By Staff
Kevin Travis, Sports Editor
It may not have been a thing of beauty, but the Washington Pam Pack won its Coastal Conference opener last Friday, coming on Walk of Fame night.
Tony Turnage came up big for the Pack in the team’s 13-2 win over Jacksonville, scoring on a 1-yard run and returning an interception 61 yards for another score and the game-clincher. Turnage picked off two passes, and the Pack defense forced six turnovers, which helped offset a rather lackluster offensive performance.
Washington (3-2, 1-0), which sees the return of sophomore quarterback Trey Harris this week, will need another solid defensive effort tonight as the Pack plays the high-scoring West Craven Eagles (4-1, 1-0), who are averaging 40.6 points per game, on the road. The Eagles are coming off a 48-18 drubbing of D.H. Conley, erupting for 34 points in the second half.
The Eagles knocked the Pack out of the playoffs with a 28-7 win in the second round last year.
“They are very athletic and can throw the ball and catch the ball,” Washington coach Sport Sawyer said of the Eagles. “I think they’ll try to spread the field out.”
Quarterback Justin Hardy had a big night in leading the Eagles to 450 yards of total offense last week. He clicked on 15-of-22 passes for 280 yards and three touchdown passes, going to three different receivers. Hardy also ran for 92 yards and two more scores, coming on runs of 57 and 27 yards.
Chris Person caught six passes for 116 yards and a score, Ryan Murphy hauled in six passes for 111 yards and a touchdown and Jake Brinson snagged two passes for 50 yards and a score.
Tyree Dawson added 68 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Hardy has been extremely effective this year, hitting 54-of-90 (60.0 percent) passes for 881 yards. He has 14 touchdown passes and just one interception. He’s added 407 yards rushing and seven more scores.
Hardy’s favorite receivers, Person (19 catches for 411 yards and five scores) and Murphy (17 catches for 300 yards and five scores), are both having big seasons.
Sawyer is hoping the return of Trey Harris at quarterback will help boost the offense. Harris injured an ankle in the second game and has been out since then.
“We started working Trey at quarterback in the spring,” Sawyer said. “Tony did a very good job for us at quarterback, and I imagine he’ll still see some time at quarterback. I think we’ll be able to do some different things.”
The Pack plays at Havelock next Friday night.
MANTEO AT SOUTHSIDE
The Southside Seahawks (3-2, 1-0) have won three straight. They’ll be looking to make it four in a row when they play host to the undefeated Manteo Redskins (5-0, 1-0) in tonight’s Four Rivers Conference contest.
Southside plays at Plymouth next week.
NORTHSIDE AT PERQUIMANS
The Northside Panthers (2-3, 0-1) will look to even their Four Rivers Conference mark when they face the Perquimans Pirates (1-4, 1-0) tonight.
Northside is coming off a 58-27 loss to Plymouth.
Perquimans earned its first win of the year with a 48-22 nod over Roanoke.
The Panthers play at Camden next Friday night.
CAMDEN AT WILLIAMSTON
The Williamston Tigers started off the season red-hot with three straight wins, but have stumbled the past two weeks. After a loss to North Pitt two weeks ago, the Tigers suffered their second straight setback in a 43-21 loss to Manteo last week.
The Tigers (3-2, 0-1), playing at home for the first time since Sept. 4, play host to the winless Camden Bruins (0-5, 0-1) in this evening’s Four Rivers Conference clash.
Camden fell 37-27 to Southside last week.
Williamston plays host to Perquimans next Friday night.
PLYMOUTH AT ROANOKE
The Plymouth Vikings have won four straight, and will look to make it five in a row when they travel to Roanoke in tonight’s Four Rivers Conference showdown. Plymouth (4-1, 1-0) is coming off a 58-27 win over Northside.
The Redskins (0-5, 0-1), who fell 48-22 to Perquimans last week, are looking for their first win of the season.
The Vikings play host to Southside next Friday night, while the Redskins travel to Manteo.
JAMESVILLE AT CAPE HATTERAS
The Jamesville Bullets (2-1, 0-1) travel to Cape Hatteras to battle the winless Hurricanes (0-5, 0-0) in this Tideland Conference battle.
Both teams are coming off losses. Jamesville fell 46-6 to Creswell last week. Cape Hatteras fell 34-12 to First Flight.
The Bullets return to action Oct. 16 at Columbia.
COLUMBIA AT CRESWELL
The Creswell Tigers (4-0, 1-0), the only unbeaten Tideland Conference team, play host to the Columbia Wildcats (2-2, 1-0) tonight.
Creswell picked up a 46-6 win over Jamesville a week ago. Columbia earned a 30-24 nod over Mattamuskeet.
Timell Sawyer (436 yards rushing, four touchdowns) and Jaquan Bryant (411 yards rushing, five touchdowns) lead the Creswell ground attack. Danvonta Phelps has thrown for 300 yards and three scores, while Gary Blount has caught 10 balls for 229 yards and four touchdowns.
Creswell plays host to Mattamuskeet next week, while Columbia plays host to Cape Hatteras.