Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 89F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Partly cloudy. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.

PRINCETON – Last Friday it took fans, players, coaches and scorekeepers a time to believe and process the football game in their heads following Princeton’s 58-57 win over East Duplin.

How on Earth can you blame anyone after watching a classic football game in which the two teams combined for 1,079 yards of total offense, 16 touchdowns, 52 first downs, 103 yards in penalties and short drives that kept the scoreboard lights flashing and the crowd on its feet.

It was a game that felt as if the team that had the ball last would win – even though the Bulldogs rallied from a 57-43 deficit in the fourth quarter.

Yet Princeton’s single-wing attack conquered East Duplin’s Wing-T on the strength of two late drives.

East Duplin’s offense blinked twice during a rare three-and-out via a drive that ended largely because of an 11-yard unsportsmanlike penalty.

Princeton Christian Perris, who ran for a game-high – Kanye Roberts-like 323 yards – hit paydirt three time, scored with five seconds to play and quarterback Peyton Mitchell (15-143.3 TDs) ran the two-point conversion for the win.

Princeton had beaten East Duplin twice in the past two seasons in games where either team could have won.

The Bulldogs prevailed in 2020 in Princeton 22-15 by scoring on a fumble return from midfield as the Panthers were running out the clock with a lead; and 36-30 last fall in Beulaville.

Yet this gridiron tussle took excitement and offense to an entirely higher level. And while old-school folks would say, “where’s the defense?” the game was action packed from kickoff to the final two decisive plays.

Princeton chalked up the first two scores to lead 14-0. Mitchell scored from the 2 following a 13-play drive, while Perris burned his way into the end zone from 92 yards out.

ED QB Zack Brown then connected with Jesse Clinesmith for a 45-yard, wide open score to cut the lead in half after one quarter.

Panther Avery Gaby, who ran for 181 yards and five TDs, went over from the 2-yard line early in the second quarter.

All-state safety Daunte Hall’s 50-yard pick-6 gave ED its first lead at 21-14.

Mitchell swung the pendulum to 22-21 in favor of Princeton with a 2-yard scamper and a two-point conversion.

But ED’s Brown (4-5, 113 yards) found Hall from six yards out for his second TD reception and the Panthers went to the locker room in front 28-22.

East Duplin (1-1) rode its halftime momentum as Gaby scored from the 13 on a 4-play drive.

The Panthers were up 34-22, but there was plenty of time left against a Princeton attack that could trick and fool even the best defenses since the single wing is rarely seen in 2A and higher classifications.

On the next snap, Mitchell broke free for a 65-yard score to trim the ED edge to 35-29.

Gaby responded with a 4-yard score during an 8-play, 67-yard march, and the Panthers restored their two-score lead at 42-29.

But Princeton needed just 5 plays to score as Perris punched it in from the 7.

ED showed its lightning in a bottle when Gaby scored from the 45 on the net snap to go back up by two scores at 49-36.

Again, the Bulldogs chopped it to 49-43 before the third quarter ended.

While this was a brutally tough loss, ED’s season has just begun. Last fall they went on to win an ECC title following a loss to Princeton. Wallace-Rose Hill eliminated both schools on the road in the 2A playoffs: ED in the third round (21-17) as WRH made a goal-line stand late in the game; and Princeton (34-25) in the East Region finals.

This Friday, East Duplin hosts a Richlands team that beat Southwest Onslow (7-6) last Friday for the first time in 32 years.

The Panthers travel to Croatan the following week before opening ECC play with a Sept. 16 game at Brian Aldridge Field/Charles R. Powers Stadium against unbeaten and rising James Kenan (2-0). A trip to always-tough Kinston follows.

Kade Kennedy led ED in tackles with 18. He also had a 31-yard reception. … Nizaya Hall (6-45), Brown (6-36) and Teyshawn Johnson (2-24) also contributed to the run game that was centered around the nearly unstoppable Gaby, who also turned a catch from Brown into 31 yards. … Panther Placekicker Darwin Bonilla sent all seven of his PAT attempts through the uprights.

ED was 7 of 13 on third down and 2 of 4 on fourth down. Princeton went 3 of 6 on third down and 1 of 3 on fourth. … ED was flagged six times for 42 yards, Princeton eight times for 61 yards. … While ED won the clock battle by more than six minutes, Princeton had more first downs (32-20).

Princeton coach Travis Gaster slipped past ED coach Battle Holley for the third time. Their fathers, Jack Gaster and Jack Holley, clashed when the former was at Albemarble and the latter at Wallace-Rose Hill.

Michael Jaenicke can be reached at mjaenicke@apgenc.com

Michael Jaenicke can be reached at mjaenicke@ncweeklies.com

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