By JESSIKA MORGAN

Kinston Free Press

 

A pair of fourth-quarter interceptions by Washington junior safety Hassan Credle was just enough to knock the steam out of Kinston High School — for a second time this season.

The top-seeded Pam Pack blanked the Vikings, 30-0, in Friday night’s North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2AA playoffs, similar to the 21-point shutout Washington produced against Kinston in the regular season.

“We played so early in the season there were some things we thought they do and some things they thought we do,” head coach Sport Sawyer said, “but watching the last few games, it’s been different things we needed to prepare for (to play Kinston).”

Ending Kinston’s season and stretching its winning streak to 12, Washington will host No. 4 Roanoke Rapids next week at Wagner Stadium for Round 3.

The Pam Pack dominated possession in the first quarter, recovering its own fumble on the opening kickoff and keeping the ball for the first 6 minutes. It couldn’t convert a fourth and 14, as senior quarterback Patrick Thomas threw his only pass attempt of the night, falling short for Kinston to take over on downs.

Three plays later, senior corner Diavontrei Moore recovered Kinston’s first fumble, one of several costly mistakes for the Vikings.

In the first meeting between these teams, a Week 7 contest, Kinston discovered the brute of Washington’s defensive line. With starting running back K’Haire Dixon back in action for the Vikings, Kinston coach Ryan Gieselman knew his team would have to work its aerial attack to open up the rushing.

But on Friday, the Vikings learned that the Big Blue’s secondary is just as lethal.

“We tried to pass the ball but couldn’t,” Kinston coach Ryan Gieselman said. “We tried to spread them and get them out of the box so we could allow our run game to work. That was our plan.”

KHS junior quarterback Thomas Vermillion completed just three of 23 attempts (44 yards), several nearly picked off. His threw his first of three interceptions in the third quarter, which Jamond Ebron ran into the end zone. A block in the back penalty nullified the score, but the Pam Pack used a five-play, 37-yard scoring drive to make the turnover count.

Senior Rayekwon Satterwaithe scored his second touchdown of the game, a two-yard punch to give Washington a 23-0 score with 4:47 left in the third. He opened the scoring with a 10-yard run with 13 minutes into the defense-laden first quarter, as Washington led just 7-0 at halftime.

With just a one-touchdown lead to start the third, Washington looked separation.

It didn’t take long.

Senior defensive back Myron Brooks blocked a Kinston punt — just 2 minutes after the Pam Pack held Kinston to negative eight yards on the opening drive of the second half, converting the play into a safety.

It only went up from there, as Xzavier Clark next posted a 31-yard touchdown. On 16 carries, Clark led all WHS rushers with 77 of his team’s 290 rushing yards.

Washington scored twice in its next three possessions to display the final score.

On the other side, the Pam Pack held Kinston to just seven yards and two first downs in second half.

“Our defense has been playing very, very good football, they get after it,” Sawyer said. “They made plays, so they gave us some momentum to get the ball and points.”