South Lenoir hasn't had much luck against East Duplin recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Blue Devils are taking a road trip to square off against the Panthers at 7:00 p.m.
South Lenoir fought the good fight in their overtime matchup against Southwest Onslow on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They took a 14-8 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Stallions.
Meanwhile, East Duplin waltzed into their game on Friday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They were the clear victors by a 38-18 margin over the Patriots. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won five contests by 20 points or more so far this season.
East Duplin's win came from a few key players South Lenoir will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Dwayne Davis, who rushed for 74 yards and two touchdowns on only seven carries. Those two rushing touchdowns gave him a new career-high. East Duplin also got a significant boost from Shawn Davis, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 100 yards.
East Duplin was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 240 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 197 rushing yards in four consecutive matchups.
East Duplin's defense made their presence known, laying out Austin Deal three times. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Keeshon McKinnie, Bryson Brown, and Esiah Bannerman, who each picked up one sack apiece. East Duplin got some further help from Zachary Ball: he made 12 total tackles and snagged an interception.
South Lenoir's loss dropped their record down to 3-6. As for East Duplin, their record now sits at 7-2.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. South Lenoir has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 199.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like East Duplin struggles in that department as they've been averaging 244 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
South Lenoir was dealt a bruising 63-0 defeat at the hands of East Duplin in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Davis, who rushed for 137 yards and a pair of TDs on only six carries. Now that the Blue Devils know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
