It felt like a lifetime since Beaufort County teams played football on a Friday, but Northside and Washington finally returned to their usual slots this past weekend. Northside overcame all the challenges that accompany traveling to two road games in the same week to pick up a monumental victory over Jones Senior, which had been undefeated in the 1-A Coastal Plains Conference.

Washington dominated the second half en route to a win at Beddingfield. The Pam Pack had possession of the ball for 18:07 in the latter half in a 16-12 win over the Bruins.

The Pam Pack welcomed back Sharwan Staton for his first game of the season. He slotted in well with an athletic group featuring the likes of Suae Poe, Hykeem Ruffin and others.

Southside was the only team in the area to stumble this week. It squared off with the same Jones Senior squad the Panthers bested on Friday, but squandered its first-half lead to lose, 36-30.

Here are this week’s top performers:

 

JAMES BARROW

Northside won both of its games this week thanks largely to impressive performances by running back James Barrow. He had 17 carries for 189 yards and two touchdowns at Pamlico County on Monday. Barrow followed up the dominating performance with 27 carries for 144 yards against Jones Senior on Friday.

To have two impact performances in successive weeks is quite the feat. To do so in the same week is largely unheard of.

 

SHARWAN STATON

Sharwan Staton is a senior with the Pam Pack football program, so coach Sport Sawyer knew exactly what he was missing for the first seven games of the season. Staton can catch the ball, run it, and throw it. He showed his knack for all three, helping lift Washington to its second 2-A Eastern Plains Conference win in as many tries.

The do-it-all athlete carried the ball a dozen times for 46 yards and a score. He had an impressive snare from quarterback Frederick Holscher, and even completed a pass of his own — a 20-yard gain on a reverse. Staton impressed in his return, and will only get better as he gets acclimated to the game again.

 

MATTHEW MARSLENDER

Northside has two capable quarterbacks in Jackson Midgette and Matthew Marslender. Midgette has raw athleticism, but Marslender’s football IQ can come in handy, too.

That was wildly apparent late in the game on Friday. Marslender made a smart read and took off 43 yards for the game-winning touchdown with just 40 seconds to play. It was only his fourth carry of the game, but he made it count.

 

KYLE HILL

Another week and another explosive effort by Southside running back Kyle Hill. He led the Seahawks with 16 carries for 80 yards. His big plays were helpful in setting up Trajan Rhome, Brandon Sullivan and Ronald Dennis’ touchdown.

Hill was held without a touchdown, but earned the Seahawks six points on three successful 2-point conversions. However, cramps kept him out of the game for chunks of the second half, and Southside saw its halftime lead disappear.