James Kenan quarterback Eli Avent looks for an open receiver during a recent game. The junior signal caller accounted for a career-high 310 all-purpose yards offensively against East Duplin on Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
BEULAVILLE — Need a poker partner?
Give Tim Grady a call.
The James Kenan head football coach had carefully kept his hand close to the vest for four weeks. He finally revealed “the card” Friday evening — quarterback Eli Avent.
The junior signal caller amassed a career-high 306 yards of total offense during the Tigers’ 43-20 shellacking of county nemesis East Duplin.
“Eli is a lot more athletic than he’s been given credit for [and] he’s continued to develop as an athlete by the day,” Grady said. “We just noticed that his feet are getting so much quicker. To be honest, it’s a package we’ve been working on and haven’t shown, although I wanted to last week [against East Bladen].
“We knew we were developing a perimeter team with Tyquise and other guys in the slot position. It paid off that we didn’t show our hand [earlier] … a good decision by our coaching staff.”
Avent completed 11 of 14 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown. He distributed passes to four different receivers, mainly to Wilson, who hauled in four receptions for 96 yards.
On the ground, Avent rambled for 122 yards on 17 carries and found the end zone on three occasions.
“I was able to get it to our best athletes and they were able to make plays,” Avent said. “When you get it into their hands and they can make people miss, that how it happens. We played a good game overall, played as a team. The line blocked really good, the defense played really good.
“When that happens, you’re going to win games.”
James Kenan held a precarious 21-20 advantage heading into the final quarter. The offensive and defensive units increased their intensity level and enabled the Tigers to snap a five-game skid against the Panthers.
David Zeleya picked off two passes and returned one to the house. Zamarion Smith added a “scoop and score.”
On the night, James Kenan collected 21 points on East Duplin turnovers. The defense held the Panthers to zero yards on three pass completions and yielded 222 yards on the ground inside Charles Richard Powers Field.
“It was a hard-fought battle, then we kind of broke loose,” Grady said. “[It] was closer than the score reflected a majority of the game. I told someone East Duplin would come back on us and I never doubted our kids. We really hammered the nail.”
Jeremiah Hall emerged as the Tigers’ second-leading rusher with 56 yards on eight carries. Wilson, Imir Sanders and Josh Mitchell also toted the rock.
CJ Hill, Zeleya and Terrell Allen logged one reception apiece.
Picked fifth in the preseason East Central 2A coaches poll, the Tigers are 5-0 heading into next week’s home outing against South Lenoir. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Bill Taylor Field.
“[We’re] definitely a complete football team [now],” Grady said. “The defense was toting us on our shoulders and to see the offense moving in the right direction, it’s just great. These kids are growing. They’re not questioning, they’re trusting.”
You may reach sports writer Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
