By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
When Dakuan Spencer went down with a gruesome injury on Washington’s third offensive play of the game, things spiraled downhill in a hurry.
It went from bad to worse for the Pam Pack, and Tarboro certainly took advantage. The Pack also lost starting quarterback Trey Harris on the opening kickoff of the second half, and third-string quarterback Tony Turnage, a multi-talented senior, was gimpy after suffering an ankle injury in the second quarter.
Without those three key weapons, the Vikings (2-0) were able to run away with a 31-0 win over the Pack (1-1) in Friday’s annual Victory Bell Bowl. It was the third straight win for Tarboro, and the second straight by shutout.
“There are things that come up, but you don’t think you’d be down to your third-string quarterback, and one at half-speed,” Washington coach Sport Sawyer said after Friday night’s game at J.G. “Choppy” Wagner Stadium. “That’s just the breaks we got tonight. It was a little too much, against a good time like Tarboro, to overcome.”
Spencer, a starting halfback and safety, and also the team’s back-up quarterback, suffered a knee injury after a 3-yard gain with 8:18 left in the first quarter. As the senior writhed in pain, officials immediately called for a stretcher. Spencer, who likely suffered a dislocated knee, will be out for some time.
“He’s a big-time player for us,” Sawyer said. “When he went down, some of the guys hung their heads.
“That’s a pretty major injury. He’s been very dedicated to this team. I hate it for the young man because he has a lot of talent and he’s been working hard.”
On the ensuing play, Washington fumbled and Tarboro recovered. However, Turnage came up with his second interception of the season to stop the drive.
Neither team could do much offensively until Ricardo Arias blasted a 47-yard field goal with 7:31 left in the first half to give Tarboro a 3-0 lead.
A Pam Pack fumble set Tarboro up in excellent field position moments later. Brandon Dozier (8 carries, 51 yards) bulled over from 2 yards out and, after the 2-point conversion pass, the Vikings held an 11-0 lead.
The Pack was held to one first down and 21 yards of offense in the first half.
Washington looked to turn things around in the second half. However, Harris went down with a leg injury on the kickoff. The sophomore did not return.
Harris, who suffered an ankle injury, should return in two weeks.
That severely limited what Washington could do on offense.
Tarboro quarterback Markel Pettaway (8 carries, 100 yards) had scoring runs of 48 and 17 yards on the next two series, giving his Vikings a 25-0 lead.
The Pack tried to open it up a bit offensively, as Turnage (5 of 8, 33 yards, one interception) started putting it up in the air. He hit William Ellegor for a 20-yard gain and Brandon Price for a 7-yard pickup, but Washington eventually turned the ball over on downs.
Tarboro, last year’s Class 2-A state runners-up, got in one last score when Markel Howell raced in from 39 yards out, coming off a broken play.
The Pack got as close as the Tarboro 2-yard line late in the game, thanks in large part to the running of Lindsey Harris (6 carries, 60 yards), but Washington couldn’t punch it in.
Sawyer will look to see who is even fit for practice next week.
“We’re really limited right now,” Sawyer said. “We’ll have to get some guys some reps.”
The Pack returns to action next Friday night when it plays its first road game of the young season. Washington will travel to Northside to face the Panthers (1-1), a Beaufort County rival.
Tarboro Washington
12 First Downs 6
39-219 Rushes-Yards 35-97
30 Passing Yards 33
3-1-1 Pass-Comp-Int 9-5-2
3-20.3 Punting 5-30.8
3-3 Fumbles-Lost 5-2
6-29 Penalties 5-40
Tarboro 0 11 14 6 — 31
Washington 0 0 0 0 — 0
Scoring Summary
T – Ricardo Arias 47 field goal, 7:31, 2nd
T – Brandon Dozier 2 run (pass good), 7:17, 2nd
T – Markel Pettaway 48 run (pass good), 8:12, 3rd
T – Pettaway 17 run (pass failed), 2:53, 3rd
T – Markel Howell 39 run (pass failed), 2:22, 4th