THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 14, 1994 TAG: 9410130192
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 29 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: - Gary Edwards
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Recreation-league football swung into full action last month with 29 teams taking the fields at Princess Anne Park.
Fifteen of the teams are in the 120-pound league for 10- and 11-year-olds - eight in the Atlantic Division; seven in the Pacific. The 140-pound league has 11 squads composed of 12- and 13-year-olds. Three teams play in the 160-pound league, which also has players 14 and older. City champions will be crowned Nov. 12.
On the first Saturday morning in October, parents, friends and siblings paced the sidelines shouting advice and encouragement. VCRs almost outnumbered pads and helmets. Cheerleaders went through their routines - some oblivious at times to the action on the field.
A few of the scenes:
Coach Sid Pearl and staff are talking to their 120-pounders - the Woodstock Mustangs - beneath the goal posts of field No. 6. Woodstock trails the Larkspur/Salem Lions, 8-6, at halftime. The coaches aren't happy. Even at this level, their pep talk is delivered in highly specialized coach-speak:
``When they go unbalanced, I want you to shift that way.''
``Gimme three steps and dump the pass off.''
``You gotta seal. It's an easy seal on 51.''
``Contain block.''
``Shed the blocker.''
Then Pearl, a youth coach for more than 25 years, speaks a sentence any kid can understand.
``If we want to have a pizza party, we gotta go win this thing.''
Woodstock wins, 14-8.
Rhyan Finch sits disconsolately on the walk by the concession stand, waiting for a ride home. His team, the Kings Grant Bears, lost to the Larkspur/Salem Lions, 12-0. Finch quarterbacks the Bears in the 160-pound league, though he only weighs 112. He's 14, a freshman at First Colonial High School.
Finch may be down, but his sense of humor keeps him from being out.
Asked how his passing went, Finch responds, ``I completed one of six. Actually, I completed four, but three went to the other team.''
Marvin Taylor and Eric Wynn play side-by-side on the Landstown Middle School football team in the spring. They run sprints for the school track team in the fall.
But today they are on different teams. Taylor plays running back and cornerback for the 140-pound Green Run Panthers. His team meets the Plaza Raiders at 10:15. Wynn plays the same positions for the Larkspur/Salem Lions in the 140-pound league.
The two friends talk for a minute and Wynn leaves to get ready for his 11:30 game against the Kings Grant Vikings.
Wynne had bragging rights at the end of the day. The Lions won, 28-0; Green Run lost, 20-6. by CNB