East Columbus pulls off upset victory over North Duplin, 23-8
COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WWAY) — The East Columbus Gators pulled off an upset Friday night, defeating the North Duplin Rebels 23-8 at home. East Columbus entered the matchup with a 3-5 record, while North Duplin came in at 5-2.
The Gators faced an early scare when quarterback Demetrius Dexter lost the football after taking a hit from a North Duplin defender. The Rebels nearly recovered the fumble, but East Columbus’ Christan Norton was there to recover the ball and keep possession for the Gators.
East Columbus capitalized on the opportunity as Dexter connected with Dawson Crosby on a deep pass for a touchdown, giving the Gators an early 7-0 lead. North Duplin responded with a touchdown of its own, using a quarterback sneak to punch the ball into the end zone.
The Rebels then elected to go for a two-point conversion, tossing the ball back to Jayden Pope, who powered his way through the Gators’ defense to give North Duplin an 8-7 lead.
Despite falling behind, East Columbus battled back to secure the 23-8 victory, handing the Rebels their third loss of the season. The win improves East Columbus to 4-5 on the season, while North Duplin falls to 5-3.
