Oh, brother! Washingtons lead Dreher’s rushing attack

Growing up, Jay and Da Da Washington competed in everything from who could eat their cereal the quickest to who was the fastest.

Now, the two brothers will be fighting for carries in Dreher’s backfield when the Blue Devils begin their season Friday against Columbia. Jay is a senior, the team’s starting tailback and leading rusher the past two seasons. Da Da (pronounced Day Day), a junior, will be carrying the load when his brother isn’t getting the ball.

“It is a lot fun watching them play. They like to compete against each other. They’ve got a good healthy relationship,” Dreher coach Treigh Sullivan said. “They are both great kids, work hard and are special athletes. And we are going to count on them a lot this year.”

The two brothers are welcoming the chance to be on the same team and playing such a big role. Outside of playing some in the outfield on the Dreher baseball team, the two haven’t played together much on the same team.

“I know for a fact he is going to have my back and I am going to have his,” Jay said. “It is different because of us being on the same team. We are really going to look out for each other.”

While Jay looks out for his brother’s best interest, he doesn’t take it easy on him during practice. But that is something Da Da has expected through the years.

Growing up Jay and Da Da had their share of battles, even to the point of driving their mother crazy.

“She yells at us all the time,” Da Da said. “Tell us everything is not a competition. We should be helping each other.”

The brothers do help each other. After practice, they critique each other and give each other advice. They also watch film together and look for ways to help each other.

Jay Washington has been the workhorse for the Blue Devils, rushing for more than 1,000 yards the past two seasons. His junior season was cut short because of a broken leg against Orangeburg-Wilkinson, but he still managed to rush for 1,141 yards.

Jay, a run between the tackles kind of runner, worked hard to get ready for his senior season and hopes to catch the eye of college coaches.

Da Da, who both agree is the quicker of the two, will supply Dreher’s running attack with a burst of speed on the outside.

“They both are dynamic runners,” Sullivan said. “And having them both allows you to adjust things. They are special players and I’m excited about both of them this year.”

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Oh, brother! Washingtons lead Dreher’s rushing attack."