Following a one-week break, Tarboro showed no signs of slowing down in its second round match against Northampton County.

The Vikings, ranked as the top seed, emerged victorious against the Jaguars, who were seeded at 17, with a final score of 48-0. Tarboro had a break in the first round of the playoffs.

Tarboro secured a spot in the third round of the 1A East playoffs after their victory. This marks the 16th consecutive year that Tarboro has reached at least the third round. The last instance in which the Vikings did not advance was in 2007. This impressive streak is currently the longest active one in the league.

Although the final score may not reflect it, Tarboro faced a formidable opponent in the second round with Northampton County. The Jaguars were forced to forfeit their first two victories of the season, resulting in a lower RPI rating that affected their playoff seed. Had those wins not been forfeited, Northampton County would have been seeded 11th and further away from Tarboro in the bracket.

The victorious team from tomorrow’s (9) Southeast Halifax versus (8) North Duplin match will be welcomed by the Vikings as their opponent.

The first points of the game were scored by Coach Jeff Craddock’s team following a punt by Northampton on their first possession.

Kamerin McDowell-Moore, a second-year player in the running back position, scored a two-yard touchdown on a diverse drive by Tarboro.

Following a punt on its second possession, it appeared that Tarboro would only have a seven-point lead at the end of the first quarter. But, Tarboro’s quarterback and East Carolina defensive back commit, Omarion Lewis, intercepted the Jaguars’ pass and ran it back for a 25-yard touchdown with 55 seconds remaining in the quarter.

After the initial quarter, Tarboro was ahead by a score of 14-0.

The Vikings added two more points in the first four minutes of the second quarter.

First, Mason Satterfield, a junior, reached the end zone from 51 yards away with a counter play to the right side. This occurred after Northampton County was unsuccessful on a fourth-and-three attempt and turned the ball over on downs. Then, Christian Gunter, also a junior, scored from one yard out after carrying the ball to the one-yard line on the previous play.

Tarboro was ahead 28-0 with 8:25 remaining in the first half.

Caiden Everett of the Vikings scored a nine-yard touchdown run in the final four minutes of the first half, adding to the team’s overall score.

Before the break, the teams exchanged interceptions.

In the third quarter, Satterfield and McDowell-Moore each earned a second touchdown, extending Tarboro’s lead to 48-0 and initiating the use of a running clock.

In the latter portion of the game, Northampton utilized the wishbone offense in an attempt to generate more scoring opportunities against Tarboro’s defense. However, the Vikings remained steadfast and ultimately secured a shutout victory.

The season for Northampton County ended with a record of 7 wins and 5 losses overall, and a record of 6 wins and 2 losses in the Tar-Roanoke Conference.

Source: highschoolot.com