High school football player’s body found after N. Topsail Beach drowning

ONSLOW COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Southwest Onslow County High School is mourning a football star after he drowned at North Topsail Beach yesterday.

Search crews say they found the body of 19-year-old Shak Pershey early this morning after hours of searching the water.

The Town of North Topsail Beach says emergency crews got a call about a possible drowning last night at about 6 p.m. Witnesses reported Pershey went under the water about 100 yards from shore and never came up.

Friends say Pershey was a great guy with a good future ahead of him.

One of Pershey’s teammates says he cannot believe it and everyone is upset.

“I understand, because every time I was around Shak he was so friendly and so outgoing and humble,” Jonathan Leonard said. “Just a great guy to be around, and any time you lose someone, especially this young, it’s just hard.”

Leonard says Pershey was not just a great football player, he was an amazing person who was planning to go to college on a football scholarship.

A candlelight vigil at North Topsail Beach is planned for Pershey at Beach Access #2 at 8 p.m.