North Duplin falls at Lejeune

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 23, 2013 11:43 PM

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CAMP LEJEUNE -- North Duplin controlled the clock.

The Rebels just couldn't get into the zone.

Senior scatback Jamaz Richardson crossed the 2,000-yard plateau for the season and Lejeune pulled away for a 28-12, second-round victory in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A Mideast Region playoffs Friday evening.

"Defensively, I thought their defense was real good ... a key difference other than 23 (Richardson)," North Duplin head coach Hugh Martin said. "We couldn't finish, couldn't break the run we needed somewhere, which we don't always, but usually we keep getting the threes, fours, fives (yards) that we want.

"We could not quite do that enough tonight."

The fifth-seeded Rebels (5-8 overall) controlled the clock and held a 12-minute advantage in time of possession. They ran 23 more offensive plays than the top-seeded Devilpups, collected 18 first downs and led 297-290 in total offense.

North Duplin, however, converted just one possession inside Lejeune's 25-yard line. A turnover on downs and a fumbled pitch ended two drives in the first and fourth quarters, respectively.

Daron Goodman scored on a 5-yard touchdown run on the game's final play. The senior running back, who ranks among the area's rushing leaders, capped his prep career with a 184-yard effort on 37 carries.

"I was trying to let Daron get some runs in there and give him one more shot (at the end zone)," Martin said. "He had a couple of good runs in that mix (of plays) ... punched it in."

The Rebels stopped the Devilpups (12-1) on their first possession -- a 20-play drive that ended on downs at the North Duplin 7. A shanked punt led to Lejeune's first touchdown, a 10-yard scoring strike from Daxton Derrick to Brady Bodine midway through the second quarter.

North Duplin pulled to within 7-6 on James Britt's 39-yard touchdown pass to Cedrick Kornegay before the Devilpups' Richardson got into the scoring act.

The diminutive and speedy back galloped 57 yards to the end zone on the first play of the second half after the Devilpups recovered an onside kick. Richardson cranked out 202 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries for the game.

"He was gone," said Martin as he shook his head. "We got misaligned a little bit right there. Even if we had been lined up right, he hit it so well I don't know if we'd had gotten him anyhow.

"He's just good."

Richardson added a 55-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

Lejeune earned its fourth postseason win over North Duplin in five tries, but trails 9-7 in the all-time series.