Chuck Amato may be gone, but the pipeline to Florida he opened for N.C. State is still flowing.

Orlando, Fla., running back James Washington, who began following the Wolfpack during Amato’s tenure as head coach from 2000 to 2006, has become the latest to join Tom O’Brien’s recruiting Class of 2009.

Washington plays for Boone High School in Orlando and chose N.C. State over scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Memphis, Rutgers and South Florida.

Amato’s ties to Florida led to an influx of talent to the N.C. State program from the Sunshine State during that seven-year period. The Wolfpack’s popularity and exposure in Florida has grown as a result.

“I remember Chuck Amato and all their coaches being down here,’’ Washington said. “And because there were so many Florida players on their team, almost every one of the games was shown on TV down here.

“So I knew a lot about N.C. State, even before they started recruiting me.’’

Washington said he was told the Wolfpack began watching him as a freshman when he played at neighboring Edgewater High. But after playing sparingly behind a glut of upperclassmen for two years at Edgewater, Washington made the bold move of transferring to Boone for his junior season.

The decision paid off as the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder carried 303 times for 1,760 yards and 16 touchdowns for a team that went 14-1 and reached the state 6-A title game.

The Wolfpack came through with a scholarship offer in June. Washington was convinced he wanted to play for N.C. State after making an unofficial visit to campus in late June for football camp.

“I talked with Coach O’Brien and he told me how the program would be heading into a better direction than it has been,’’ Washington said. “He also talked about how he has another seven years on his contract, so while I’m there he’s going to be there.’’

Washington plans to graduate in December from Boone and expects to enroll at N.C. State in January. That will allow him to join a running back competition featuring upperclassmen Toney Baker, Andre Brown, Jamelle Eugene and Curtis Underwood along with 2008 freshmen Brandon Barnes and Tobias Palmer.

Baker, Brown and Eugene, however, will all have completed their eligibility by the end of the 2009 season.

Washington said he’ll bring an “explosive and dynamic’’ style to the Wolfpack running game. He cited as an example a play he made against Apopka High last season.

“It was a playoff game and we were up by two, but they were coming back,’’ Washington said. “We had the ball first-and-10 at our own 12. We ran a counter play and I took it all the way, 86 yards for a touchdown.

“I feel like I can score from anywhere on the field.’’

Pack, Heels add punters

Both N.C. State and North Carolina added punters to their recruiting classes earlier this week.

Chris Ward from Starr’s Mill High in Fayetteville, Ga., decided to join the Wolfpack after an impressive performance at the school’s football camp in June. A prep soccer goalie and point guard for the Starr’s Mill basketball team, Ward averaged 41.6 yards per punt as a junior to earn all-county and all-region honors.

The commitments from Ward and Washington bring N.C. State’s total to five.

UNC’s class has increased to 12 with the addition of C.J. Feagles from Ridgewood, N.J.

Feagles is the son of current NFL punter Jeff Feagles, who played at the University of Miami for Tar Heel head coach Butch Davis. Jeff Feagles is now with the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

The younger Feagles averaged 38 yards per punt as a junior, his first as a varsity player.

ECU gets defensive help

East Carolina has continued its post-summer camp roll by picking up the third and fourth oral commitments within a week.

Lexington, N.C., safety Ty Holmes and Evans, Ga., safety-linebacker Kyle Tudor both received their first scholarship offers from the Pirates.

Holmes has been a starter since his freshman season for the Yellow Jackets. He produced 75 solo tackles and four quarterback sacks as a junior.

The 6-1, 207-pound Holmes is the godson of former N.C. State running back and Lexington High School star Joe McIntosh.

Like Holmes, Tudor is known for his physical style of play. The 6-3 1/2, 220-pounder played safety his first two years on the varsity at Lakeside High, but will move to linebacker this season.

“Bonecrusher,’’ Tudor said when asked to describe his style of play. “I like to knock people out. I’d rather hit somebody hard than to pick a ball off.’’

The Pirates now have six pledges for 2009.

Sammy Batten can be reached at battens@fayobserver.com or 486-3534.