By Staff
By Kevin Travis, Sports Editor
As I leafed through a recent Sports Illustrated, trying to find an actual sports story in the midst of swimsuit illustration after swimsuit illustration, I started to think about the area sports that were going on and those that would be kicking off.
My head started to spin, caused either by the happy pill-flu medication I was gobbling up or by the sheer mass of sporting events that the spring season would provide.
The state basketball playoffs were in full gear. High school baseball, softball, girls soccer, boys tennis, golf, boys and girls track were all starting up.
While not each of the 13 high schools we cover has all these sporting events, most do.
On top of that is East Carolina baseball. And softball.
And let’s not forget about spring football for the Pirates.
Then I started to smile. Maybe it was the happy pill-flu medication. Maybe it was because I had paused on a Danica Patrick photo in the magazine.
Or maybe it was the prospect of seeing the local boys on the football field. C.J. Wilson, a former star at Northside High School, is a rock at defensive end for the Pirates.
Gerald Lawrence was an MVP on the Washington Pam Pack football and wrestling teams. He transferred from Elizabeth City State University with the hopes of landing a spot on the two-deep depth chart at linebacker.
Melvin Moore, a soldier in the truest sense of the word, is battling for a spot at free safety.
These are three of the classiest young men you’ll ever meet.
I’ve known the three for quite some time. An instant smile lit up my face as soon as I saw them walking off the ECU practice field.
I don’t know how many people have told me, “You won’t find a nicer kid than C.J.” He’s a beast on the field, and he’s got a great personality off it.
Many of our conversations start with, “What are you benching these days, Big Dog?” (Most of my answers are centered around excuses — torn rotator cuff, flu, I’m old.)
Lawrence always seems to wear a huge grin. The kid is just always happy, and he deserves it.
He was always big in high school, but the guy is a flat-out rock now.
I met Moore at the gym a couple years ago. His is an intriguing story.
Moore is a soldier. A student. A model. A football player. A class act.
The kid is chiseled. He’s worked hard on and off the field and is as well-rounded a person as I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to see him in a Pirate uniform.
No matter how many downs they play next year, these three Pirates are the type of kids you want to represent your team, your school and your town.
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Kevin Travis is the sports editor of the Washington Daily News. You may reach him at 940-4217, or by e-mail at Kevin@wdnweb.com. His blog, KT’s Take On Sports, appears at http://wdnsports.blogspot.com.