North Duplin’s Donovan Armwood celebrates after intercepting a pass in a game earlier this season. Armwood is one of 13 seniors who played their final game in a loss against Lakewood on Friday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — The adage “it’s hard to beat a good team twice in the same season” proved true Friday evening.
Quarterback Reed Ammons tossed a pair of touchdown passes for Lakewood, which shocked North Duplin, 26-20, in round three of the NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A football playoffs.
The 10th-seeded Leopards (10-3 overall) avenged an early-season loss and are the guests of third-seeded Wilson Prep next Friday evening.
The second-seeded Rebels concluded the year 10-1.
“I told them just how proud I am of what they’ve done and how they’ve gone about the things they’ve done this year – not only in terms of the games on Friday, but the effort from what we’ve asked them to do in the offseason workouts and practice,” ND head coach Hugh Martin said.
“I’m mighty proud of the team they’ve worked to become, and as individuals, too, with the things they’ve done for us.”
Ammons distributed the ball well among his athletic backs – seniors Jaziah Brunson, Chris Carr and Nakai Owens; and sophomore Calvin Lacewell. Owens and Lacewell each provided a rushing touchdown. Brunson and Carr each hauled in a TD reception.
“Offensively, they executed better up front than they did the first time and we didn’t get off the blocks well,” Martin said. “We made some mistakes that we haven’t been making [lately], some penalties, couple of missed assignments here and there.
“They’re a good football team and took advantage.”
Despite fumbling on its first possession inside the Leopards’ 1-yard line, North Duplin struck first on its next drive.
Carell Phillips rambled in from the 5-yard line with 20 seconds left in the opening quarter. Barely two minutes into the second quarter, Ammons and Brunson answered with a 3-yard TD hookup.
Phillips’ 1-yard dive extended the Rebels’ advantage to 14-6.
A penalty kept Lakewood alive just before halftime. Ammons hooked up with Carr on a 50-yard scoring bomb that closed the gap to 14-12.
“It was a big sequence of plays [before the half],” Martin said. “Instead of being up two scores, it’s more of a close game. They finished the half strong, had energy coming off that [in the third]. We held our own a little bit here and there in the second half … still had some mistakes on some drives.”
Back-to-back scores from Lacewell and Owen pushed the Leopards in front 26-14. Phillips galloped 50 yards into the end zone with 2:02 left in regulation.
North Duplin got a defensive stop.
However, time ran out.
Phillips concluded the night with 211 yards on 31 carries. The junior finished the season with 1,931 yards and 31 TDs. He became just the second ND back to tally 30-plus touchdowns in a single season since Will Archer scored 34 in 2017.
Vance Carter collected 62 yards on 15 totes. Bryan Zambrano supplied a hard-earned 18 yards on five carries, while Noa Quintanilla contributed 10 yards on two rushes.
The loss marked final game at H.E. Grubbs Field for 13 seniors — Zambrano, Wesley Holmes, Anthony Kornegay, Luke Kelly, Donovan Armwood, Carlos Ramos, Marcus Hill, Victor Chilel, Isaac Davis, Jose Juarez, Gavin McClenny, Rahmear Gates and Ricky Castro.
The group helped lead North Duplin to its second consecutive Carolina 1A Conference championship and 10th overall in the league’s 50-year history.
“It’s been great,” Martin said. “The joy that they’ve [seniors] brought to practices and the workouts, it’s been a great group of young men to be with. It’s always hard when it ends.”
You may reach sports writer Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
Lakewood 26, North Duplin 20
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
ND — Phillips 5 run (Villalon kick), 0:20
Second Quarter
L — Brunson 3 pass from Ammons (kick blocked), 10:11
ND — Phillips 1 run (Villalon kick), 6:06
L — Carr 50 pass from Ammons (pass failed), 0:21
Third Quarter
L — Lacewell 4 run (Acosta kick), 5:13
Fourth Quarter
L — Owens 1 run (Acosta kick), 9:08
ND — Phillips 50 run (kick failed), 2:02
