MERRY HILL – Going out in style.

Lawrence Academy’s football Class of 2012 did just that here Friday night as the Warriors celebrated Senior Night with a 50-8 thumping of Rocky Mount Academy in their final game on their home turf.

Head Coach Beau Drake’s team won their second straight contest on the gridiron after capitalizing on four Eagle turnovers. Lawrence closed the regular season 2-7 overall and will start play-off competition next Friday.

Lawrence moved the ball well on its first possession, but came up short on fourth down due to a bad snap and surrendered the ball on downs.

The Warrior defense, however, wasted no time getting the ball back as senior Daniel Swain picked off a Rocky Mount pass on the second play from scrimmage and returned it to the Eagle 31-yard line.

On the third play from scrimmage, quarterback Jesse White took the ball 25 yards to paydirt only to have it called back due to a block in the back.

With the ball then at the 24-yard line, Perry Wynns repeated the feat on the next play giving Lawrence the lead. White connected Logan Mizell on the two-point conversion and the Warriors led 8-0 with 8:01 to play in the first quarter.

The teams exchanged punts before Lawrence again came up with a turnover. This time it was Zach Eubanks who recovered a Rocky Mount fumble at the Lawrence 30-yardline.

This time it took the Warriors just one play to strike paydirt as White connected with Luke Leary on a 70-yard scoring strike. The conversion failed, but Lawrence led 14-0 with 3:48 to play in the first quarter.

The Warriors weren’t done scoring in the first period, however. After forcing Rocky Mount to surrender the ball on downs, White picked up 34 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Following an incomplete pass, he took off again, this time going 17 yards for the score. The conversion failed, but the Warriors had a comfortable 20-0 lead with 1:18 still to play in the first quarter.

Rocky Mount got off a good punt on their next possession, pinning the Warriors inside their own 15-yard line. It didn’t matter, however, as White scampered 85 yards on the second play from scrimmage. The conversion again failed, but Lawrence led 26-0 with 10:53 to play in the second period.

The next time the Warriors struck paydirt was again on a quick series. Following a Rocky Mount punt, Wynns went 39 yards for a score on the first play from scrimmage. White connected with Mizelle on the two-point conversion and Lawrence led 34-0 with 6:35 still to play in the first half.

Swain picked off his second pass of the game during the next Rocky Mount drive and Lawrence again made the visiting team pay for the miscue.

The Warriors drove 32 yards on just four plays capped by a 28-yard scoring pass from White to Mizelle. Eubanks added the two-point conversion and Lawrence led 42-0 with four minutes left in the first half.

That score stood up through the intermission where the seniors were recognized.

In the second half, the Warriors scored again on a big play. This time, after taking over on downs, it was Leary who scampered 42 yards to paydirt. Swain added the conversion and established the 50-0 lead for Lawrence.

Rocky Mount came back to score with 6:25 to play in the contest as the clock ran the entirety of the final two periods.

The Warriors will be on the road next week as the number seven seed in the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association eight-man playoffs. Their opponent was determined by the outcome of a game that had not reported as of press time.