North Duplin head coach Hugh Martin listens in the background as assistant coach Brad Rhodes (middle) talks with the team. The Rebels defeated Northside, 21-7, on Thursday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
YEATESVILLE — iPad in hand, North Duplin head football coach Hugh Martin pulled Carell Phillips aside Friday morning.
“Look at this,” Martin said. “You better buy him a hamburger or something. He’s the reason you broke this play.”
Martin hit the play button.
Phillips watched as he took the handoff from quarterback Luke Kelly and followed lineman Isaac Davis. The senior opened a sizable gap that allowed Phillips to gallop 62 yards to the end zone.
“He wasn’t touched until he got 10 yards down the field … made a move on the defender who tried to come in at his legs,” Martin said.
The long run ignited a strong outing for North Duplin’s offensive unit during its 21-7 conquest of Pinetown Northside on Thursday evening. The Rebels won their third straight over the Panthers.
Martin said the Rebels moved the ball well consistently.
“We had two drives stall out and a turnover that limited some scoring opportunities for us,” Martin said. “We were able to control the offensive line up front. We had numerous running backs with touches who had really good runs.
“It was good to see them have some production as well because it was a hot game, so we subbed out early and often as we could.”
North Duplin added TD runs of 18 and 1 yard to build a 21-0 lead at halftime. Northside pitched a second-half shutout, but couldn’t build any offensive momentum.
“Defensively, we played similarly to the week we did before,” Martin said. “We ran to the ball really well and I thought our tackling was pretty good, especially for this early in the year. It was a great effort against a good football team.
“Northside has been a good football team for years. We were able to limit a little bit of what they could do and they hurt themselves a little bit, too.”
The Rebels won back-to-back games in the series since taking three straight victories from 2007, 2008 and 2013. The teams did not play from 2009-2012.
Northside holds an 8-7 edge since 2007.
North Duplin (2-0 overall) returns to action Sept. 13 at Lejeune. Kickoff is 7 p.m. in Jacksonville.
You may reach Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
