By Staff
By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
This one is going to sting for some time.
The Washington Pam Pack’s football season came to end in the first round of the NCHSAA Class 3-A state playoffs with a heart-wrenching 41-40 double overtime loss to South Granville. Moments after Travis Daniels scored on a 10-yard run to pull the Pack within a point, junior Justin Meekins missed the potential game-tying PAT, setting off a wild celebration for the Vikings.
Washington (8-4), the No. 6 seed, hasn’t won a playoff game since 1999. It appeared that drought would end on a chilly Friday night at J.G. “Choppy” Wagner Stadium, but the No. 11 seed Vikings (9-3) overcame a late 14-point deficit to pull out the win.
The Vikings will play at second-ranked and No. 3 seed Rocky Mount (12-0), who was a 28-0 winner over Union Pines, next week.
For the Pack, it’s another disappointing playoff loss.
It spoiled a huge night for Daniels, who ran for 327 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries.
Dakuan Spencer also had a big night. The sophomore hauled in scoring passes of 20 and 92 yards, the latter which gave the Pack a 34-20 lead with 11:09 to play in regulation. The sophomore also had an interception and a blocked PAT.
But the Vikings were resilient, aided by five Washington turnovers, including three lost fumbles.
South Granville took the initial lead on a 12-yard TD run by Ian Bosely, who finished with 82 yards and a pair of scores on 31 carries.
Daniels, who finished his senior season with 2,290 yards and 22 touchdowns, answered with a 69-yard burst.
The Vikings took a 14-7 lead in the first quarter when Greg Koonce stripped C.J. Jefferson of the ball and took it 74 yards the other way.
Washington tied it thanks to a little trickery. Mike Moore’s 20-yard halfback pass to Spencer made it 14-14 early in the second quarter.
Daniels’ 2-yard touchdown run off an option pitch, coming on fourth down, gave Washington a 21-14 lead later in the quarter.
Koonce pulled the Vikings within 21-20 when he bulled over from 3 yards out, which was set up by Derrick Dorsey’s fumble recovery. Spencer blocked Josh Conrad’s PAT to keep it a one-point game.
The Pack pushed its lead to 27-20 on an 11-yard TD toss from Austin Thompson to Jamont Jones, who ran a nifty slant pattern. Meekins missed the PAT.
Thompson, who hit 7-of-12 passes for 154 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, hit Spencer on a 72-yard strike to push Washington’s lead to 34-20. Spencer, who juggled the ball before coming up with the long TD reception, picked off South Granville quarterback Justin Williams to set up the score.
It looked the Pack would be able to seal the deal after a Tony Turnage pickoff, but Washington coughed up the ball for the third time. The Vikings took advantage as Williams hit Darren Hart with a 27-yard strike to make it 34-27.
After the Pack failed to convert a third-and-one and was forced to punt the ball away, Tony Cole’s 59-yard return set up Bosley’s 1-yard plunge that tied the game.
Washington’s next drive was stopped when Anthony Gregory intercepted Thompson. The Pack lost Jones during the drive after the senior, who finished with four catches for 44 yards and a TD along with 50 rushing yards, injured a knee after making a catch.
The Pack had another chance to win in regulation after a 52-yard run by Daniels moved the ball deep into South Granville territory. However, Meekins was wide left on a 35-yard field goal try.
Neither team scored in the first overtime. Thompson was picked off by Gregory in the end zone, while Conrad was wide right on a 19-yard field goal attempt.
Williams hit Hart with a 9-yard TD strike and Conrad nailed the PAT in the second overtime to give the Vikings a 41-34 lead.
Daniels pulled Washington within 41-40 when he took a direct snap and raced 10 yards to the end zone. After Washington was flagged for a 5-yard false start, Meekins missed the potential game-tying PAT, which ended the game.
Sawyer had to say goodbye to his senior class after the tough loss.
How long will this loss eat away at Sawyer?
S. Granville Washington
15 First Downs 21
51-152 Rushes-Yards 46-398
104 Passing Yards 174
15-6-2 Pass-Comp-Int 13-8-2
6-30.3 Punting 3-42.0
2-0 Fumbles-Lost 3-3
2-23 Penalties 6-50
S. Granville 14 0 6 14 0 7 — 41
Washington 7 14 6 7 0 6 — 40
Scoring Summary
SC — Ian Bosely 12 run (Josh Conrad kick), 1st, 6:24
W — Travis Daniels 69 run (Justin Meekins kick), 1st, 5:46
SG — Greg Koonce 74 fumble return (Conrad kick), 1st, 3:29
W — Dakuan Spencer 20 pass from Mike Moore (Meekins kick), 2nd, 11:33
W — Daniels 2 run (Meekins kick), 2nd, 3:40
SG — Koonce 3 run (kick blocked), 3rd, 5:22
W — Jamont Jones 11 pass from Austin Thompson (kick failed), 3rd, 3:08
W — Spencer 72 pass from Thompson (Meekins kick), 4th, 11:09
SG — Darren Hart 27 pass from Justin Williams (Conrad kick), 4th, 6:46
SC — Bosely 1 run (Conrad kick), 4th, 3:06
SG — Hart 9 pass from Williams (Conrad kick), 2nd OT
W — Daniels 10 run (kick failed), 2nd OT