North Duplin senior running back DuJuan Armwood (with ball) is brought down by a number of Pamlico County tacklers during first-half action Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Rahmear Gates (22) and teammate DuJuan Arwmood, right, bring down a Pamlico County runner in their opening-round 1A playoff game Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Running back Carell Phillips provided one touchdown for North Duplin, which snapped a five-game skid in the playoffs dating to 2017. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin junior defensive end Isaac Davis (59) attempts to bring down Pamlico County running back Jayden Williams in the backfield. Williams momentarily escaped Davis before his teammates came to the rescue seconds later. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior tackle Jose Aleman Rodriguez lays a crushing blow on Pamlico County sophomore outside linebacker Trey Munford (4) as Carell Phillips (background) slips into the open crease during second-half action Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Vance Carter (14) and Lucas Dail (26) celebrate after an opening-round, 35-27 victory over Pamlico County in the NC High School Athletic Association 1A state football playoffs Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — “Please, let us get ahold of the ball,” thought North Duplin head football coach Hugh Martin as Pamlico County moved inside the red zone late in the fourth quarter Friday evening.
Martin’s hopes became reality.
The Hurricanes unloaded a bad snap and recovered the ball near midfield. On the next play, the Rebels’ defense broke up a last-gasp, fourth-down heave at the goal line.
“We were so close to getting a stop earlier [in the drive],” Martin said. “I just felt like the odds were going to get in our favor because we were so close. I just wanted to have that chance.”
North Duplin took over and ran out the final 87 seconds to seal a nail-biting — and hair-raising — 35-27 victory in round one of the NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A playoffs.
The eighth-seeded Rebels entertain ninth-seeded Southeast Halifax next Friday at H.E. Grubbs Field. Kick-off is 7 p.m.
The Rebels defeated four Coastal Plains 1A-2A opponents during non-conference play — regular-season champ Northside, Southside, Lejeune and Jones Senior.
Pamlico posed plenty of problems.
An early-season injury took senior quarterback Antoine King out of the lineup. Offensive responsibilities fell on fellow seniors Jayden Williams and Tyler Stevens during a six-game stretch — all losses.
“That late run they made with those three wins, he’s [King] been back there,” Martin said. “He’s a heckuva athlete, a heckuva runner. That frees up No. 8 [Williams] to do things in the backfield, too. Obviously, we had a hard time tackling him.
“They play with a lot of heart, we play with a lot of heart … just a good high school football game. We’re grateful to be where we are.”
The two run-oriented teams slugged it out in the trenches.
Williams and Stevens powered the 25th-seeded Hurricanes’ offense with significant gains that moved the sticks. Williams found the end zone twice, while Stevens hit paydirt to create a 14-14 deadlock at halftime.
DuJuan Armwood, Carell Phillips and Bryan Zambrano countered for the Rebels. Armwood busted loose on touchdown runs of 26 and 63 yards. Zambrano turned a fullback dive into a 24-yard scoring gallop.
Just 18 seconds into the final period, Pamlico knotted the contest at 27-27 on Antoine King’s 11-yard TD strike from King.
Just under four minutes later, Phillips provided the game-deciding TD — a 16-yard run with 8:13 left in regulation.
Martin gushed over his team’s response each time PC rang up a touchdown on the scoreboard.
“That’s a lot of heart and determination by our guys and the playmakers that we’ve got, DuJuan and Carell,” Martin said. “Once they get through that first crease, that first wave of blockers, they’re out and able to carry it the distance. When we have those chances and it’s in their hands, a lot of good things have happened for us.
“That was true tonight.”
Armwood returned a kickoff 84 yards to house at the one-minute mark in the opening quarter. The senior boosted his season total 25 touchdowns (24 rushing) and increased his point-scoring total to 172.
North Duplin stopped a five-game skid in opening-round playoff games since 2017 when it reached the state 1A title game.
“We get to spend another week with these young men, keep them together another week,” a misty-eyed Martin said. “They’re a very special group for lots of reasons and that’s the first thing that comes to my mind. They uplift me tremendously as a coach and as a person. We’re loving on them, taking care of them at the same time.
“They’ve been a tremendous group in terms of the work they’ve put in for us [this season].”
North Duplin 35, Pamlico County 27
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
ND — Armwood 26 run (kick failed), 7:01
PC — Williams 1 run (Brantley kick), 1:13
ND — Armwood 84 kickoff return (Armwood run), 1:00
Second Quarter
PC — Stevens 21 run (Brantley kick), 10:29
Third Quarter
ND — Armwood 63 run (Reyna kick), 10:53
PC — Williams 9 run (Brantley kick), 8:35
ND — Zambrano 27 run (kick failed), 7:07
Fourth Quarter
PC — Lane 11 pass from King (kick failed), 11:42
ND — Phillips 16 run (Zambrano run), 8:13
