Rivercrest 48, East Poinsett County 46

Rivercrest 48, East Poinsett County 46

LEPANTO — Rivercrest survived a furious East Poinsett County rally Friday night, escaping with a 48–46 victory after stopping a two-point try in the final seconds.

Senior quarterback/safety Jayden Young put together a performance for the ages, accounting for six touchdowns—four on the ground, one through the air, and one as a receiver. Sophomore running back/linebacker Lexx Latham sealed the win with a 12-yard scoring run late in the fourth quarter, then stuffed EPC’s conversion attempt with eight seconds to play. Receiver/defensive back Buddah Harris added a touchdown catch and several key receptions, while kicker Hunter Ellis hit two PATs and pinned the Warriors deep on kickoffs.

EPC showed its offensive firepower throughout the night. Senior quarterback Eli Blagg threw multiple touchdowns, including scores to Jacob Gaines and Quincy Perry. Perry electrified the home crowd with a 95-yard kickoff return in the first quarter and later caught a touchdown pass. Gaines pounded away between the tackles, adding a touchdown run, a touchdown reception, and a two-point conversion. Running back Dee Buchanan found the end zone twice and added a two-point rush.

Rivercrest’s defense, led by Latham, freshman linebacker Luke Barnett, and Harris, bent but did not break, coming up with the decisive stop in the waning moments. The win marked a significant early-season test for both programs, each showcasing explosive offenses and playmakers across the field.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter
Rivercrest – Jayden Young 9 run (Ellis kick), 7–0
Rivercrest – Young 2 run (Young run), 15–0
EPC – Quincy Perry 95 kickoff return (Buchanan pass), 15–8
Rivercrest – Jaden Ralph 34 pass to Young (kick failed), 21–8

2nd Quarter
EPC – Buchanan 10 run (run good), 21–16
EPC – Buchanan run (Gaines run), 24–21
Rivercrest – Young 20 pass to Harris (kick failed), 27–24

3rd Quarter
EPC – Perry 20 pass from Blagg (Buchanan run), 32–27
Rivercrest – Young 5 run (Young run), 35–32

4th Quarter
Rivercrest – Young 6 run (Ellis kick), 42–32
EPC – Perry pass from Blagg (Perry catch), 42–40
Rivercrest – Latham 12 run (run failed), 48–40
EPC – Gaines 10 pass from Blagg (conversion failed), 48–46

Standouts:

• Jayden Young, QB/S, Rivercrest – 6 total TDs

• Lexx Latham, RB/LB, Rivercrest – go-ahead TD, game-saving stop

• Quincy Perry, WR/DB, EPC – KR TD, receiving TD, two-point catch

• Jacob Gaines, RB, EPC – rushing TD, receiving TD, 2-pt run

• Dee Buchanan, RB, EPC – 2 rushing TDs, 2-pt run