By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
The first time Dakuan Spencer touched the ball this season was just a sign of good things to come.
The Washington Pam Pack junior hauled in a 69-yard touchdown strike from Austin Thompson on the first play from scrimmage, coming in a 33-12 win over North Pitt in the season opener. The only thing that has slowed down Spencer has been a couple minor off-the-field incidents.
Spencer, who said he has learned his lesson and plans to be a model student-athlete the rest of the year, has been eye-popping, jaw-dropping good.
Spencer is a gifted athlete. Along with a strong 6-foot-3 frame, he’s quick as lightning. He also possesses soft, sure hands, making him a favorite target of Thompson.
Spencer believes that his versatility is what makes him such a dangerous weapon.
Washington Pam Pack head coach Sport Sawyer appreciates Spencer’s hard work on the field, and his demeanor off it.
Spencer demonstrated just how dangerous he can be in the win over North Pitt. The playmaker accounted for four touchdowns — three receiving and another on an interception return.
Along with the 69-yard strike from Thompson, Spencer had TD grabs covering 26 and 24 yards. He scored his fourth touchdown on a 22-yard interception return.
Spencer, who finished that game with five receptions for 132 yards, nearly had a fifth score. However, a 70-yard kickoff return for a score was wiped out by a Pam Pack penalty.
Spencer, who said his favorite NFL player is Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, has 15 receptions for a team-best 272 receiving yards and four touchdowns this season. He also lined up in the backfield in last week’s 42-6 win over D.H. Conley, compiling 73 yards on 10 carries.
The soft-spoken Spencer is equally impressive on the defensive side of the ball.
Blank and Sawyer made the decision to switch Spencer from safety to linebacker for the game against Conley.
The move made Blank and Sawyer look like geniuses. In his first game at linebacker, Spencer recorded 18 tackles in the win.
Spencer said he was surprised about the tackle total. Now that he’s at linebacker, he plans to stay there.
Spencer, who placed seventh in the 110-meter high hurdles at last year’s N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A state meet and is also a standout basketball player for the Pam Pack, has another year of high school football to play after this one. However, he’s already thinking about college plans.
While Sawyer, Blank and the rest of the Pam Pack family would like seeing that, they are quite content for now watching Spencer play in the blue and white.