From the pages of The Roanoke Beacon
102 Years Ago — Oct. 24, 1924
Football has a century-long history in Washington County
Long before today’s high school football pro grams, Plymouth High School was taking its first steps onto the gridiron. The Oct. 24, 1924, edition of The Roanoke Beacon reported that Plym outh High School had played its first football game against Elizabeth City High School.
Although Plymouth lost, the newspaper reported that the inexperienced team improved as the con test progressed, learning to adjust to the opposing team’s quick shifts and deceptive plays. Plymouth halfback Coburn recovered a blocked punt and raced 40 yards to Elizabeth City’s 10-yard line, giving his team a late scoring opportunity.
Plymouth was preparing to host Washington on Oct. 28 for its first home game.
A return contest against Elizabeth City was also planned during the fair. For comparison, neighboring Chowan County celebrated a century of high school footall in 2025.
For more Back in Time, check out the Oct. 21, 2026, edition of the Roanoke Beacon.