Pam Pack comes close in loss to Plymouth

Published 12:11 am Saturday, October 1, 2016

The Washington Pam Pack took the field at “Choppy” Wagner Stadium for the second time in a week. After falling earlier in the week to Kinston, the Pam Pack dropped a close Friday night contest against the Plymouth Vikings, 17-14.

While the Pam Pack record falls to 0-6 on the year, there were some positives to take away. After Plymouth kicker Jose Castenada converted a 38-yard field goal for the first score of the game, Washington answered right back. It took the Pam Pack 11 plays on a 63-yard drive, which was capped off by a 1-yard run from Hykeem Ruffin, to find the end zone. The touchdown was first time that Washington scored in the first half this season.

On the first drive of the second quarter, it took Plymouth all of a minute-and a-half to retake the lead. Vikings running back Aaron Wilkins broke off the line of scrimmage in a hurry and ran for a 56-yard touchdown. That brought the score to 10-7.

Junior quarterback Fredrick Holscher recorded his first career touchdown pass later in the second quarter when he connected with Matt Black on a 19-yard play. The duo hooked up on five-of-their-six attempts and recorded 74 yards. Holscher finished the game 5-of-10 passing with 74 yards passing and one touchdown.

“(Holscher) threw the ball really well tonight and was hitting their hands, but we just didn’t catch them enough and Matt caught a couple. He’s a junior and he’s young, so he should get a lot of confidence from the stuff he did tonight,” head coach Sport Sawyer explained.

After being forced to punt with nine minutes left to play, Washington flipped the field with 45-yard punt from Ben McKeithan. On the third down of the following series, Mark Halbert came around the left side of the line and blindsided Plymouth quarterback Samyr Cooper. The hit jarred the ball loose, and Washington recovered on their own 22-yard line.

Suae Poe electrified the offense with a hard fought 15-yard run that took the Pam Pack to the 9-yard line. The Pam Pack faced fourth down after a false start penalty and a fumble that it recovered on its own 11-yard line. McKeithan’s field goal attempt was blocked, and forced a turnover on downs.

Senior running back Poe led the Pam Pack rushing attack with 72 yards on 16 rushes while Ruffin ended his night with 11 rushes for 20 yards and one touchdown.

After scoring 14 points in the first half, the Pam Pack was shutout in the second half.

“We hadn’t been scoring, we were self-disruptive and after we did score a couple it happened again. You can’t win ball games like that,” Sawyer explained. “We had opportunities to win Monday night against Kinston and we didn’t, and opportunities tonight, and we didn’t.”

Plymouth then ran out the clock and recorded its third victory of the season. Washington will travel to Farmville Central next Friday to face off with the 4-2 Jaguars.