Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 6, 1994 TAG: 9410110091
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Graham spends part of his time twisting and breaking sheet metal, but that's not his chief claim to fame.
Graham, senior quarterback for The Apprentice School in Newport News, is having the best season of a distinguished college football career.
``I'm glad to say I stuck it out,'' said Graham, who has passed for more than 4,500 yards and 34 touchdowns. ``Out of high school, I wanted to play Division I, but I didn't have the test scores. The only people who knew I was here were family and close friends.''
Graham already has thrown for more than 1,000 yards in five games for the Builders, who are 3-2 against a schedule that includes 1993 NCAA Division III runner-up Rowan and NAIA Division I runner-up Glenville State.
Graham has thrown 12 touchdown passes, which is more than any Division III passer. The Apprentice School is a ``corresponding'' member of the NCAA, but is ineligible for the Division III playoffs and statistics because its players hold jobs during the school year.
For his first 1 1/2 seasons, Graham split his time between classes and work. For the past 2 1/2 years, he has worked from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Newport News Shipbuilding, which operates The Apprentice School.
``When I graduated high school, I looked at Ferrum and some other small schools, but I didn't have the money to pay my way,'' said Graham, who attended New River Community College. ``I was going to transfer to Carson-Newman.''
Graham met with Apprentice coach Paul Hoffman and liked the idea of playing football and working, as did John Henley of Pulaski County. Henley, also a senior, starts at defensive end for the Builders.
``I really didn't know what I was getting into,'' said Graham, who Saturday faces Ferrum, a past Division III power that Apprentice beat last season. ``I didn't know what level it was; I'm glad to say it's a lot higher than I thought.''
SCHUG RESURFACES: One-time Blacksburg High School star Kevin Schug, who left VMI before the start of classes in 1993, is a freshman on the football team at William and Mary. Schug, a former all-state tight end, has not received a scholarship but is traveling with the Tribe.
DAMAGE CONTROL: The ACC office has come out in support of an officiating crew headed by Dale Phillips that was involved Saturday in a controversial call for the third time this season.
Bradley Faircloth, the conference's supervisor of officials, said the deciding play in North Carolina State's 21-13 victory over Georgia Tech was ``extremely close.'' It was ruled Georgia Tech receiver Cedric Zachery was out of bounds on a pass that would have pulled the Yellow Jackets to within 21-19.
Phillips' crew also had the Georgia Tech-Arizona game, in which the Yellow Jackets felt there was a completion and fumble on an Arizona pass that was ruled a no-catch, and the North Carolina-Florida State game, in which an apparent incompletion was ruled a catch and fumble.
Faircloth said last week that Phillips' crew had erred in the North Carolina-Florida State game, ``[but] for the past two or three years they've worked some of the biggest games in the country,'' he added. ``They've proven themselves. That type situation will come up if you've been out there long enough.''
THE PROS SAY: Virginia Tech senior Antonio Freeman was listed fourth by The Sporting News in a rating of the best NFL receiving prospects. Virginia's Tyrone Davis was 10th, although he is at least an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier than his published 6-3, 200.
AROUND THE STATE: On the most productive day of Wes Dearing's college football career, he took the Law School Assessment Test on Saturday morning and then drove from Charlottesville to Bridgewater. He arrived in time for the second half of Hampden-Sydney's game against the Eagles and rushed for a career-high 76 yards in the Tigers' 21-3 victory.
Former All-Group AAA running back Lamonte Still, declared academically ineligible by Virginia after his first semester, has rushed for 559 yards and six touchdowns in his first five games for Hampton University.
RECRUITING: Syracuse is off to a quick start in football recruiting, with commitments from preseason All-Americans Rob Konrad, a linebacker-running back from Danvers, Mass.; Mike Dressner, a lineman from Basking Ridge, N.J.; and Darrell Stroope, a linebacker from Burnt Hills, N.Y. The Orangemen have a total of seven commitments. ... West Virginia received a commitment from a hometown standout, John Conte, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound lineman from Morgantown.
IN BASKETBALL: Georgia Tech has received a commitment from Juan Gaston, a 6-7 forward from Decatur, Ga., who has been rated among the nation's top 40 prospects by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons. ... First-year Clemson coach Rick Barnes has been active, getting commitments from South Carolina big men Harold Jamison (6-9, 270) from Holly Hill and Patrick Garner (6-9) from Greenville.
WHAT, NO HELMET?: Chris Gordon, recruited by Roanoke College to play lacrosse, had not played organized soccer before he started in goal for the Maroons on Saturday in a 1-0 loss to Hampden-Sydney. Roanoke was without a goalie after regular Rick Keeley was given a ``red card'' against Shenandoah, resulting in a one-game suspension.
Gordon, vying for the starting job in lacrosse, participated in the Maroon-White intrasquad lacrosse game at 10 a.m. Saturday and had 15 saves. He has continued to practice with the soccer team as a backup to Keeley.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB