After a crazy week, full of cancelations and rescheduling for Portsmouth Christian, the Patriots finally got to play ball. While the final score pleased PCS fans, there is still work to do.

Six touchdowns by running back Bubba Thomas and two from quarterback Chase Harsh led the Patriots to their 55-0 win over Southern Wake out of North Carolina.

On Monday, PCS was gearing up for Fredericksburg Christian, but by Tuesday they were game-planning for Fork Union Military Academy. That wasn't the only audible called, though.

In the end, Fork Union canceled and PCS picked up Southern Wake, a team very much unknown to Patriots Head Coach Josh Blalock and staff until they got game film on Friday.

That short time didn't change what Blalock expected to see out of his team. With transfers like 2021 offensive lineman Omega Williams (formerly of Life Christian and Oscar Smith) and 2022 offensive lineman Toriono Combs (formerly of Deep Creek) along with 2024 wide receiver Asaad Brown, Blalock expected a lot out of the Patriots.

While a 55-0 victory looks good on paper, Harsh did throw an interception, there was a fumble on a handoff in the red zone, plus some costly penalties that, in a game against a more seasoned opponent, could have held PCS back.

"To be honest, it's a learning experience," Blalock acknowledged. "We knew it was going to be sloppy, but we were really sloppy today. We came out focused and scored on our first two possessions and then got real sloppy and winded going both ways."

With seven touchdowns and a safety, both the offense and defense showed up to play against the Crusaders, who never made it to the red zone.

Nevertheless, there is still work to be done for PCS as they have two weeks off before their next game.

"I think I would probably give them (the team) a C maybe," Blalock commented. "The circumstances were hard when we were preparing for Fredericksburg and they backed out. Then we thought we were playing Fork Union and prepared for them. Now we are playing a team that we have no clue what they are going to do. We played really good in areas, but we struggled in areas.

"We have a lot to do. We can get so much better."

Omega Williams, who was officially cleared to play late this week, looked stellar on the offensive line and played some defensive line, with two pass breakups and plenty of pressure on Southern Wake's quarterbacks. Combs also was solid on the offensive line, and Assad Brown showed flashes of star potential at receiver and corner for the Patriots. By game's end, Brown caught five balls for 71 yards.

QB Chase Harsh: 10-13, 137 yards, 2 TDs, int

RB Bubba Thomas: 190 yards, 6 TDs

WR Taijon Yorkshire: 3 rec, 42 yards, TD, int, forced fumbles

WR Assad Brown: 5 rec, 71 yards