DATE: Saturday, September 13, 1997          TAG: 9709130667

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   48 lines

TALLWOOD DOMINATES BOTH WAYS TO RIP COX

The scouting reports on Tallwood and Cox didn't lie Friday night.

The sixth-ranked Lions figured to be too big on offense and too quick on defense. They were both in a resounding 26-0 victory.

Tallwood (2-0, overall, 1-0 in the Beach District) scored the first three times it had the ball and let its defense do the rest.

The Lions' defense, which features no one larger than 225 pounds, never let Cox inside the Tallwood 40 and scored the final touchdown on Kiko Toxey's 45-yard interception return.

``We thought we were prepared,'' said Cox quarterback Chris Spillman, clutching his right shoulder which he banged on a Tallwood helmet while attempting to pass. ``But they were sending everybody.''

Ends Tremonn Hawkins and Calvin Martin and middle linebacker Chris Smith all had big games for Tallwood. Cox ran only 13 offensive plays in the first half. Ten went for no gain or lost yardage.

``We couldn;t get anything going,'' Cox coach Reggie Garrett said. ``They stuffed inside. We couldn't get outside. We tried to get the ball to (wideout) Mike McIlravy, but we didn't have time. There is no question they were the better team.''

The Lions set the tone by taking the opening kickoff and marching 71 yards in 14 plays, all on the ground. Marques Hampton carried 9 times for 59 yards, including a 3-yard run off the left side for the touchdown.

Spillman fumbled on Cox's third play and the Lions recovered at the Cox 36. The Falcons appeared to stop the Lions when Shermane Reid was tackled on fourth down, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for mimicking the quarterback's signals gave Tallwood a first down at the 18.

``When they send a guy in motion we slant to that side and have a signal for it,'' Garrett said. ``We did it the previous play and they jumped offsides. The officials didn't say anything to me and then they called the penalty against us.''

Hampton capped the drive with a 7-yard TD run that made it 13-0. Another smothering defensive series and a short punt return the ball to Tallwood at the Cox 32.

Reid hit Andre Walker with a 23-yard pass on first down and two plays later Lewis Floyd hit off the right side, spun out of a tackle and scored standing up. Nathan Huffman's conversion kick made it 20-0. ILLUSTRATION: L. TODD SPENCER

Tallwood defenders Tremonn Hawkins, 32, and Justin Ruffin team up to

stop Cox's Chuck Robinson during first half action Friday night.

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