FOOTBALL PREVIEW: North Duplin prepared for Rosman

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on November 17, 2016 9:57 AM

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CALYPSO -- Talking points.

They are a necessary evil for area varsity football coaches, whose season begins in August and, with any luck, can stretch through the holiday season -- 20 weeks.

Following a win, media members can expect to hear the virtues of team play and a sense of cautious optimism. After a loss, the opposite often rings clear.

But at this point, on the eve of the postseason play, there simply isn't much left to discuss.

Such is life for North Duplin, which opens the N.C. High School Association Class 1-A (small-school) playoffs tomorrow night as prohibitive favorites versus eighth-seeded Rosman, a perennial postseason team tucked in the southeast corner of the Pisgah National Forest.

And no, don't expect the one-and-done playoff stakes to turn ND head coach Hugh Martin into waxing philosophic about the road ahead.

For the Rebels, it's business as usual.

"We've got to get lined up and react to our keys," Martin said of his team's game plan. "They run a lot of different formations under center and gun, different sets."

What remains for North Duplin to discover, however, is the personnel used to direct them. Over the course of 12 games this fall, Rosman (2-9 overall) has lost 16 different players to injury -- a number capable of decimating even the most highly-skilled and diverse outfits.

"Their record really isn't indicative of who they are," Martin said of the Rosman roster. "(And) they're finally back now."

At full speed, the Tigers promote balance between the sticks, and are led by sophomore quarterback Luke Stewart. On the season, the signal-caller has thrown for 973 yards and five touchdowns.

When the Tigers aren't testing North Duplin through the air, they will run the luggage via a senior-laden, committee-based attack.

As has been the case all season, Rosman is likely to deploy its share of Tanner Whitman, Harper Reese, Neil Tesnow and Jonathan Holliday. In total, the quartet has accounted for 1,429 yards on a total of 375 combined carries this season -- numbers that constitute 97 percent of the Tigers' ground game.

North Duplin (7-4) also figures to stick with the script that got it here, which means heavy doses of its trademark option scheme. Helmed by junior Will Archer, the hashmark chewing Rebels have been prolific to close the season, winning seven of eight tilts after an 0-3 start.

Over that span, Archer has been especially brilliant, piling up 948 rushing yards and a staggering 15 touchdowns.

Joining him in the backfield will be green-and-gold stalwarts Colby Bass and Kenny Shepard, who is making his return to the team following a two-game absence.

All elements considered, it's just another week of quiet preparation for the number-one seeded Rebels -- exactly the way their coach likes it.

"We've had two good days," Martin said of his team's approach. "Enjoyed what we had done through Monday... then put it behind us and looked forward to what we've got coming up."

Kickoff is 7 p.m.