Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, November 12, 1993                   TAG: 9311120138
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-9   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RAY COX
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

PLAYOFF-WISE, WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO BE ON YOUR SIDE?

Today's question: Who who would you like, among players on rosters around the New River Valley neighborhood, to be on your side when the opening postseason whistle blows?

The pat answer, of course, is the current edition of the Pulaski County Cougars, better known as the defending Group AAA Division 6 state champions. For sure, Cougars coach Joel Hick's wouldn't trade with anybody and frankly, I don't blame him.

But we're talking the unreal here. The question is, who are some suitable playoff-quality athletes should we stage an imaginary draft of the local teams?

Before we start, be forewarned that this team is top-heavy with Cougars. The fellow conducting this draft may have a taste for the unreal, but he isn't crazy.

A purely subjective view of the available talent:

A smart coach once testified that every year, he takes his 11 meanest and most talented players and puts them on defense then goes from there when assembling a team. Sounds like a good idea.

The very first pick goes for Pulaski County lineman Randy Dunnigan. Big Randy goes about 280 pounds and he'd be delighted to knock the next ballcarrier who comes his way clean into next Tuesday. Gotta have him. A bonus is he can play offense, too.

Another one that'll help us out is Radford's Todd Pontius. They say that boy goes plumb berserk before games and I like that in defensive linemen. It's also nice that Pontius knows his way around the classroom and library and ought to surf through the gates of the college of his choice. We don't want any fluffheads on this team. By the way, he can play some offense, too.

Larry Newcomb of the Cougars is a big old boy who can muscle guys around pretty effectively. Being a senior gives him cagey veteran status. He's the type who keeps his associates loose. Wouldn't hesitate for a second to let him play on the offensive line, either.

Patrick Steele of Giles is a versatile sort who you could put down in a three-point stance and be a down lineman or leave up so he could look around, find the action, and go to the football like a linebacker. Defensive end, his natural position, would be fine too. When we start throwing the ball once we're on offense, he makes a heads-up tight end.

Cornell Wesley of Radford can play a couple of positions, too. Start him out at noseguard, shift him to defensive end, maybe let him play a little linebacker. He'll gain a few yards for you as a running back, too.

Linebacker is just about my favorite position because good linebackers are born hellraisers. We have a bunch of those types from which to choose.

For starters, we'll take Pulaski County's pair, Jammon Payne and Jeff Berkley. Man, it hurts just to watch those guys go to work. Saw them on TV the other night against Patrick Henry and the experience left me rummaging through the medicine chest hunting for some Ben-Gay.

Outside, you got to have another Cougar, Eric Webb, a junior who is as good as it gets for an 11th-grader. Great instincts, exceptional taste for controlled violence.

Another one that will get your attention in a big hurry is Tony Wheeler of Blacksburg. He goes to the football, acts like it made him angry that somebody would have the temerity to come his way, then takes it out on the offender.

A couple of young guys we'll select to stand ready for duty on the bench while they learn what it takes to be a real bloodshot-eyed, flared-nostril linebacker. One of them is Brandon Steele of Giles, the other is Jameel Hendricks of Radford, both sophomores. Big kids. Competitors. I like 'em.

In the defensive backfield, we'll just appropriate the entire Pulaski County trio of Andre Eaves, Tim Davis and Carl Lewis. You won't run past them and you'll be sorry if you run into them. Lewis and Eaves are about as fast as they come and Davis likes to play cold-weather games in short sleeves. What does that tell you?

Of course, Eaves and Lewis are going to have to help us out on offense. Eaves certainly is the most dangerous quarterback around if for no other reason than versatility. He can run it, he can throw it, he can option it. Lewis has developed into a top back and special teams guy. And brother, can he fly.

A couple more that I'd throw in that defensive backfield for depth are Todd Perdue of Blacksburg and Andra Beasley of Christiansburg. Perdue makes a lot of tackles and we can use him on offense as a receiver. Blue Demons followers may protest that Beasley does not play in the secondary for their team, but it is the view here that he's a good enough athlete that he can play wherever we need him. Beasley can also fall in with the running backs rotation.

The punter and place kicker is the same guy. That would be Casey Underwood of Radford, who can boot the daylights of the ball. Underwood will be additionally valuable as a reserve quarterback and defensive back.

There won't be that many offensive specialists since so many in this group can go both ways.

Among the specialists, you have to have Tim Schnecker of Blacksburg, a big bruiser, to play offensive tackle. Also throw in Chris Lawson, Wayne Puckett and Reggie Page of Pulaski County. Page will be the center; Puckett and Lawson will play wherever we tell them. Kelly Underwood of Radford is a beefy sophomore who we'll have standing by if needed. He can learn something that will be useful to him next year by watching the likes of Dunnigan, Puckett, Lawson and associates.

Whitey Blankenship of Narrows, who's had a monster year, will be one of the running backs. Peter Janney and Raypheal Milton of Giles are on there, too. Janney's a good hard runner and Milton has the added dimension of being able to throw. Guys like that need a good blocking fullback, somebody like Brian Redd of Pulaski County. Redd can also make the tough advance in a short-yardage situation and has enough speed to make something happen should he shake free.

If Eaves gets tired (going two ways is tough, you know) or needs to have a drink of water, we can trot out Greg Shockley of Blacksburg to play quarterback. Shockley can throw and he's a smart fellow, so we won't lose much there at all.

For receivers, we can deploy Blacksburg's Shane Beamer as the possession guy and C.C. Chapman of Radford as the deep threat. Of course we'll also have Pulaski County's Payne and Patrick Steele of Giles to play tight end. Lewis is a neat guy to throw to coming out of the backfield.

I think we could challenge for a state championship - any state championship - with this crew.

Ray Cox covers New River Valley sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News