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Before the season started, I suggested that games between Duplin County schools in the East Central 2A Conference would be pivotal.

I stand by that as the first battle is slated for Friday when East Duplin (2-1) hosts James Kenan (3-0) in the first league match-up for both schools.

JK is coming off a bye week and one in which the Tigers had plenty of time to study the Panthers, who clobbered Croatan 42-0 last week on their home field.

Stopping last year’s ECC champion Panthers on offense is a huge concern.

“Everybody knows this will be a pivotal game for our season,” said second-year JK coach Tim Grady. “We just want to keep improving as we have so far.

“Battle (Holley) has that great run defense, and on offense, they get off the ball so well. It’ll be a huge challenge all the way around.”

The Panthers won 41-6 last year in Warsaw and have taken four of the past five. JK leads the series 33-26.

The six-decades rivalry was broken only by the Covid-19-postponed 2020 season, played in Spring 2021. The NCHSAA reduced schedules to seven games and the JK-ED contest got squeezed.

After East Duplin opened in 1962, James Kenan had a 17-7 advantage through coach Brian Aldridge’s first season in 1985. Since then, the Panthers lead 19-16.

The top winning streaks between the schools have ED taking six straight from 2000-05, and JK taking a pair of five-game runs from 1962-66 and 1981-85.

ED coach Battle Holley is 5-5 against the Tigers; JK second-year coach Grady lost his first game vs. the Panthers last season.

Stopping East Duplin means containing Russell Gaby (46-633, 13 TDs) and fellow backfield mates Nizaya Hall and Kade Kennedy, while also keeping an eye on QB Zack Brown (19-31 for 457 yards and nine TDs) and receivers Teyshawn Johnson (4-134, 4 TDs) and Jesse Clinesmith (7-168, 4 TDs).

The Tigers counter with an offense that has featured the running of Manny Bostic (17-336, 6 TDs) and Shykwon Williams (18-181, 4 TDs) and Josh Mitchell (10-135), along with QB Sladyn Smith (two TDs rushing and one passing TD) and 2021 all-county receiver Hayden McGee (now 3-140, 2 TDs).

Another factor could be James Kenan’s sometimes heavy use of its variation of the old single wing offense. The Tigers have averaged 374 rushing yards per game; the Panthers 311.

In the Tigers’ 46-26 win over Eastern Wayne on Sept. 1, they rushed for 502 yards – their first time at 500 or more since 2012, when Marcelias Sutton and JaQuan Williams each topped 200. Against EW, Manny Bostic ran for 191 yards, Shykwon Williams 118, Josh Mitchell 88 and Slayden Smith 61.

The Tigers have averaged 374 rushing yards per game; the Panthers 311.

On paper ED’s defense might have the edge, led by 2021 all-state DB Daunte Hall, Kennedy, Jackson Gause, Jesse Clinesmith, Rodrigo Sachez and Chris Martin.

The Panthers have three shutouts, but fell 58-57 to 2A power Princeton in their only loss.

But do not discount the Tigers, who are led by Mason Brown (32 tackles) and Marcus Baysden (19). JK has allowed just 13.3 points per game this fall.

The next Duplin County war is Wallace-Rose Hill against ED on Oct. 21 in Beulaville. The final tussle is JK against WRH the following Friday in Wallace in the regular-season finale.

Any team that wins two of these games will likely win the ECC title. That’s not a definite, though still a very good possibility.

But remember 1987? That’s when the three took turns knocking off each other and finished in a three-way tie for the ECC 2A title. WRH beat JK 13-0, ED edged WRH 14-7, and in the regular season finale JK shaded ED, also by 14-7. All three beat Clinton.

The bottom line might be that Duplin County 2A football is as good as it’s been since then.

Ah, the smell of rivalries.

Correspondent Bill Rollins contributed to this story.

Michael Jaenicke can be reached at mjaenicke@ncweeklies.com

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