Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 28, 1993 TAG: 9310290192
SECTION: HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PAGE: S-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
First, he left Chancellor High School in Fredericksburg, where he had played in the line as a sophomore.
Last summer, he arrived at Liberty. He made such an impression on coach Mike Scharnus that he was listed as the Minutemen's best player in a preseason prospectus.
Less than two weeks later, Huffman was at Northside, where he became one of the Blue Ridge District's better defensive linemen as a junior.
Now he's a two-way player for Northside. Huffman is hoping to have a big senior year by landing a college football scholarship and winning the Group AA state shot put title after finishing second and third the past two years.
Most of all, Huffman is glad to be finished with his travels. His father is in the construction business and has had to go where his jobs were located.
"We moved to Chancellor from Bedford when I was 11," Huffman said. "My dad [Arnold Huffman] was originally from Botetourt County."
However, the family moved back to Bedford from Chancellor where Huffman's grandmother lived. His mother, Frances, had gone to Northside, and the family decided to live in Roanoke.
So it was a case of telling Scharnus "sayonara." John Huffman knew it wouldn't be a pleasant exchange because he had done it earlier at Chancellor where coach Scott Miller could see an outstanding prospect slipping away.
"I kind of didn't want to tell him and my parents went with me," Huffman said. "Coach Scharnus was a little bit upset. It was tough because I knew the guys on that team since I had played little league football with them.
"I had talked with my parents to see if I could stay down there. I couldn't and I really had to stay with my parents."
If that was unpleasant, going to Northside was delightful.
"We were practicing and I saw this couple standing with [athletic director] Ed Deeds," Northside coach Jim Hickam said. "After practice, Ed introduced us and said the family might be transfering to this area.
"It was kind of a shot out of the blue. We had no reason to suspect John was coming until he was here. I had no idea it was someone of his talents."
Hickam put Huffman on defense right away.
"One of our concerns was offensive-defensive linemen because we didn't have a wealth of people in these positions. It was like a godsend," Hickam said. "I knew he had been playing for two years and placed in the shot put [in state competition], so I knew he had the strength to make an impact in the program."
While he won the Group AA indoor shot put state title (which is not officially sponsored by the Virginia High School League), finishing second in the outdoor season (the only recognized VHSL state crown) was a disappointment. Huffman has one more chance to win an official state title in the spring.
"I didn't throw as well [outdoors last spring] as I should have and the other guy had a good day. Sometimes that happens," said Huffman, who was talked into going out for track at Chancellor by his father, a runner in high school.
At 6-foot-3 and 288 pounds, Huffman is being looked at this fall by many colleges. He is playing offense and defense as well as handling the place-kicking duties for the Vikings. Huffman says he's had contact with Wake Forest, Virginia, Virginia Tech and North Carolina State, but that none had offered a scholarship.
Huffman might be a lineman in appearance - big body and height - but he doesn't have a ferocious attitude off the field.
"John's kind of low keyed, but he plays with intensity in practice [and the games]," Hickam said. "A teacher in the pep rally [this week] said John's such a nice guy, she'd take him home anytime. He's one of those kids who is confident enough but doesn't have to put on a show."
Said Huffman, "Friday night, I'm different, but off the field, my parents taught me to have good manners. I'm polite to everyone.
"On the field, it's time to see who can play ball and who can't play ball."
by CNB