Whale Branch roared into the second round of the Class 2A playoffs with a 36-10 win at Philip Simmons on Friday.
Jaylen Reeves rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, and Joseph Hicks added 68 yards and two TDs on 13 carries to lead the Warriors’ strong ground game. Jadon Grant added 82 yards on 16 carries, and JacQuez Frazier had 55 yards on nine attempts as Whale Branch rolled up 438 total yards — all on the ground.
Hicks staked the Warriors to a 14-0 halftime lead with two short touchdown runs, and Cliffton Major added a 3-yard TD in the third quarter to make it 21-0. Reeves added two TD runs of 25 and 32 yards in the fourth quarter to help Whale Branch pull away.
The Warriors’ defense was outstanding, allowing only five first downs as the Ironhorses’ scoring came on a field goal and a kickoff return touchdown.
Whale Branch (7-3) will host Oceanside Collegiate for a second-round matchup Friday. The Landsharks went undefeated in the regular-season but were forced to forfeit four games — including two region games — for using ineligible players, dropping them to the No. 4 seed.
