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BELHAVEN, N.C. – What’s in a name? For Pungo Christian Academy junior Parker Byrd, it’s a lot.

Byrd has been a key player for the Raiders (5-1) this season. Going into Friday’s rematch with Community Christian School in Wilson, he was leading the team in catches (12), yards (332) and touchdowns (4). He’s also rushed for nearly 100 yards with two touchdowns.

If you keep up with sports, you know about East Carolina University’s Parker Byrd. He was involved in a boating accident two years ago in Bath where he lost his leg. Pungo’s Byrd talked about name recognition, hearing about the accident and even meeting his namesake, his love of sports and what’s ahead for him.

Question 1: Do you like catching or do you like running? Because you’ve done, obviously, a very good job at both.

Byrd: I would definitely have to say it’s gonna be catching. I mean, I got a good quarterback to catch the ball from. And I like making the big catches in the air. And I do like running as well, but catching’s gotta be my thing.

Question 2: Do you have other sports that you enjoy playing?

Byrd: I play baseball as well, but football’s been my first love. My granddad played at NC State (Dennis Byrd).

Question 3: So tell us about your expectations, or I guess your thoughts about the season so far.

Byrd: We had a little bit of both. Yeah, absolutely, we had a tough loss at the beginning of the season, and we had to make some changes. And then (the game with Community Christian School on Oct. 7) it was a tough game, rain game. And we fought through it and kept pounding, and we got the job done.

Question 4: If you had to go to one of your other classmates who doesn’t play football and try to get them to play football, what would you tell them about the sport?

Byrd: Well, really, it’s all about our boys coming together out here and having a good time and having that fellowship out here. And there’s nothing like coming out here. It feels great out here, and just sharing a laugh and coming together, but also focusing up and getting ready for the game on Friday night.

Question 5: Do you run into any kind of coincidences with your name and the Parker Byrd from East Carolina University?

Byrd: Absolutely, when the accident first happened, my dad works at the hospital. So when all that happened, he got so many phone calls about, is your Parker all right? Everybody thought it was me, and I had a lot of text messages and people calling me and asking if I was all right and what had happened.

And I’ve met Parker Byrd several times. I have a picture with him, and he’s a really awesome guy. And I hate that it happened to him, but he’s a great guy. He’s got his head screwed on straight, and I like that about him. Really look up to him.