By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth Vikings are still relishing their North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 1-A state football championship.
Plymouth won its first state championship with a 20-13 victory over North Duplin. The victory, coming at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium, capped off a perfect 16-0 record for the Vikings.
Part of Plymouth’s success can be attributed to a strong recreation program that feeds players into the high school.
Football players, from age 7 to 18, will be able to participate in a special camp this week. The Second Charles Bowser NFL Youth Football Camp will be held Friday and Saturday at Plymouth High School.
Bowser, a former great at Plymouth, played at Duke for four years before enjoying a successful four-year career with the Miami Dolphins. Bowser played in two Super Bowls while with Miami.
The former Plymouth star, who played in the 1977 Shrine Bowl, recorded 20 quarterback sacks in his career, including a season-best nine in 1984.
Bowser will be joined by fellow Dolphins’ teammate Mark Duper, a three-time Pro Bowl player. Duper finished his 11-year career with 511 receptions for 8,869 yards and 59 touchdowns.
Danny James, a former Italian Football League player, and Donald Norman will also be on hand at the camp. Norman, who grew up playing recreation football in Washington County, was a star quarterback at Plymouth, before he played four years at Elizabeth City State University.
Bowser, Duper, James and Norman will be signing autographs following the camp on Friday, which runs from 6 to 8 p.m.
Some 120 kids are expected to participate in the football camp.
There are also some 40 kids participating in a week-long cheerleading camp. The camp will be capped off Friday evening with a special visit from two Miami Dolphins cheerleaders, who will talk to the kids about what it takes to be an NFL cheerleader.