North Duplin senior running back DuJuan Armwood (left) stiff-arms Southeast Haifax linebacker Xavier Hayward on the way to the end zone Friday evening. Armwood scored all three touchdowns in the Rebels’ season-ending, 26-21 loss to the Trojans in round two of the NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A football playoffs. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — A late fourth-quarter gamble worked in North Duplin’s favor Friday evening. However, the Rebels could have used some extra ticks on the clock.
“Just a little bit more time,” said ND head coach Hugh Martin, who choked back his emotions after a season-ending 26-21 loss to Southeast Halifax in round two of the NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A football playoffs.
Leading 26-21, the Trojans forced a punt and gained possession with 7:13 left in regulation. The Tar-Roanoke Conference runners-up converted a couple of third-down plays, which forced Martin to burn two timeouts.
As precious seconds faded away, Southeast received a 15-yard dead-ball penalty after finishing a third-down play. Martin elected to decline the penalty and the Trojans went for it on fourth down.
North Duplin strong safety Wesley Holmes picked off a pass in the end zone. The turnover set up the Rebels’ offense at their own 20-yard line.
A running play netted just three yards. Junior quarterback Luke Kelly rolled out of the pocket and connected with DuJuan Armwood, who leapt over a Trojan defender. He couldn’t keep his balance.
“DuJuan doesn’t stumble and he might break that, who knows?” Martin said.
The Rebels reached the Trojans’ 23-yard line.
Southeast dug in defensively, intercepted Kelly and set up a third-round date with perennial prep juggernaut Tarboro High next Friday.
“We certainly gave ourselves a chance getting close,” Martin said. “Another minute up there [on the clock] and maybe we can just keep doing what we had been doing.”
The teams battled to a 14-14 tie at halftime.
Armwood tallied touchdowns on runs of one and five yards.
Southeast quarterback Trayvese Silver broke off a 42-yard scoring run, while backfield mate Demarcus Sterling rambled in from the 6.
Armwood gave North Duplin its last lead, 21-14, on a five-yard scamper midway through the third quarter. The senior quarterback concluded the season with 27 rushing TDs.
The Trojans (10-2 overall) climbed to within 21-20 on Silver’s 59-yard strike to senior wide receiver Rodney Johnson. They took the lead on Silver’s 17-yard TD ramble on a third-and-12 play barely one minute into the final period.
Silver’s score occurred after the officials took a fumble recovery away from the Rebels, who had coughed up the pigskin late in the third quarter.
“The official said there was a face-mask penalty by us prior to the turnover,” Martin said. “That was a key series right there. I felt like we had momentum to be able to maybe punch that one in. That’s part of what happens in football.”
Though the Trojans’ offense had two explosive plays that led to scores, Martin applauded his team’s focus, intensity and effort on both sides of the ball. The Rebels concluded the year with a 9-3 worksheet that included a share of the Carolina 1A regular-season title — the program’s first league championship since 2017.
The loss marked the end of 12 seniors’ prep careers – Armwood, Khamari Leak, Branden Reyna, Jose Aleman, Jonathan Nieves, Colby Holtz, Thomas Morrisey, Kaden Turner, Oscar Romero, Sam Henderson, Jacob Kelly and Mason Dixon.
“We had a huge amount of fight in this [game] and a huge amount of desire to keep this team together for another week,” Martin said. “That’s a broken-hearted bunch right now because they don’t get to be together next week. I’m just real pleased with what this group of young men has done from the end of last season when they walked off this field through now.
“I’m elated with their commitment and how they have taken care of one another. They showed up and worked, loved on me and we tried to love on them. We’ve got a great family right here.”
Southeast Halifax 26, North Duplin 21
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
SEH — Silver 42 run (Demery run), 10:12
ND — Armwood 1 run (run failed), 1:02
Second Quarter
SEH — Sterling 6 run (run failed), 11:13
ND — Armwood 5 run (Phillips pass from Kelly), 5:18
Third Quarter
ND — Armwood 5 run (Reyna kick), 5:59
SEH — Johnson 59 pass from Silver (run failed), 3:58
Fourth Quarter
SEH — Silver 17 run (pass failed), 11:01
