Transferring from one school to another can have its bumps, bruises and hiccups. For Washington’s Rashod Smith, he’s fit right in with the Pam Pack since transferring from Northside at the beginning of the school year.

Smith spent three years at Northside playing for the Panthers, with a combined record of 53-25 in his time there. The Panthers went 14-11, 22-5 and 17-9. Smith led the team in scoring all three years, including his freshman season under the late, great Michael Proctor.

Just last season, Smith averaged a stunning 26.7 points per game, as well as 6.7 assists. He also had 3.7 swipes per game for the Panthers.

Now, in 2019 with a new team, Smith has picked up right where he left off. He has elevated the Pam Pack’s level of play and helped surge Washington to its best start in decades. A 4-0 start with wins over D.H. Conley, Southwest Edgecombe and First Flight was the first glimpse at what this Pam Pack club is capable of. Smith is averaging a light 21 points per game and shooting at 58% from the field so far this season, coming off of a holiday tournament at Washington County where he dropped 30 and 32 points on consecutive nights. He’s also averaging seven assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game.

“The transition from Northside to Washington was smooth other than the faster pace at Washington, and there’s way more people. I knew a lot of people there already, so it was way easier to get around than I thought it would be,” Smith said. “I think our team is capable of reaching our goals this year, as long as we continue to work hard in practice and continue to trust one another. We will shock many teams that think we’re a pushover.”

When you walk into a gym where the Pam Pack are playing this season, no matter where across eastern North Carolina, students from other Beaufort County Schools are coming to watch Washington play.

“The biggest difference in playing at Washington is the environment. The people that come to support us is crazy to me,” Smith continued. “It feels a little weird at times when you don’t have the boys you played with all your life beside you and push you to be great, but my teammates now have done a great job helping me get through that.”

An injury bug has been rummaging through the Pam Pack’s lineup in the latter part of the season’s first half, but Terry Moore, Jamauri Bryant and Reese Gaskins returning for Washington’s back half of the season will be very beneficial.

“Rashod is a kid that’s been in the state playoffs every single year. I feel like him coming to Washington brings some experience to us, some leadership qualities, and has come to a place where he’s surrounded himself with really good, athletic players. That will help him develop even further into a floor general. So I think the transition has gone really well,” head coach David Allewalt said. “He’s carrying a 3.2 grade point average with a spot in honor roll right now at Washington. He’s non-confrontational, he’s very humble, he’s a hard worker and passionate about everything he does. He’s going to be successful at everything he does whether it be basketball or a lawyer when he goes to college, he’s that good of a person.”

Allewalt was very adamant about his team’s opportunity to make a deep run in the state playoffs this season, and there are many x-factors that can contribute to that as the season progresses.

Up next for the Pam Pack is a familiar conference opponent. The Ayden-Grifton Chargers roll into Washington on Jan. 3, with the girls tipping off at 6 p.m. and the boys game will follow. Smith and Allewalt alike encourage folks to come out to support the Pam Pack.