By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Austin Thompson, Dakuan Spencer, Tony Turnage and the rest of the Washington Pam Pack offense are itching to find the end zone again.
For the second time in the last three games, the Pack was held scoreless in last week’s 34-0 loss to Nash Central. It’s something that has frustrated the players and left head coach Sport Sawyer searching for some answers.
The Pack (2-2) will be looking to do just that in tonight’s Coastal Conference opener at D.H. Conley. Sawyer, whose team put up plenty of points during a summer passing league, believes his players will bounce back.
Washington has outscored the opposition 60-40 in the first half this year, but the Pack has not produced a third-quarter point in four games.
The D.H. Conley Vikings (2-2) have to be feeling good after posting a 34-28 overtime win against Ayden-Grifton last week. Coach Ken Whitehurst’s team, which rallied from an early 12-0 deficit, got 239 yards rushing and four touchdowns from Darrion Moore.
The 6-1, 185-pound sophomore broke off scoring runs of 80, 58, 8 and 5 yards.
Senior quarterback Tyler Nichols added a 2-yard scoring toss to junior wide receiver Jordan Ahlers.
The Pack has surrendered 817 yards on the ground, an average of 204.25 yards per game.
Looking to slow down the Vikings will be the likes of defensive tackle Cedrick Summers (40 tackles), linebacker Weasel Moore (35) and defensive end Xeavier Ernul (30), who lead the Pack in tackles. Summers, Ernul, Chase Tripp, Donte Chapman and Amiar Johnson have each recorded a sack, while Spencer and Turnage have two interceptions apiece.
The bulk of Washington’s offensive production has come from the passing game. Thompson has clicked on 47 of 72 passes (65.3 percent) for 627 yards. The senior has thrown six touchdowns and three interceptions.
He’s spread the ball around as Spencer (12 catches for 186 yards and three scores), Mike Moore (19 catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns) and Michael Godley (10 catches for 147 yards and a score) all have double-digit receptions.
Sawyer is hoping his team can begin conference play on a positive note. The Pack, which owns a 12-9-1 series lead, knocked off the Vikings 35-0 last year. Conley’s last win over Washington was a 22-21 nod in 2004.
The Pack is on the road again next week as it plays at South Central.