Washington is stuck at home as Beaufort County’s other teams prepare for the second round of the playoffs. It’s a strange feeling for a Pam Pack squad that two years ago played in the state championship and is perennially at the top of its conference.

Next season is a little under a year away, and there’s a lot of change incoming. Sport Sawyer’s resignation means there will be someone new at the helm. Washington will also be leaving the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference.

There’s a lot that should remain the same, too, though. The Pam Pack had a rather young lineup this season, meaning there’s a lot of promise for next year.

One of the most promising players from this year’s group is Nazzir Hardy. In his junior season, Hardy excelled at the cornerback position. He led the team with six interceptions returned for 78 yards. A lot of those came at crucial times, putting the Pam Pack in a position to win in numerous games.

“Interception numbers, especially, are difficult to gauge,” defensive coordinator Jon Blank said. “You never know how much a team is going to throw at a kid, especially if he starts to show some good numbers.”

Hardy’s understanding grew noticeably with each game, too. It’s impressive considering it was his second year on varsity. Blank chalks it up to his toughness.

“I thought Nazzir was an excellent player as a freshman, which is why we brought him up as a starter (in 2015). I feel like he possesses a lot of athletic traits that we really desire in our defensive players,” Blank said. “He’s a tough kid, and he’s also a kid that sometimes struggles with adversity. I’m going to tell you, he really grew this year. He figured out how to overcome some challenges.”

That experience on varsity, in addition to his talent, made him a leader on a senior-laden defense. While some of the seniors were more vocal leaders, Hardy took it upon himself to lead by example.

“I go out there and show them what to do,” he said. “I try and get them on the same page I’m on.”

Hardy evolved into an impressive two-way player as the season progressed. Once he showed he could use his hands to make plays on defense, the coaches wanted to see if he could do the same at wide receiver.

“He was a spark for us. His initials are N.H. and I made jokes all the time that that stands for no hands,” Blank laughed. “Obviously, he proved me wrong. He went out there and made some great catches. He propelled us to some wins both with his interceptions and some of his offensive touchdowns.”

Hardy added, “The coaches said they needed people to make plays on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. I just told them I’m available and I’m ready to make plays.”

Make plays he did. In a season in which Washington experimented with more passing, Hardy ranked second — only behind senior Matt Black — in receptions (five) and receiving yards (72).

His plays were explosive, too. He averaged over 14 yards a catch. Hardy’s 47-yard catch proved to be the difference in the Pam Pack’s homecoming win against North Pitt on Oct. 28. It was also arguably the team’s best highlight-reel play of the season.

Hardy still has his senior season in front of him. He’s got the talent and build to be an imposing player as Washington aims to rebuild next year, but Blank also believes he has what it takes to play after high school, too.

“He’s a guy that, if he does what he needs to do between now and Aug. 1, I think he’s got great upside,” Blank said. “He’s already got a little bit of film. He’s got some numbers to back it up. He does possess some of the character traits necessary to succeed at the next level. I think he’s going to have some of the size and pass some of the eyeball tests for his position. He’s got a lot of upside.”

The talent, work ethic and understanding of the game can take Hardy far. Watching his development will be an exciting part of next year.