WILSON — Washington didn’t get the best round from the typically reliable Eric Lovenberg, but the rest of the Pam Pack golf team rallied to turn in a regional-championship performance. The boys shot 343 as a team, narrowly edging East Duplin (349).

The win marks Washington’s second consecutive regional championship. Well before the season began, the boys set out to capture the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference and eastern regional crowns. They have done just that.

“We were obviously excited,” coach Jim Kozuch said. “For a while, we didn’t have the greatest scores of the season in that match. While we were waiting for the scores to come in, we were nervous about getting in. Then, as the scores came in, we started realizing we had a chance.”

Tony Lovenberg led the way by shooting a 79. Robert Mayo had one of his best rounds to date and finished with an 87. Josh Padgett also rose to the occasion and shot a 90. Blake Parker finished with a 101, rounding out the Pam Pack participants.

“I think it gives them a lot of confidence. Some of the guys that haven’t scored as great as they had all year had some of their best rounds yesterday,” Kozuch said of the team’s No. 3 and 4 golfers stepping up. “Robert Mayo and Josh Padgett … For them, that’s a great round. Obviously, it helped propel the team and push them to the victory.

“It shows that the other guys can help make up. In the end, we didn’t want an individual to make the state championship. We wanted the whole team. Then, when we get to the state championship, we’ll hope that everybody can throw down a great score.”

Eric Lovenberg and the rest of the squad have some downtime before the championship round, which is slated for May 9 and 10. Kozuch said that Lovenberg will have a lesson between now and then. He’s confident in his ability to bounce back from the recent underwhelming round.

“Golf is one of those games where, on any day, some things work and some things don’t,” he said. “It was just an off day for him. His first five matches, I think he shot a 79 this year. He’s very consistent. He’ll bounce right back. He doesn’t need anything from me.

“He’s mentally strong and he’s carried the team for many of the matches this year. Monday was a tough time to have the regional with prom this past weekend. Our guys were running on fumes. … One thing with the really good golfers is that they very rarely shoot two bad rounds in a row. I think he’s had one other tough one, a non-conference match, and came back and shot a 75 next time.”

Washington repeating as conference and regional champions, as well as making a return to the state championship, is an incredible achievement considering what they lost from last year. Peter Birdsong and William Page were instrumental to the Pam Pack’s fourth-place state championship squad in 2015, but the team hasn’t missed a beat this season.

“I didn’t realize it, but one of my buddies said a week ago, ‘When is the last time you lost,” Kozuch said. “We’ve been lucky. We’ve won most of our matches for the past two years.”

Kozuch likened the golf team’s success to the success the rest of Washington athletics has had recently. He coached the boys’ soccer team to the state championship. The swim team also brought home gold a few short months ago. Now the baseball, softball, girls’ soccer, tennis and track teams are all poised to make an exciting run in the postseason.