EW football: Player's bold statement proves true

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 11, 2014 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

rcoggins@newsargus.com

HAVELOCK -- Jabo Fulghum doesn't remember the player who made the bold -- but confident -- statement in the weight room one afternoon.

Fulghum certainly didn't forget the comment.

"I guess it was about three or four weeks into the season, I really don't know," Fulghum said. "But he told me there were 13 weeks left to go. I said '13 weeks?' and he said 'that's when we get to Havelock.'"

The player's prophecy was right on the money.

Eastern Wayne scripted another record-setting season that ended in disappointing fashion on Havelock's home turf for the second straight year in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A eastern regional championship game.

Tears streamed down sweat-stained cheeks and steam rose in the cold night air from some players' heads after they removed their helmets. Not a single player hung his head and all eyes stayed focused on the man -- sixth-year head coach Bubba Williams -- who had resurrected the program and a community that had been starving to support a winning football team.

Williams, as usual, spent little time in the post-game huddle.

The players rose from their knees, raised their battle-scarred helmets in the air and shouted "Click Boom Nation" one last time. They broke away and headed for friends and family, who greeted them with hugs and hearty pats on the back -- well-deserved acknowledgment for another well-played season.

A single light flashed on the scoreboard.

The 25-second play clock had gone dark.

Williams, with his son by his side, looked back toward his team as they removed their gear and walked toward a warm charter bus waiting to take them back to Goldsboro.

"An excellent year," a quiet Williams said. "The senior class has done wonderful things for this school, have done a heckuva job. They are the best senior class to ever go through Eastern Wayne as far as I can remember. You just can't say enough about these guys.

"The juniors and underclassmen hung in there and competed with them."

One year ago, Eastern Wayne set numerous school records on its way to a first-ever appearance in the eastern regional title game. The Warriors posted 11 wins, finished 7-1 at home and set single-season marks for points scored (412) and winning percentage (.786).

Graduation and unexpected losses in the offseason concerned Williams and his coaching staff. An abundance of returning skill players, spring and summer workouts reduced some of the worries, but Williams faced the same dilemma as last season -- where would he find offensive linemen?

Even a week into August practice, he still didn't know.

"We've got more numbers, we just have no proven (linemen)," Williams said at that time.

So, Williams reverted to the same formula as he did in 2013 -- put his skill players in position to win games while the offensive line matured. KK Best moved from running back to quarterback, which gave the Warriors a dual-threat player in the backfield.

Eastern Wayne, for the second straight year, started 5-0.

The first hiccup came at New Bern. After a resounding 40-point blowout of then state-ranked J.H. Rose, the Warriors endured a humbling defeat against D.H. Conley.

"We've got to do a better job moving forward," Williams said that night.

The Warriors logged two resounding victories and put themselves in position to host an opening-round playoff game against brother, Beau, and dad, Chip, from Jacksonville. Bubba's team prevailed and followed up with back-to-back road playoff victories at Southern Nash (24-17) and previously-unbeaten Southern Guilford (56-55 in overtime).

That set up a return trip to Havelock.

Eastern Wayne entered more prepared to play and stayed within striking distance through two-plus quarters. But led by a Shrine Bowl quarterback and Division I running back, the once-beaten Rams took control in the second half.

Precious seconds ticked away.

Offensive plays became a premium.

The Warriors' sideline grew quiet in the final minute.

As the game clock tripped to all zeroes, the teams met at midfield to shake hands. After receiving the runner-up trophy, the EW players gathered before Williams one last time.

"You know, it's hard to make it back to this point, I can certainly tell you that," Fulghum said. "These boys have nothing to hang their heads about. They've had a great run."