South Lenoir quarterback Brett Huffman scrambles for yardage during Thursday's 21-6 loss to North Duplin in Deep Run. Photo by William 'Bud' Hardy / Neuse News

By Bryan Hanks

DEEP RUN – If statistics were the true indicator of whether a game was won or lost, South Lenoir would’ve blown out visiting North Duplin Thursday night.

Despite statistically dominating the Rebels, the Blue Devils lost their first game of the season in a 21-6 loss to North Duplin.

South Lenoir (1-1) had 279 total yards of offense, compared to only 141 for North Duplin (2-1). The key difference, though, was turnovers – the Blue Devils had three while the Rebels had none.

The first South Lenoir turnover was extremely costly as Blue Devils junior slot C.J. Kennion fumbled the ball on a handoff from junior quarterback Brett Huffman on the Devils’ first offensive play from scrimmage. The miscue set North Duplin up on the SL 37-yard-line; 10 plays later, Rebels sophomore quarterback Gage Outlaw plunged in from 1 yard out to put North Duplin ahead 7-0.

“That first play when we fumbled and they got a very short field turned into (North Duplin’s) best drive of the night,” SL coach Jeremy Joyner said. “My boys fight and they are hungry to win.”

The score remained 7-0 until the third quarter. On a fourth-and-inches from just outside the SL 40-yard-line, Outlaw scrambled 41 yards for a 13-0 lead after it appeared he had been stopped for a loss. On the ensuing kickoff, a Blue Devils’ fumble gave the Rebels another short field – and Outlaw connected with Armone Anders on a 22-yard touchdown score on fourth and 20 for a 21-0 lead.

South Lenoir rallied on its next possession to score on a 1-yard run by R.J. Pickett, but that’s as close as the Blue Devils would get.

Huffman connected on nine of 17 passes for 128 yards while Cannon Davis led the South Lenoir rushing effort with 20 carries for 75 yards.

The Blue Devils travel to Richlands next week in the 50th matchup between the teams.

“There’s a lot of learning and a lot of coaching to be done,” Joyner said. “We can learn from tonight and be ready for next week.”

 

ND      7          0          14        0          --         21

SL       0          0          6          0          --         6

 

1Q

ND—Gage Outlaw 1 run (Saul Mendoza kick), 7:06

3Q

ND—Outlaw 41 run (kick blocked), 9:58

ND—Armone Anders 20 pass from Outlaw (Kijah Blow run), 7:45

SL—R.J. Pickett 1 run (run failed), 5:23

 

                        ND      SL

First downs     7          12

Rushes/yards   42-121 36-151

Passing yards  22        128

Comp-att-int    1-1-0   9-17-1

Total yards      143      279

Fumb/Lost       1-0       5-2

Punts-avg        3-23.8  0-0

Penalties-yds   3-45     3-20

 

Individual stats

Rushing: ND—Saul Mendoza 21-53, Gage Outlaw 11-47, Luis Olivios 9-23, Kijah Blow 1-(minus-2). SL—Cannon Davis 20-75, Kodju Missebukpo 3-25, C.J. Kennion 6-17, R.J. Pickett 4-17, Brett Huffman 3-17.

Passing: ND—Outlaw 1-1-0, 22. SL—Huffman 9-17-1, 128.

Receiving: ND—Armone Anders 1-20. SL—Eli Hall 2-44, Eli Jenkins 1-44, Kennion 5-37, Damani Raines 1-3.