Local opinion: Warriors lay old bones to rest

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 13, 2013 1:50 PM

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Could a football-bred coach turn around a football program that had trouble attracting some of the school's better athletes that walked the halls each day?

That ghost haunted Bubba Williams the first day he arrived on the Eastern Wayne campus.

Those old bones from that worrisome rattling skeleton were laid to rest Friday evening. The Warriors wrapped up the most-successful season in school history with a runner-up finish in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A eastern regional championship.

Until this year's phenomenal run, Eastern Wayne hadn't experienced any success in the postseason since 1978. In fact, the Warriors had lost nine straight playoff games and never won at home until they defeated West Carteret.

"You can't say enough about the players and the assistant coaches," a smiling Williams said after the season-ending loss to Havelock. "Best year ... best team in the history of our school and there is a lot to be said about that. Our seniors came in with the program dwindling ... a little down."

Williams guided Eastern Wayne to a share of its first-ever conference championship in 2008. Tough losses and injuries took their toll over the next couple of seasons, but Williams and his coaching staff remained steadfast in their goal.

They all knew the program had potential.

The Warriors fashioned a 4-7 record last fall and entered the offseason with numerous, unanswered questions. Who would stay? Who would go? How much have the younger players matured? Who will become the leaders for 2013?

Could the team handle the physicality of a new split conference that included traditional powers New Bern, J.H. Rose, D.H. Conley and South Central?

Even Williams didn't know who'd play where on either the offensive or defensive lines when the preseason ECC rouser was held in August. The Warriors were undoubtedly blessed with talented and athletic skill players.

Injuries factored into early-season play, but Eastern Wayne became the first county team -- and just the eighth overall -- to start 5-0 since 2007. The victories occurred without senior lineman Anthony Carmon on the field and fullback Craig Smith, who eventually underwent season-ending knee surgery.

After stumbling against New Bern and Rose, the Warriors regained their composure and won the 3-A portion of the conference. Their six-game win streak ended against Havelock.

"They put a lot of work in it to get (the program) where it is (now)," Williams said. "You can't say enough about them. I'm proud of the kids ... proud of everything they've done and all the work they've done to get us where we are.

"They've got nothing to hang their heads about."

Here are just a few of the Warriors' accomplishments:

* Most single-season wins (11), most single-season home wins (6), most single-season playoff wins (3) and best start in program history (5-0).

* Eastern Wayne forced a school-record eight turnovers against Red Springs -- six interceptions and two fumbles. The six interceptions were one short of the county record set by Goldsboro and two short of tying the state record.

* Individually, Jake Wiser returned three fumbles for touchdowns in a single season. Teammate Micah Smith picked off four passes against Red Springs and wound up one interception short of matching the state record.

The core of this year's team returns next fall, which could lead to another deep run in the postseason.

"Now we see what it takes to get to the next step, so we've got to go get that done," Williams said. "You can't take anything for granted. You never know what's going to happen. You never know who is going to be in military school.

"Everybody has to go back to work and get better from top to bottom."

And keep those old bones buried.