It was a season to remember for the Washington football team in 2014. A campaign that began with a crushing 37-6 defeat to Havelock ended in heartbreak, a 14-13 loss to East Lincoln in the 2-A state championship game. But in between, the Pam Pack strung together 14-straight wins en route to its best season in recent history.

Head coach Sport Sawyer was in the center of it all, navigating a great group of men through a grueling 16-game season. For his leadership and offensive play calling, Sawyer has been named the Washington Daily News County Football Coach of the Year in a season that featured an assortment of worthy candidates.

“It’s an honor to be chosen for Coach of the Year because there’s numerous people that could have gotten it,” Sawyer said. “With Jeff Carrow, going from 3-9 to 10-3, he’s well deserving. That speaks volumes for him and his staff (at Southside) and what they’re doing. With our staff, it’s great as well. I think it’s not just coach of the year, it’s coaches of the year — Jon Blank, DeWayne Kellum, Steven Flowers, Eric Peartree, Phil Harris, Johnny Rodman, Alex Hicks, Ronnie Woolard and Kent Hill.”

In the truest definition of team effort, all the pieces fell into place for Sawyer and the Washington coaching staff as the season progressed. It was a team that got the job done in close games against some of eastern North Carolina’s top football teams, including Farmville Central, Conley and Southwest Edgecombe, a squad that made it to the third round of the state playoffs.

Sawyer’s pistol offense, mixed with different variations of the wing-T, was centered around three senior leaders — quarterback Patrick Thompson and running backs Markel Spencer and Xzavier Clark. While having the ability to throw the ball when needed, Thompson’s main role was that of game manager, tasked with limiting turnovers and operating the offense efficiently. Clark, a situational back, was used to supplement Markel Spencer, the primary back. Clark finished with 947 yards rushing on 123 carries, while Spencer broke the all-time and single-season school rushing record with his 2152-yard campaign.

“The leadership of the seniors made this team so good,” Sawyer said. “They went to practice every day and worked hard, pushed each other. Our scout teams made our first teams better. It sounds crazy, but they are very important. They don’t get any limelight at all, but they make our defense and offense better by giving them a good look.”

The offense and defense had a symbiotic relationship, one that comes with all successful football teams have. The defense, coached by Jon Blank, proved to be one of the best in the state, limiting opposing offenses to fewer than 10 points per game. Big plays were virtually nonexistent and the 61 sacks and 20 interceptions often placed the offense in prime field position.

The historical significance of the team’s unprecedented success, along with the players’ personalities and achievements in the classroom, uplifted a community. If they weren’t already, Sawyer and Spencer became household names in Beaufort County — great individuals representing an impressive football team.

“You watch Alabama, Ohio State, people watch those games, look at them and want to be apart of it,” Sawyer said. “I really think that Northeastern game in the fourth round and the state championship game, there were a lot of people that really valued the games, pushing our guys and the coaches in a positive way. It’s hard to explain unless you experience it.”

Washington will graduate 26 seniors this May and while many questions surround the future of the Pam Pack team, Sawyer is confident new leaders and playmakers will emerge in 2015.