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Justin Clark senior photo

HANGING BANNERS: The 2016 and 2017 Washington Pam Pack swim team surround their championship banner at the Moore Aquatic Center on Monday afternoon. Pictured (left to right) Coach Scott Pake, Kevin Andrews, Patrick Lovenberg, Eric Lovenberg, AJ Howard, Harrison Schmidt, Coach Spencer Pake, Breaden Beach, Hodges Tubaugh, Mason Beach, Justin Clark and Tony Lovenberg. (Jennifer Beach)

LAST GO AROUND: (From left) Seniors Tony Lovenberg, Justin Clark, coach Spencer Pake, Kevin Andrews and A.J. Howard pose with their state-championship hardware back in February. (Michael Prunka/Daily News)

Senior Justin Clark swims anchors the 200-yard medley relay with the freestyle. Clark and the rest of the seniors struggled to find words after repeating as state champions in their final meet.

HEALTHY LEAD: Justin Clark swims in a relay at Saturday’s regional meet. Clark and the Pam Pack have been one of few teams to claim a championship for Washington High School, but one of many to do an exceptional job representing the area.

DAVID CUCCHIARA | DAILY NEWS TOP PERFORMER: Washington’s Eric Crozier, Peter Birdsong and Justin Clark compete in the second heat of the boys 100-yard freestyle. Clark won the race by more than six seconds with a time of 53.70.

The Washington High School community is mourning the death of one of its alumni.

Justin Bryce Clark, 25, died on Nov. 3. His funeral was Friday (Nov. 8). Clark was a 2017 graduate of Washington High School and was part of the school’s swim teams that won two state championships.

“It is a terribly sad and tragic situation,” said Scott Pake, who coached Clark on the intramural and high school level along with his brother Spencer Pake. “I coached him for 10 years with East Carolina Aquatics. Justin was a talented swimmer and was part of the back-to-back WHS state championship teams in 2016 and 2017.”

The Pam Pack boys swim team earned its first state title in program history in 2016 after finishing first in the 1-A/2-A NC High School Athletic Association championship. The boys finished with 236.5 points to beat Lincoln Charter (217.5) and Carrboro (210).

Clark and Kevin Andrews, the top seed, were contenders for the 100-yard backstroke state title in that race. Andrews won the event. The 2017 team won even more impressive in winning the 1-A/2-A state title, finishing with 256 points and besting second-place Croatan, which had 187 points.

“We felt pretty strong coming in today,” Clark told The Washington Daily News at the 2017 state championship. “There’s always a little skepticism whether you’re going to win or not, but we were looking good in the beginning. … I was ecstatic (after winning the first relay) and I was ready to see how we would do the rest of the meet.”

The two state-championship-winning teams were recognized with a banner marking their accomplishments that hangs at the Hildred T. Moore Aquatic and Fitness Center.

“He was a smart and funny guy with a great work ethic,” Scott Pake said. “He was an excellent teammate and friend. He will be sorely missed. My heart hurts for his family.”

A balloon release will be held at the aquatic and fitness center by members of the 2017 graduating class to pay respect and encourage Clark’s family on Nov. 16 at 3:30 p.m., according to a post on Facebook.

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