Rather than wait until the end of the regular season to play each other, Gray Collegiate and White Knoll held its Week 4 contest Wednesday in the Wolf's Den. 
With both teams idled this Friday, this not only gave them a 9-day break before their Week 6 contests. The Timberwolves and War Eagles would also have a 'bye' prior to the first-round of the playoffs, which were pushed back a week by the S.C. High School League. 
White Knoll showed little rust from the 12-day layoff forced by Hurricane Florence. Getting three touchdowns each from quarterback Aveon Smith and running back Jamias Holloway and three interceptions by Emori Mills, the Timberwolves rolled to a 48-0 victory.
It was the fourth straight win for White Knoll (4-1), matching the same start it had in 2016 when it finished with a school-best nine victories. Smith was 9-13 passing for 136 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a score and 72 yards, one more than Holloway. 
The Timberwolves also collected five turnovers, four on interceptions of War Eagles' quarterback Hunter Helms, and held the War Eagles to 27 rushing yards. They also got a touchdown off a blocked punt by David Kinard. 
After expressing concern about the team's youth entering the season, head coach Dean Howell was singing a different tune after the win.
"It's been hard," he said. "We've been struggling a little bit with keeping people healthy. But people keep stepping up and young people are getting an opportunity and it's fun to watch these guys grow up."
White Knoll's first three scores were set up by turnovers. The first two scores were set up by interceptions by Mills of quarterback Hunter Helms, resulting touchdown runs of 30 and 14 yards, respectively, by Jamias Holloway and Smith. 
Kinard made it 21-0 to start the second quarter after blocking Jack Wood's punt and returning it 13 yards for a touchdown.
Holloway's second rushing touchdown came with 5:44 left in the first half on a 6-yard run. Just before halftime, the Timberwolves' Jacob Bannister recovered a fumble at the Gray Collegiate 31 and scored with 12 seconds left on Smith's 5-yard touchdown pass to Darius Derrick-Jones.
Smith and Holloway hooked up for their final touchdown midway in the third quarter. Holloway caught Smith's short pass and scampered 38 yards through the War Eagles' defense for the touchdown.
Luis Orellano had his lone miss of seven PAT attempts to keep the score at 41-0. 
Reserve quarterback Jaelin Gray closed out the scoring midway in the fourth quarter. He lofted a 28-yard touchdown pass to Braxton Evans in the right corner of the endzone.
White Knoll opens Region 5-5A play at home Sept. 28 against Lexington. Gray Collegiate (1-4) will close out its non-region schedule the same night at Lamar.