WHITEVILLE — Ayden-Grifton saw a 20-point half time lead slip away but held off a furious Wolfpack rally to win 27-26 Friday night.
With the win, the Chargers advance to the third round of the 3A playoffs to face top seed James Kenan. James Kenan (10-1) defeated Wallace-Rose Hill 26-7 on Friday night. Whiteville, who went to the Eastern 2A Finals last year, saw their season come to an end at 7-4.
Whiteville got on the scoreboard first early in the second quarter when Sabeyon Shipman scored from four yards out to put Whiteville ahead with 10:56 left in the first quarter. Price Wheatley kicked the extra point to give the Pack a 7-0 advantage. Whiteville’s excitement quickly went away Nygel Morgan returned the kickoff 85 yards. Aaron Acensio kicked the PAT to tie the score 7-7.
Whiteville’s fortunes continued on the bad side as the Wolfpack fumbled the following Chargers’ kickoff at their own 33 yard line. Layolty Fuller ran for seven yards and ten yards after an incomplete pass, leading to quarterback Justin Fields running it in from 16 yards out to push the Chargers lead to 20-7 with 5:18 left in the second quarter. Whiteville then proceeded to give up a 55-yard interception to Ayden-Grifton’s Nygel Morgan to push the Charger lead 27-7 at the half. Acensio’s extra point kick was good.
Whiteville cut into the Chargers’ lead on their second drive of the half as Sabeyon Shipman found the end zone for the second time to cut the score to 27-14 with the Wheatley PAT with 5:55 left in the third quarter. Whiteville recovered a Chargers fumble on their next drive, and quarterback Layton McLean crossed the goal line from a yard away to cut the lead to 27-20 with 2:14 left on the clock in the third quarter. The PAT attempt failed.
Whiteville got the ball back as Brayden Davis recovered a fumble at the Charger 16-yard line before the end of the third quarter. The Pack took the lead early in the fourth quarter when Emanuel Kemp scored on a four-yard touchdown to cut Ayden-Grifton’s lead to 27-26 with 11:01 left in the game. The Wolfpack again failed on the extra point.
Whiteville had the ball deep in the Chargers’ territory with less than three minutes left in the game, only to have the Chargers intercept a pass at the nine-yard line to end the Wolfpack hopes of a comeback.
Whiteville finishes the season with a 7-4 record. The Wolfpack were Southeastern Conference Co-Champions during the 2025 season. Whiteville will lose 15 seniors to graduation this year.
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