Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412200027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
All kinds of rumors have circulated that Moyer will test his football ability at a public school and transfer to Salem, where his brother, Keith, was a star before going on to Virginia Tech.
``Right now, I'm pretty sure I'll be back at Roanoke Catholic,'' said Moyer, who was the top offensive threat as the Celtics rolled to a 12-0 record and the Virginia Independent Schools Division I title. ``I was talking about going to either Northside or Salem.''
Northside? Had Doss, who was quite a defensive back during the Vikings' 9-2 season, heard this?
``I've heard a little talk about it,'' said Doss, who next year is a candidate to become a running back for Northside, which loses All-Timesland back Karim Thompson to graduation.
Would Moyer, who rushed for 1,796 yards in 12 games, put a damper on Doss' hopes of moving to running back? ``There's always room for more people,'' said Doss, realizing the Vikings' wishbone can feature a couple of runners.
P.J.'s father, Paul, says that scenario isn't likely to happen. ``As long as Catholic has a football team, he'll be there,'' said the elder Moyer.
The Celtics have fielded football teams through some lean times. At one point in the early 1980s, the school had to go in front of the archbishop of Richmond for approval to continue playing the sport.
Those days are gone, but the Celtics' numbers remain thin. Moyer's numbers aren't thin because he started playing at Roanoke Catholic as an eighth-grader. Moyer already has rushed for 3,220 yards and scored 39 touchdowns. He would have been on last year's Sizzlin' Soph team, but he was only a freshman.
``P.J. played both defense and offense. He played more defense than I intended,'' said John Cooke, the Celtics' coach. ``We had taken him off defense completely this year, but then we had to play him. He returned an interception for a touchdown, so I left him there. Only good things happened with him out there.''
Jim Hickam, Northside's coach, says Doss is the ``best kid we've had playing that safety position since we had [All-Timesland] Kelly Dampeer.'' OK, Dampeer has been gone only for a couple of years, but this shows you how good Doss will be if he progresses.
``He's a sure tackler. At one time he was the leading tackler on the team,'' Hickam added. ``We played a lot of man defense and let him come right to the line of scrimmage.''
Doss might have turned around the Vikings' season. With Northside struggling early in the year, he intercepted a pass in the end zone to prevent a potential tying touchdown. Northside took off, rolling to a surprisingly easy 38-16 victory that helped their stock soar in the Group AA poll.
Lord Botetourt's Wesley Cox is the runner-up to Moyer on offense and is the return specialist on the team. He qualified offensively by rushing for 1,488 yards in 10 games to earn All-Blue Ridge District honors. As a kick-returner, considered part of the defense, he averaged 21.69 yards on 26 kickoff and punt returns. He also was a top defensive back.
Defensive runner-up honors went to Charles Burnette, who had 63 tackles and one interception for William Fleming. On offense, he caught 28 passes for 426 yards. Burnette also averaged 17.9 yards on 28 returns.
Staunton River is the only school with two Sizzlin' Sophs on offense. The Golden Eagles are represented by running back Kevin Martin and lineman Coy Kirby.
The receivers are Liberty's Cris Ridgeway, who follows Gregg Reynolds, the 1993 Sizzlin' Sophomore of the Year, at that position and Lord Botetourt's Jeremy Conner. Other linemen are North Cross' Hunter Smith, Floyd County's Kenny Marshall and Salem's Pierce Weikle. The center is Shawsville's Anthony Creasy.
The other running back is Martinsville's Manti Venable, who rushed for 971 yards while splitting time at that position and quarterback.
The quarterback is James River's Travis Blankenship, who passed for 723 yards, and the kicker is Christiansburg's Chris Epperly, who was 26-of-30 on extra-point attempts and booted two 30-yard field goals.
On defense, Covington's William Stuart, Salem's Jeff Akers, Northside's Clay Kasey and Fieldale-Collinsville's Diondre Bethel are on the line. The linebackers are William Byrd's Frank English, who also is one of the top reserves on the Terriers' basketball team, North Cross' Bill Pattisall and Bassett's Carl Watkins.
Joining Doss and Burnette in the backfield are Christiansburg's Scotty Bruback and Radford's Derrick Chapman. Blacksburg's Michael Davis is the punter.
SIZZLIN' SOPHS
Offense
Ends - Cris Ridgeway, Liberty; Jeremy Conner, Lord Botetourt.
Line - Hunter Smith, North Cross; Kenny Marshall, Floyd County; Pierce Weikle, Salem; Coy Kirby, Staunton River.
Center - Anthony Creasy, Shawsville.
Quarterback - Travis Blankenship, James River.
Running back - Kevin Martin, Staunton River; P.J. Moyer, Roanoke Catholic; Manti Venable, Martinsville.
Kicker - Chris Epperly, Christiansburg.
Defense
Line - William Stewart, Covington; Jeff Akers, Salem; Clay Kasey, Northside; Diondre Bethel, Fieldale-Collinsville.
Linebacker - Frank English, William Byrd; Bill Pattisall, North Cross; Carl Watkins, Bassett.
Back - John Doss, Northside; Scotty Bruback, Christiansburg; Charles Burnette, William Fleming; Derrick Chapman, Radford.
Return specialist - Wesley Cox, Lord Botetourt.
Punter - Michael Davis, Blacksburg.
by CNB