ELIZABETHTOWN—East Bladen jumped to a 20-0 lead only to fight to hold off North Duplin 40-35 in a key Carolina Conference win on Friday night.
East Duplin was an early favorite to challenge Tarboro in the Eastern 2A Championship bracket but now finds themselves 0-2 in the conference and 3-2 on the season with a two-game losing streak.
The dynamic duo for East Bladen in the backfield were the difference in the ballgame. Riley Collins ran for 189 yards on the night with a touchdown with Jaden Lewis adding 115 yards and three touchdowns, one on the end of a Ryne Priest pass.
Collins got things started for the Eagles with a 30-yard scamper to the house to put East Bladen ahead 6-0. Andrio Garcia’s kick made the score 7-0. Jayden Lewis added to the score with a 30-yard rush to the endzone with 8:15 remaining in the first quarter to put the Eagles ahead 13-0.
After the Rebels’ fumble, Lewis rushed for six yards and another score to put East Bladen ahead 20-0. Garcia added the PAT.
North Duplin woke up and proceeded to show why they are considered a top 2A team in the state. Messiah Cooper scored a rushing touchdown and on the next drive Henry Pope found Damarion Smith for a touchdown pass. Cooper found the endzone again and the score is 21-20 with 5:40 remaining in the half in favor of East Bladen.
The Eagles steadied the ship and drove down the field culminating in a Ryne Priest to Lewis 11-yard connection for a touchdown pass to give East Bladen a 26-21 lead with 26 seconds remaining to the intermission. The Rebels’ Messiah Cooper took the next kickoff and found 72 yards of dirt to the endzone to make it East Duplin 29-26 at the half. Jaden Pope ran in the two- point conversion for North Duplin.
In the third quarter, Riley Collins pushed the Eagles back ahead on a 29-yard run to make the score 33-29. Garcia hit the PAT for the Eagles. North Duplin retaliated with another Cooper score, this one from 42 yards away. With the Rebels head 35-33 in the fourth quarter, Jayden Lewis crossed the endzone one more time with 7:40 left on the clock.
Garcia’s extra point was all the Eagles needed to best North Duplin 40-35. East Bladen Coach Robby Priest was pleased of his teams’ victory.
“Proud of the way we played tonight,” Priest said. “Fought through some adversary so that will build character builder as we move forward.”
The Eagles grounded out 336 yards on the night. North Duplin countered with Messiah Cooper who produced 141 yards on the ground, 213 yards total offense, and four touchdowns. East Bladen (2-0, 5-2) will host East Columbus (1-1, 3-4) Friday for homecoming.
North Duplin, who falls to 0-2 in the Carolina Conference, will go to Cerro Gordo to take on West Columbus (1-2, 2-4) on Friday.
