North Duplin faces confidence-gaining Princeton

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on October 23, 2015 1:48 PM

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bdavis@newsargus.com

Back-to-back victories over Hobbton and Spring Creek in mid-October doesn't have Princeton's football team jumping for joy.

They're too busy preparing for Friday's game with North Duplin.

"I don't think we'd be too excited. I'm pretty tough on the boys," Bulldogs head coach Travis Gaster said. "(It's) pretty easy to watch film and come back down to reality, and realize we have a lot to work on and get better doing."

Princeton's offense held a 19-minute advantage in the second half against Spring Creek. The Bulldogs scored the game's final 22 points after trailing 12-6 at halftime.

"We're preparing well," Gaster said. "We had yesterday (and) made our corrections from Friday night's game (against Spring Creek) and going into North Duplin (this Friday).

"They (Rebels) run a different defense than we've seen so we have adjustments to do on offense."

Though the Rebels' defense allowed 46 points against James Kenan and 55 against Rosewood in consecutive weeks, head coach Hugh Martin believes his team is improving defensively -- and offensively -- as it prepares for Princeton.

"Defensively, we're working trying to fit everybody together," Martin said. "Sometimes we lose the big picture (with) who we fit in on defense. We're still working on that.

"We've improved as a team offensively a lot. The offensive line did a lot of real good things Friday night (against Rosewood)."

North Duplin (2-6 overall, 0-3 CC) and Rosewood combined for 1,001 yards of total offense in their shootout last Friday. Terrion Addison rushed for a career-high 189 yards for the Rebels, who put 42 points on the board.

But there's plenty still at stake.

A third league win all but assures Princeton (2-5, 2-1) of a postseason berth. Another loss further damages the Rebels' chances of earning a playoff bid.