Washington's game on Friday was all tied up 21-21 at the half, but sadly for them it didn't stay that way. They took a 35-31 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Ayden - Grifton Chargers. Despite 122 more yards than the Chargers, the Pam Pack couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.
When it comes to explaining why Washington lost, don't look at Keondrick Melton. Despite the final result, he rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Melton's rushing production has been exceptional for a while as that marked his ninth straight game with at least 104 rushing yards. Washington also got help from Jarryn Payne, who showed off his sure hands for 133 receiving yards.
Even though they lost, Washington was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 251 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 170 rushing yards in four consecutive matchups.
EJ Ruffin continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines for Ayden - Grifton, rushing for 153 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.3 yards per carry. Ruffin didn't just play on offense: he also made nine total tackles and defended a pass in addition to snagging two interceptions which he returned for a touchdown.
Washington dropped their record down to 4-6 with the defeat, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. As for Ayden - Grifton, the win (which was their fourth in a row) raised their record to 5-4.
Washington does not have any more games scheduled as of now. As for Ayden - Grifton, they are taking a road trip to square off against Pamlico County at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Ayden - Grifton is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 26.8 points per game this season.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
