Jimmy Williams — now a senior wide receiver at East Carolina — was in a Pam Pack uniform the last time Washington and Northside met on the football field. Tyler Duggar, who would go on to become a standout lineman for the Panthers, was only a freshman.

The two Beaufort County foes renew their friendly rivalry when they meet Friday in Pinetown. If history is any indicator, the inter-county matchup is sure to be a highlight of the early portion of the season if for no other reason than the atmosphere.

Southside returns home after playing its last two on the road. It hopes to improve to 4-0 for the first time since it started the 2015 season with seven-straight wins. The Seahawks came out on the right end of a shootout against Riverside that season, which ended in the regional championship against Plymouth.

Here are Beaufort County’s coaches looking back on significant games from the past:

 

Washington at Northside, 2007

After putting their rivalry aside for seven years, Washington and Northside met for the first time since 2000 during Keith Boyd’s second season as Panther head coach. It was a close battle through the first half, but the Pam Pack blew it open in the second en route to a 40-point win.

“Defensively, we were pretty decent that year. We just were doing some different things on offense and had a hard time moving the football,” Boyd recalled. “… It’s going to be a fun time (Friday). You get Beaufort County fired up about football. It’s going to be a fun game. I hope it’s close and everybody comes out injury free.”

 

Northside at Washington, 2012

Washington and Northside last played in 2012 in “Choppy” Wagner Stadium. The 42-0 win for the Pam Pack may be forgettable, but the turnout and atmosphere was memorable. Fans from both schools packed the stands, making for a rare energy in the air.

“Whenever Northside and Washington get together, it’s a big crowd, a vocal crowd,” Washington coach Jon Blank said. “These kids know each other growing up. … To me, it’s a great opportunity for Beaufort County to get together and play some football.”

 

Riverside at Southside, 2015

In 2015, Southside and Riverside looked at each other and said, “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Both scored a touchdown in the first quarter. The Knights scored three times to Southside’s two. It was a 14-0 third quarter that lifted the Seahawks to the 46-42 win — their fourth in a row to start the season. Lawrence Brown had 225 rushing yards and two scores. Matt Baxter added 166 yards of offense and a pair of touchdowns.

“A win is a win,” Carrow said back in 2015. “That’s a really good football team and we knew it would be a tough battle all the way through. We’ll take a ‘W’ any way we can get it.”