East Duplin football looks for first state title against power Reidsville

BEULAVILLE – Being his quotable self, East Duplin’s Jesse Clinesmith referred to scripture when he described the Panthers’ road to the state football final.

“Iron sharpens iron,” the senior tight end/defensive end said. “We go into this game having seen Division I athletes. So I know for a fact that we will come ready to play.”

Clinesmith was referring to the Panthers’ difficult path this season en route to their second state championship game in program history.

Second-seeded East Duplin (14-1) takes on top-seeded Reidsville (14-1) on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the NCHSAA 2-A final at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.

In addition to the gauntlet that was their East Central Conference schedule, the Panthers have met conference rivals James Kenan and Wallace-Rose and old nemesis Clinton in down-to-the-wire postseason games.

Despite the tough playoff schedule, East Duplin has prevailed.

“You look at our schedule and the point differentials, we have been in competitive games so I know we are really battle-tested,” senior offensive lineman Waylon Sloan said.

Coach Battle Holley hopes that pays off against Reidsville, which has won 19 NCHSAA championships, but claims 22. The Rams won 2-A title in 2016, 2018, 2019 and in the 2021 spring season. They lost the final to Wallace-Rose Hill in 2017. Reidsville fell in the regional semifinal last year.

“Everything hasn’t been roses for us and we have gone through some tough times,” Holley said. “We have been tested physically by playing some really good football teams and that will help us prepare for Reidsville.”

How have the Panthers gotten the job done? What pushes them the most when they have needed to make a big play?

“All these kids are all in and that is why we are in this position,” Holley said. “These kids are not selfish. They don’t care who gets the credit and they have faith in each other. They believe in their teammates and their coaches. They don’t drop their heads and they play with a lot of heart.”

Standing in the Panthers’ way of completing their magical run are the Rams, who have not faced much opposition en route to winning 13 straight.

Junior Al Lee has completed 64% of his passes for 2,166 yards and 29 touchdowns. His favorite targets are junior Que’Shyne Flippen (52 catches, 878 yards, 11 TDs) and freshman Dionte Neal (47 catches, 708 yards, nine TDs).

“We have to do a great job of limiting the explosive plays and make them earn what they get,” Holley said.

Clinesmith and the Panthers are aware just how dangerous Reidsville is in via the air.

“We can’t let their freshman or their slot receivers get open,” he said. “We have to get a pass rush on their offensive line and get to their quarterback.”

Senior linebackers Kade Kennedy, Brecken Bowles and Jackson Gause, junior linebacker Elam Moore, senior defensive back Daunte Hall led the defense while senior defensive lineman Rodrigo Sanchez, junior lineman Chris Martin and senior defensive back Nizaya Hall also get into the mix.

“We need to show up like we have been all year and believe in what we do,” Gause said.

Speaking on doing what they have all season, the Panthers would nothing more than to shorten the game by controlling the tempo.

Senior Avery Gaby leads with 2,004 yards and 40 touchdowns, followed by Nizaya Hall’s 901 yards and 12 scores and Kennedy’s 505 yards and five touchdowns. Junior Zack Brown has given the offense an added dimension with 1,161 yards passing and 18 touchdowns.

Sanchez, Sloan, senior Kevin Juarez and juniors James Stokes and Jesse Parker have played well on the line.

“We can’t miss any blocks,” Sanchez said.

Holley feels his team will be ready.

“Since we lost to Princeton earlier in the year in the last second, I think they took the attitude that they didn’t want that to happen again,” he said. “And they haven’t. We have a great group of seniors. I feel our team is hungry and they will give everything they have on Saturday.”

Fun fact: East Duplin defensive coordinator Seth Sandlin and Reidsville offensive coordinator Eric Teague were Methodist football teammates while Panthers offensive line coach and former head coach Brian Aldridge and Rams defensive coordinator Doug Marrs were Bluefield State football teammates.

Chris Miller can be contacted via email at chris.miller@jdnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @jdnsports.

This article originally appeared on The Daily News: East Duplin football ready for state championship Saturday vs. Reidsville