GOLDSBORO — The North Duplin Rebels opened their 2026 season on the road against the Rosewood Eagles, bringing plenty of energy and determination into their first matchup of the year. Despite ultimately falling 5-2, the Rebels showed flashes of strong play and continued to battle until the final whistle.
North Duplin struck first at the 15:39 mark of the opening half following a penalty on the Rosewood goalkeeper. The foul awarded the Rebels a free kick, with No. 7 Roberson Godinez stepping up and finding the back of the net to give North Duplin an early 1-0 advantage.
Rosewood answered quickly, scoring at the 12:49 mark to even the match at 1-1. The intensity continued to rise as both teams battled for possession and looked for opportunities to take control. At the 9:02 mark, the teams traded possession in a tightly contested stretch of play.
The Eagles eventually grabbed the advantage at the 7:34 mark when No. 17 Erick Zavala found the back of the net with a header following a corner kick from No. 3 Collin Gardner. Rosewood carried its 2-1 lead into halftime.
Halftime Score: North Duplin Rebels 1, Rosewood Eagles 2
Eagles Pull Away, But Rebels Refuse to Quit
North Duplin came out of halftime with an aggressive approach, looking to quickly erase the deficit. No. 5 Jerrson Lopez nearly provided the answer early in the second half, putting a shot toward goal that sailed just wide left.
Rosewood responded with a fast-moving attack and extended its lead to 3-1 at the 38:52 mark. The Rebels continued to fight for possession following the goal, but the Eagles maintained pressure and created several more opportunities.
The Eagles added another goal at the 24:19 mark, followed by a goal from No. 7 Drayden Harriott at the 20:10 mark, pushing Rosewood’s advantage to 5-1. Even with the game beginning to slip away, North Duplin continued to compete and refused to back down.
Rebels Find One More Goal Late
The Rebels’ persistence paid off at the 16:45 mark. A strong drive from No. 7 Roberson Godinez, set up by No. 11 Jaden Castillo, created an opportunity for North Duplin to capitalize on a miscommunication by the Eagles. The Rebels converted the chance and cut the deficit to 5-2.
North Duplin continued searching for another goal, including a corner kick from No. 8 Jose Reyes but the Rebels could not find the back of the net again. Rosewood also created another scoring opportunity late in the match, but a big save by the North Duplin goalkeeper kept the Eagles from adding to their total.
Rosewood ultimately secured the 5-2 victory, but the Rebels’ willingness to battle through the final minutes provided plenty of positives to build on as the season continues.
Final Score: North Duplin Rebels 2, Rosewood Eagles 5