Princeton hoping for redemption versus Lakewood

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 24, 2016 12:14 AM

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SALEMBURG -- The often-coined phrase "you don't get a second chance to make a first impression" doesn't apply to everyday life.

It's one shot and you're done.

Not in Princeton's case.

Embarrassed in their previous meeting, which cost them the outright Carolina 1-A Conference regular-season championship, the Bulldogs can get redemption Friday at Lakewood.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. between the two Mideast Region seeds in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-AA (large-school) football playoffs.

"We have another shot at them to make up for our lack of performance when we played them earlier," PHS head coach Travis Gaster said. "We didn't give them our best shot and I think they gave us a really good shot.

"It will be interesting to see how we match up."

Princeton experienced an unwelcomed perfect storm when the teams met less than a month ago at Harvey Brooks Field. The athletic and speed-rich Leopards (9-3 overall) converted touchdowns off a kickoff return, a fake punt and a reverse pass.

The Bulldogs turned the boss loose twice inside Lakewood's 15-yard line.

Painful to watch, the film proved a valuable learning tool.

"It was good that it happened because we learned from it," Gaster said. "They were very well schemed, so I know they are going to be very well schemed (again)."

Lakewood hangs its helmet on its defense.

The Leopards yield just 11 points a game and have logged two shutouts in their last three outings, and four overall this season. The linebackers are big-bodied, smash-mouth players who can move and tackle very well.

Gaster said it's "Riverside again."

Will it be the same outcome?

That charge belongs to Princeton's offense, which controlled the clock for more than 30 minutes and ran a total of 80 plays against the Knights. Quarterback Adam Crocker directed five offensive series that lasted nine plays or longer.

The constant pounding by Earl Gibson Jr. up the middle, Trace James off tackle and Matt Stallworth at any spot on the field physically wore out -- and frustrated -- the Riverside defense.

"That's how it always is at Princeton," Crocker said.

Princeton has compiled 5,087 yards of total offense and rang up 70 touchdowns on the scoreboard this season. Gibson Jr. and Stallworth have combined for 3,854 yards and 57 TDs.

So, no turnovers.

Stay between the sticks, not behind them.

Make the play-calling simple, especially on third down.

"We want to hold the ball as long as we have to in order to score (but) not score too fast," Gaster said. "It's not score a lot of points. It's to score one point more than they do."