North Duplin runs over Rosewood

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on October 30, 2010 11:09 PM

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North Duplin didn't just crash Rosewood's homecoming party.

The Rebels stole the show.

North Duplin rushed for 372 yards in its new-look, triple-option offense and claimed a 37-20 victory over Carolina 1-A Conference foe Rosewood at Branch Pope Field.

Fullback Julio Mora rushed for 166 yards and four touchdowns behind an offensive line that created running lanes all night. Fourteen of Mora's 33 carries went for five yards or more against an Eagles' defense missing four starters.

"Our offensive line did a real good job," said North Duplin head coach Hugh Martin. "Julio just had a super night running the ball. They sustained their blocks well and executed the scheme well. In the offense we're running now, the fullback kind of starts everything. It was there and we just kept feeding it to him."

The Rebels' first possession of the game ended in Mora's fumble and Will Winslow's return to the North Duplin 15-yard line. Shane Whitley scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line to give Rosewood a 7-0 lead.

Mora's 6-yard touchdown run and Jorge Juarez's missed extra point left the Rebels down 7-6 late in the first quarter.

Quarterback Marcus Kornegay's 1-yard run and his incomplete pass on a two-point conversion attempt gave North Duplin a 12-7 edge nearly four minutes into the second quarter.

The Rebels outgained the Eagles 259-119 in the first half and recovered two Rosewood fumbles. The second Eagles' turnover led to North Duplin's eight-play, 55-yard drive that culminated in Mora's 1-yard touchdown run. Kornegay's two-point conversion run failed and the Rebels led 18-7 late in the second quarter.

"We've changed our offense after the first couple of games this season," said Martin. "This is why we went to it. To establish ball control and try to sustain drives. That worked and it paid off for us."

Rosewood fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half and the Rebels recovered. Mora's 33-yard touchdown run gave North Duplin a 24-7 advantage two minutes into the third quarter.

"We knew coming in that they were going to be tough offensively," said Eagles head coach Robert Britt. "Once we got adjusted, we started making some plays defensively, but the turnovers killed us. We gave a team that's pretty good offensively more possessions than they deserve."

Jamie Wooten's 27-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-22 pulled the Eagles to within 24-14 midway through the third quarter. Later in the quarter, Mora scored on a 1-yard run to keep the Rebels comfortably ahead 30-14.

Kornegay's 1-yard score early in the fourth quarter extended the margin to 37-14. Rosewood quarterback Taylor McGill tossed a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jyhkia Applewhite as time expired.

The Eagles (3-7 overall, 1-3 CC) could have a clinched a playoff berth with a victory. Rosewood concludes regular-season play Nov. 5 at archrival Princeton. North Duplin (3-7, 1-3) plays host to Spring Creek.

"We have a big game next week and homecoming's over now," said Britt. "Princeton's one of our biggest rivals. There's a lot on the line again."