Clinton hands South Lenoir fourth straight loss, 37-6
DEEP RUN - Christian Wooten rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown, but South Lenoir managed only six points in a 37-6 loss to Clinton on Friday night.
The Blue Devils finished with 285 yards of offense in their fourth consecutive loss, falling to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in the East Central 3A/4A Conference. Clinton improved to 5-2 and 2-0.
Wooten carried 17 times and averaged 5.9 yards per attempt. His third 100-yard rushing performance of the season accounted for nearly half of South Lenoir's 206 rushing yards. He also completed 6 of 12 passes for 79 yards with one interception, giving him 180 yards rushing and passing.
Michael Jones added 44 yards on eight carries, while Jayden Jones ran 10 times for 43 yards. William Heath finished with 18 yards on six attempts. South Lenoir averaged 5 yards on its 41 rushing attempts, with Wooten scoring the team's lone touchdown.
Jaylen Stallworth led the receivers with two catches for 56 yards, an average of 28 yards per reception. He accounted for nearly 71% of the Blue Devils' receiving yardage. Jayden Jones caught three passes for 13 yards, finishing with 56 yards from scrimmage, and Jayden Mason added a 10-yard reception.
Stallworth also attempted one pass, which was incomplete. South Lenoir finished 6 of 13 through the air. The Blue Devils gained 10 more total yards than in their 32-26 loss to Heide Trask a week earlier, but scored 20 fewer points against Clinton.
The six points were South Lenoir's fewest since a 57-0 loss to Eastern Wayne on Sept. 11. Clinton has allowed 26 points in its first two conference games after beating Pender 41-20 on Oct. 2.
The Blue Devils began the season 3-0, outscoring Jones Senior, North Lenoir and Lejeune by a combined 76-32. They have been outscored 177-54 during the four-game losing streak, which also includes a 51-22 loss to Kinston.
Wooten now has 649 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, along with 393 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Jayden Jones has 465 rushing yards and Michael Jones has 254. Stallworth leads South Lenoir with 19 catches for 299 yards and three touchdowns.
South Lenoir travels to Pender on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. The Patriots are 2-5 and 0-2 in the conference after a 30-28 loss to Southwest Onslow. The Blue Devils then visit Southwest Onslow on Oct. 23 and host East Duplin on Oct. 30, both at 7 p.m. The Stallions are 2-5; the Panthers are 6-1.
Big Red Sports Network's Oct. 10 projection, updated at 7:02 p.m., places South Lenoir at No. 19 in the 3A East, paired with No. 14 Northwood if the season ended at that point. Both are listed at 3-4.
The projection is unofficial, and South Lenoir has not clinched that seed or matchup. The NCHSAA's bracketing date is Oct. 31, with the first round scheduled for Nov. 6.
