County Classic kicks off Friday at GHS-EWHS game
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on August 21, 2016 1:45 AM
The first-ever Wayne County Classic kicks off at Goldsboro High School Friday during a football matchup between the Cougars and the Eastern Wayne Warriors.
Teenagers will have a chance to meet law enforcement and military recruiters at the game to decide possible employment fields. The winning team will receive the classic's trophy, and local business owners who donate money toward the event will have a banner hung on the fence surrounding Cougar Stadium for one year of advertising.
Gates open for the Classic at 5 p.m. at the football field on Beech Street, while the county-rival game tips off at 7 p.m.
And high school tailgating is highly encouraged.
"We want to bring tailgating back and make it real effective," said Staff Sgt. Atarius Farmer, who is also the co-offensive coordinator for the Cougars.
Farmer contacted Goldsboro High principal Robert Yelverton last month to discuss the amount of crime in Wayne County and across the country. The two agreed to hold an event for people to have fun at a football game, but also for teenagers to speak with law enforcement and military personnel.
"I want to see the community come together," Farmer said. "A lot of stuff has been happening in the world lately, especially in the United States with police and minorities and all that type of stuff."
Farmer then met with the police department, the fire department, city officials and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base commanders.
Mayor Chuck Allen will toss the coin before the game, and City Manager Scott Stevens will be present for the event, according to Farmer. He said 4th Wing Commander Col. Christopher Sage will represent the base's involvement at the Classic, but Army and the Marines will talk with teenagers about recruitment as well.
Farmer said one of the event's objectives is to see people -- through donations and ticket sales -- help with the school's resources and maintenance such as an updated computer room and a renovated gym.
Yelverton had the inside of the school painted and the outside pressure washed for the first time in 10 years, but Farmer said the school still needs certain building renovations and landscaping.
"My role was I wanted the community to back him and how to bring together the rich and poor, white and black into football," Farmer said. "One thing football can do is bring together all classes of people."