opening game of their 2023 campaign Friday, beating Lincolnton 35-21. And they did so largely on the shoulders of sophomore quarterback Patrick Blee.
“We just tried to take what they gave us,” Red Raiders head coach Adam Hodge said. “In our offense you have to be very selfless. We had a real big drive there towards the end to get to 35 (points). We had to dig deep, and I was very proud of our team.”
Blee did his damage largely on the ground, rushing three times for 130 yards and two touchdowns early. He finished with more than 200 yards on the ground.
“We just had a really good game plan coming into the game,” Blee said. “Our triple option is meant not to be stopped. It’s meant for someone to always be open. Sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s Chaynce (Ford) or the wing. You can’t really stop all three.”
The South Point rushing attack would finish with over 230 yards rushing in the first half. The second half was much of the same with the Red Raiders setting the tone with their rushing attack, led by the sophomore.
“Patrick is a heck of a football player,” Hodge said. “He has a really bright future, and he does a lot of good stuff. I enjoy watching him develop more and more. I think the game is slowing down for him and it is great to see.”
Hodge emphasized the importance of a successful run game, and how it allowed his team to control the clock and tempo of the game.
Despite having over 300 yards rushing as a collective, Hodge knows it is just week one. He feels as if there is still plenty of room for improvement as his team looks to make an NCHSAA 3A state championship run.
“We’ve got to eliminate ourselves as an opponent,” Hodge said. “We had 25 yards of presnap penalties in the first half. You can’t do that and win a state championship. That is our goal every year. And so, we’ve got to get better and clean that up.”
Three Who Made a Difference
Patrick Blee, South Point: He is committed to play Division I baseball, but appeared as if he could just have easily been committed to play football. He took matters into his own hands all game, doing a lot of damage with his legs. In doing so, the Red Raiders were also able to control the clock.
Khamani Heath, Lincolnton: Heath provided a nice spark on offense for the Wolves in the first quarter, leveling the score at 7-7 early. He was a large part of the Wolves’ offensive attack in the second half as well.
Charlie Birtwistle, South Point: The kicker’s lone blemish was a missed field goal in the second half caused by a late placement. He was perfect on point-after attempts and didn’t allow many Lincolnton returns, kicking it into the end zone with regularity.
What’s Next?
South Point will travel to face Charlotte Christian on Sep. 1 at 7 p.m. while Lincolnton will have another home game on Aug. 25 against North Lincoln at 7:30 p.m.
Scoring Summary
South Point: 14 7 7 7 — 35
Lincolnton: 7 0 6 8 — 21
First Quarter
SP: Patrick Blee 24 rush (Charlie Birtwistle kick)
L: Khamani Heath 3 rush (Jaxon Young kick)
SP: Blee 52 rush (Birtwistle kick)
Second Quarter
SP: Blee 22 rush (Birtwistle kick)
Third Quarter
SP: Chaynce Ford 3 rush (Birtwistle kick)
L: Nehemiah Lynch 43 rush (PAT missed)
Fourth Quarter
SP: Ford 5 rush (Birtwistle kick)
L: Andre Bost 24 rush (Heath 2-point rush conversion)
Note: The Lincoln County game of the week is sponsored by Deer Park Water.
