Cougars shut out of locker rooms

By David Williams
Published in Sports on October 10, 2004 9:49 AM

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WINTERVILLE -- A defeat was not the only unpleasant thing that happened to Goldsboro High School's football team Friday night when they made a trip over to South Central High.

Goldsboro High School coach Maurice Jackson said that the team was made to dress on the buses and was not allowed into South Central's visitors locker room before the game -- after being escorted to the locker room by one of the school's athletics directors.

"They said we were in the way and that they didn't let anyone use the locker room," Jackson said. "I asked where my players were to use the bathroom, and they pointed to the field and said, 'We have bathrooms outside.' "

Jackson said in the days before the game he told South Central coach Kemp Ewing that Goldsboro "might dress before they came over, but we would need a locker room."

Once on the buses, the players were taunted by a South Central player standing nearby.

He said the conference by-laws state that visiting varsity teams were to be provided a locker room area.

Jackson also said that while his team was in the South Central building, coaches from South Central kept a close eye on his players, making them feel as if they were being watched.

The team was not the only Goldsboro visitor to get the cold shoulder. Goldsboro's trainer was invited to the South Central training room to tape up the Cougar players, only to be ordered out moments later by members of the South Central staff.

"They told her she was in the way and they didn't want her in there in the first place," Jackson said. "And she was taping up a few of their players, as well."

As the game was winding down and it become apparent that South Central would win, Jackson said one of the South Central athletic directors came to him on the sideline and told him there would be no handshakes between the teams after the game.

"I've been involved in a lot of football games, and there is no situation where I would not come out and shake hands after a game," Jackson said.

South Central won the game, the first-ever varsity football victory for the three-year old school.