ELKIN — South Stokes was hoping to pick up their first win of the season against Northwest 1A Conference opponent Elkin but fell 28-13 on Sept. 20 after being picked to win by most experts including simmonsratings.com who has a 78 percent prediction rate.
Elkin scored two touchdowns in the opening quarter with the first being a 5-yard touchdown run by Rhet Pardue with 7:16 remaining in the period. Djimon Brown added the two-point conversion pushing the score to 8-0.
The Elks forced the Sauras into a punting situation on their next possession and a block punt by Brown allowed Karson Phillps to scoop the ball at the 25 yard line and return it for the score. After the two-point pass fail incomplete, Elkin was up 14-0 six minutes into the game.
The Sauras settled into their offense at the end of the first quarter and into the second. Facing a fourth and goal from the 14 yard line, quarterback Connor Cox found Parker Barron over the middle for the team’s first touchdown. Barron’s extra-point kick made it 14-7 at the half.
Elkin added to their score on Pardue’s second touchdown of the game with a 51-yard run with 4:45 left in the third quarter. Lucas Keller’s kick made it 21-7.
The teams traded punts going into the fourth quarter, but it was the Elks that made the defensive play when they needed to. South Stokes was starting from their own 20 yard line when Pardue picked off Cox’s pass and returned the interception 23-yards giving Elkin a 28-7 advantage after Keller’s point after attempt.
South Stokes responded to the Elks’ score with a 4-play drive when Cox found Elijah Tyler for a 46-yard touchdown reception with five minutes left in the game.
Elkin was able to pick up four first downs in the final minutes of the contest to secure their first win of the season.
Elkin totaled 272 yards of offense with 229 coming on the ground. South Stokes gained 122 yards in the game with 149 coming through the air.
Pardue rushed for 144-yards on 18 carries with 2TDs. He was 5-for-8 with 43 yards passing.
Tyler paced the Sauras offense with three catches for 59-yards and a TD, and Barron recorded two catches for 29-yards and a TD. Cox was 15-of-25 passing with 149 yards and 2TDs.
Noseguard Justin Joyce and linebacker Blaine Ellis paced South Stokes with eight tackles each.
South Stokes falls to 0-5 overall and 0-1 in league play. Elkin improved to 1-3 and 1-0. The Sauras will host East Wilkes (4-0, 0-0) on Sept. 27, while the Elks will travel to North Stokes (2-3, 0-1).
Elkin 28, South Stokes 13
South Stokes 0 7 0 6 — 13
Elkin 14 0 7 7 — 28
Scoring
First Quarter
Elkin (7:16) — Rhet Pardue 5-yard run, Djimon Brown run (0-8)
Elkin (6:00) — Karson Phillips 25-yard punt return, pass failed (0-14)
Second Quarter
SS (9:01) — Parker Barron 14-yard reception from Connor Cox, Barron kick (7-14)
Third Quarter
Elkin (4:45) — Pardue 51-yard rushing, Lucas Keller kick (7-21)
Fourth Quarter
Elkin (7:15) — Pardue 23-yard interception return, Keller kick (7-28)
SS (5:00) — Elijah Tyler 46-yard reception from Cox, pass failed (13-28)
Individual Statistics
Elkin
Rushing: Rhet Pardue 18-144, 2TDs, Julian Figueroa 2-10, Djimon Brown 1-0, Drew Kupner 14-75
Passing: Rhet Pardue 5-8-0, 43-yards, Zachary Stuart 0-1-0, 0-yards
Receptions: Djimon Brown 5-43
South Stokes
Rushing: Keyman Brown 7-4, Amari Conrad 7-4, Connor Cox 3-(-15)
Passing: Connor Cox 15-25-2, 149-yards, 2TDs
Receptions: Desian Leeper 2-20, Keymani Brown 7-28, Elijah Tyler 3-59, TD, Nick Turner 1-13, Parker Barron 2-29, TD
Records: South Stokes 0-5 (1-0), Elkin 1-3 (1-0)
