Wheatmore wins in first round of football playoffs

MILLERS CREEK — Connor Benton scored a touchdown on a 16-yard run in the fourth quarter to lift Wheatmore past host West Wilkes 21-14 in Friday night’s Class 3A state playoff game, with the Warriors winning a postseason game for the first time since 2018.

Benton earlier threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Bentley Mills and Gavin McPherson ran 6 yards for a touchdown.

Wheatmore (3-8), seeded No. 22 in the West Region, visits sixth-seeded Walkertown (8-1) in the second round.

Benton threw for 224 yards, Mills collected 140 receiving yards on five catches and McPherson rushed for 82 yards on 22 carries.

No. 11 seed West Wilkes (7-4) trailed 14-7 at halftime.