Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 31, 1995 TAG: 9508310019
SECTION: HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PAGE: 4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
Should that strike some as damning with faint praise, may it be pointed out that the Indians had numerous new admirers after advancing to the Group AA Division 4 semifinals and ending the campaign with a 6-7 record.
One of them was the coach of the team that ended the Indians' season, Amherst County's Mickey Crouch.
``Good team, very well-coached,'' he said after his undefeated unit had a fit with Blacksburg.
You could say that the Indians took some teams by surprise. Richlands, the Indians' victim in the Region IV championship, may have been one of them. You almost have to sympathize with the Richlanders after they thumped Blacksburg good during the regular season, then found an entirely different foe in December.
Blacksburg may not be able to attack from ambush this year. Too many people know what they're dealing with here.
The protest started almost immediately from Blacksburg coach David Crist when told that his team would be the New River District favorite again this year.
There are only two returning starters on offense, he said.
There's going to be a new quarterback.
All the receivers are new.
The schedule is one only a masochist could love.
And so forth.
Don't be distracted. Blacksburg is going to be good, and the proof could come sooner rather than later.
The primary reason is the defense, which has seven starters back. The defense will carry the team until the offense gets organized.
Up the middle, the Indians may be as impenetrable as Ross Perot's bankbook. The two inside linebackers, senior Kip Kenyon and junior Michael Davis, are as solid a pair as the Indians have had in a while. Kenyon missed six games with an inflamed knee last year; when he returned in time for the playoffs, the Indians played their best defense of the year.
``He's an intelligent player, and he is intense,'' Crist said.
Davis had 114 tackles, which is a pile until compared with safety Steven Hunt's 126. The Blacksburg defensive scheme works best when the action is funneled into the middle where the linebackers and safety can make the tackles.
Hunt is another who could be on the edge of a big year. As a returning tailback, he'll try to exploit his 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash to improve on his 335 rushing yards from last year.
More veteran linebacking help will be coming from Brian Kloman, a 5-10, 210 junior.
Up front, Blacksburg will have a lot of run-stopping ability with tackle James Scanlon and end Darron Oliver. Ben Pinkerton is expected to alternate with Tucker LaForce at the end opposite Oliver.
The rest of the defensive backfield is deep, with good athletes such as Rodney Alwang, Michael Crist, Michael Burroughs, Joey Carter and sophomore Kenny Showman.
Showman will figure in some action on offense, too. He'll be thrown into the rotation along with Hunt at tailback.
The other experienced running back is LaForce at fullback, the leading returning rusher with 719 yards. LaForce is a hard, dependable runner.
The only offensive lineman with much experience is Scanlon, but not too much should be made of that. With people such as center Sean O'Rourke (5-11, 215) and guards Cecil Trigg (6-0, 250) and Eric Snow (6-0, 250), Blacksburg will have as much beef up front as most of the teams on its schedule. Snow is a sophomore who is considered to have an exceptionally bright future.
Rick Edwards leads a contingent of wide receivers that also features Benji Machingo, Billy Vaught, Bobby Graham and Philip Travis. Pinkerton and/or Chris Nietzold are being penciled in at tight end.
Which brings us to quarterback, where Crist has neatly avoided a controversy as he did in the past when he had two candidates with differing skills. Tommy LaForce, Tucker's younger brother, is the drop-back passer who directed the junior varsity to an 8-0 record last year. Michael Crist is the coach's son and more adept at reading the option. Both will play, David Crist said.
``We're not very mature in spots, but we have good players and that will show in time,'' David Crist said. ``All they need is to play some games.''
BLACKSBURG
1994 record: 6-7 overall, 2-0 in the New River District
Coach: David Crist, 21st year
Returning starters: Darron Oliver, 5-10, 175, de, jr.; James Scanlon, 6-3, 220, ot, dt, jr.; Kip Kenyon, 6-2, 200, lb, sr.; Michael Davis, 6-2, 205, lb, jr.; Brian Kloman, 5-10, 210, lb, jr.; Steven Hunt, 5-10, 170, s, tb, sr.; Tucker LaForce, 6-1, 190, fb, de, sr.
Other key players: Ben Pinkerton, 6-3, 205, te, de, sr.; Chris Haas, 5-10, 180, dt, jr.; Michael Burroughs, 5-11, 165, rover, tb, jr.; Rodney Alwang, 5-9, 165, cb, sr.; Michael Crist, 5-9, 145, qb, cb, jr.; Joey Carter, 6-1, 150, lb, cb, jr., Kenny Showman, 5-9, 160, cb, s, tb, soph.; Sean O'Rourke, 5-11, 215, c, jr.; Eric Snow, 6-0, 250, g, soph.; Cecil Trigg, 6-0, 250, ot, dt, sr.; Justin Jones, 6-1, 185, ot, sr.; Rick Edwards, 5-10, 155, wr, sr.; Benji Machingo, 6-0, 160, wr, db, jr.; Billy Vaught, 6-2, 175, wr, lb, jr.; Bobby Graham, 5-8, 140, wr, jr.; Philip Travis, 5-10, 140, wr, sr.
Outlook: With an out-of-district schedule that includes heavyweights such as Richlands, Northside, Giles and Salem, the Indians aren't hiding from anybody. Because of that, their record may not be eye-catching at year's end, but Blacksburg is still going to be in the Group AA Division 4 playoffs. The Indians are going to be as stout defensively as they've been in a while. The offense will take a little longer to develop, but it should be a formidable unit in time. A situation to keep an eye on will be at quarterback, where Tommy LaForce and Michael Crist are starting the season sharing time. It will be interesting to see whether that arrangement continues or one or the other of them wins the job outright.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 at Giles; 8, Salem; 15 at Cave Spring; 22 at Alleghany; 29 open
Oct. 6, Northside; 13 at Graham; 20, Christiansburg; 27, Richlands
Nov. 3 at Carroll County; 10, Tazewell
by CNB