GC finds improvement in final football jamboree

TARBORO — The Greene Central football team competed in its final tune-up ahead of its 2019 season-opener.

The Rams traveled to Tarboro Friday to compete in the Vikings’ football jamboree. The Rams faced Farmville Central in a scrimmage, along with two-time defending 1AA state champion Tarboro, among others.

“We were the physical team I wanted us to be,” Rams first-year head coach Jay Wilson said. “We had a scrimmage earlier in the week and I didn’t think we showed enough physicality, so I’m very pleased with the physical nature we played with tonight.”

Greene Central came in ready to run the football and did for most of the night. The Rams also showed a lot of promise defensively, even against quality opposition.

Wilson and his squad were picked to finish fifth in the Neuse News Eastern Carolina 2A preseason coach’s poll. The Rams have made sixth straight trips to the state playoffs.

“I saw our offensive line do their thing,” senior wide receiver and defensive end Debo Pigford said. “Our running backs hit the hole and made plays. The receivers blocked well and we need those things to win games.”

The Tarboro football jamboree did feature a nice reunion of sorts. Havelock was in attendance on Friday, and former Greene Central head coach Allen Wooten is now leading a new set of Rams. Although the teams didn’t play against each other, Wooten greeted and conversed with the Greene Central coaching staff throughout the event.

Greene Central will go on the road to face Winterville South Central in their season-opener Aug. 23 at 7 pm. 

“I hope the team can build on this and be ready for the regular season,” Wilson added. “Our offense isn’t fancy, but it’s forceful. If we stick to it, the results will come.”