North Duplin --A Season in Review, Part IV

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on December 8, 2017 5:53 AM

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CALYPSO -- When the N.C. High School Athletic Association debuted its 1A playoff brackets following the conclusion of week 12, an old acquaintance appeared at the outset of North Duplin's championship road map.

Southside. Again.

It proved to be no matter, however, and the tired maxim around it being difficult to beat someone more than once in a season no jinx.

On Nov. 17, before a partisan green-and-gold assemblage could get its seat cushions warm, the duo of William Archer and Kenny Sheppard took off, helping the hosts to 14 points in the opening quarter and a 28-0 lead at the break.

A prize fight of similar proportion would have certainly been curtailed.

Archer filed a now-typical night, finishing with 112 yards on 21 carries and three scores, while running mate Kenny Sheppard picked up 113 hashmarks and scored a pair of touchdowns.

Defensively, the Rebels were downright rude, making 78 tackles as a team and allowing the Seahawks just 121 yards on the ground.

In total, at least six players -- Dylan Jones, Wilfredo Puac, David Price, JJ Hidalgo, Zander Martinez and Sheppard -- recorded at least half a dozen take-downs.

North Duplin 42,

Pamlico County 14

Pitch it, pull it, or keep it?

That three-part line of scrimmage pop-quiz troubled Pamlico all night, as the senior trio of Archer, Sheppard and Colby Bass played a game of whodunit with the luggage, racking up 414 yards on the ground and touching paint six times. 

"(Our) offensive line was outstanding," Rebel head coach Hugh Martin said. "All three backs ran very hard... defense settled in after the first few minutes and played well after that."

Per usual, Arthur Pigford led the Gang Green defensive charge, accumulating nine tackles and a sack of elusive Pamlico signal-caller Jarqez Jones.

Next up, Plymouth.

North Duplin 12,

Plymouth 6

At 7:27 p.m., the North Duplin Rebels won the coin toss at midfield and elected to receive.

Two hours and three minutes later, the group gathered in victory formation at its own 38-yard line and stamped out a berth in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A championship game.

Tears flowed.

A parade of students, coaches, volunteers, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and media members milled about in varying degrees of social exchange.

By 10:05 p.m., with the celebration now largely a fade-route, one last Rebel left the field and slowly walked to the winning locker room. 

William Archer was done asking about Cherokee.