By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Washington, which travels to Goldsboro tonight, has faced more than its fair share of adversity already this season.
The Pam Pack (2-1) lost arguably its most explosive player — senior Dakuan Spencer — in the second game of the season. Spencer, a standout halfback/defensive back, had season-ending knee surgery after getting hurt early in a loss to Tarboro.
Washington, already down to its third-string quarterback because of injuries to Spencer (the team’s back-up quarterback) and sophomore starter Trey Harris, will have to rely on usual wingback Tony Turnage to run the show.
Turnage is hobbled himself with a sore ankle.
Harris will have to work his way back onto the varsity team once he’s healthy. If Turnage needs a break, Lindsey Harris and D.J. Bell, a freshman pulled up from junior varsity, will help out.
“Tony is still not 100 percent,” Washington coach Sport Sawyer said. “Tony is picking up on the schemes and doing a good job.”
The Pack suffered other blows earlier this year with the loss of senior linebacker Seth Pearson and sophomore offensive lineman Devante Gonzalez. Pearson injured a knee and is out for the season. Gonzalez suffered a broken finger.
Scott Baytala, a senior lineman who handles the long-snapping duties for the Pack, is the latest casualty. Baytala suffered a knee injury and is hoping he can gut it out the rest of the season.
“We’ve had several injuries dating back to the summer,” Sawyer said. “It seems like it’s one thing after another.”
Sawyer is hoping his team can overcome the adversity when his team plays the Cougars tonight. The Cougars (2-2), a former conference foe of Washington, is coming off a 44-8 loss to Charles B. Aycock.
Goldsboro, which competes in the Class 1-A Carolina Conference, owns an 11-6 edge over Washington in the series. The Pack won the last meeting, 28-12 in 2004. The Cougars posted a 29-27 win the previous season.
The Cougars are led offensively by Andre Montgomery, a 5-9, 220-pound junior who has galloped for over 425 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Wayne Hammonds has churned out over 260 rushing yards and a score.
“They’re very athletic and they have good size,” Sawyer said. “I look for them to run the ball a lot. I think they’ll be a very aggressive team.”
Kaschief Foreman leads Washington’s ground attack with 160 yards rushing and one score. William Ellegor has rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Pack’s tackle leaders are Ronnie Woolard (28 tackles), Amiar Johnson (22 tackles) and Marquin Hill (19 tackles).
The Pack plays host to the Jacksonville Cardinals in next week’s conference opener, which will also be Walk of Fame night for the Pack.