ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512170003
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER TWO CITY SCHOOLS hope sophomores lead
them to promising futures.
FLEMING, PH SOPHS IN A CLASS BY THEMSELVES
Those two programs, which have struggled at various times during the past decade, dominate the 1995 Sizzlin' Sophomore team with two players of the year and seven representatives on the 24-player team.
William Fleming running back Lee Suggs, who wasn't a starter when the season began, is the Sizzlin' Sophomore offensive player of the year. Patrick Henry linebacker Mike Stevens beat out teammate Devon ``Boo'' Battle for defensive player of the year.
On offense, William Fleming's J.R. Word joins Suggs at running back, though Word's chief claim to fame was being the blocker who helped his teammate lead Timesland in rushing with an average of 144.4 yards per game.
Patrick Henry has offensive lineman Jonathan Helms on the Sizzlin' Sophomore team. Helms was one of the keys when the Patriots dominated for nearly three quarters on the way to a 26-21 victory over Pulaski County as the teams tied for the Roanoke Valley District title.
Joining Stevens and Battle on defense from the Roanoke public schools are Fleming linemen Shakir Majied and Derrick Ruben. A third Fleming player, linebacker Tito Stone, who started as a freshman last year, was nosed out by Radford linebackers Bud Redden and Mike Dunbar. The Bobcats duo was given a great deal of credit for Radford's improvement from a 37-0 regular-season loss to Giles to a season-ending 20-7 setback when the Spartans' defense had to settle the outcome.
The offensive ends are Cave Spring's Darnell Glover and Liberty's Robert Carson. Other offensive linemen are Matt Berger of Cave Spring, Devan Howard of Auburn and Brian Burke of Bassett and the center is Glenvar's Shane Triplett.
The third running back slot belongs to Martinsville's Rasheem Penn, and Fieldale-Collinsville's Phillip Hairston is the quarterback. Franklin County's Matt Maxey is the kicker.
The other defensive lineman is Martinsville's Travis Turner. Covington's Courtney Wooding just missed making it at what turned out to be - along with linebacker - the most competitive position for Sizzlin' Sophomores.
The defensive backs are Grayson County's Chad McMillian, Northside's Daryl Holmes, Carroll County's Derek Wall and George Wythe's Joseph Collins. The kick-returner is Floyd County's Nick Wohn. No punter was nominated by Timesland's coaches.
Stevens and Suggs played sandlot football in the same backfield.
``I was the fullback; he was the tailback,'' Stevens said. ``I knew he'd be a good back, because he'd make his own holes and make things happen.''
This year, PH's defense was one of the few to shut down Suggs, holding him to 52 yards on 21 carries. Oddly, Stevens says his best game might have been against E.C. Glass, which shellacked the Patriots 49-14.
``I had something like 13 tackles [against Glass]. The competition makes you play harder, and I wanted to show what I could do that night,'' Stevens said of the matchup with the Group AAA Division 5 runners-up.
``I've had some great linebackers,'' said Patriots coach Ed Scott, who coached Jeff Lageman, now with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, when he was at Park View-Sterling. ``Mike is a natural linebacker.
``A lot of people have physical ability, not natural ability. Mike understands his reads and sticks with them. He understands the plays and how to get to the ball. You can help them [as a coach], but they have to have some understanding.''
Suggs was surprised at his success. He didn't start at first because he was the youngest of three tailbacks for the Colonels.
``Two were juniors,'' said George Miller, Fleming's coach. ``They were guys who were [more] physical and quicker, but Lee beat them out because he was consistent, highly coachable and when he got his chance, took advantage of it.''
Suggs scored two touchdowns against Petersburg when Joe Brown, one of the backs ahead of him, went down with an injury. On his first play, he ran 96 yards.
One week later against Halifax County, Brown was starting again. He was sidelined by injury again and in came Suggs, who rushed for 196 yards. He never lost his position again.
Though Battle lost out in his bid to be the top player, he might be the most gifted all-around athlete on the team. Scott believes he has big-time potential and the coach also has considered playing him at quarterback.
In basketball, Battle will be a major factor for all kinds of honors. He already has shown tremendous potential in the opening two weeks of the season.
Hairston, the quarterback, is one of five players from the Piedmont District, which is trying to rebuild its football reputation. He completed 32 of 59 passes for 680 yards and seven touchdowns as Fieldale-Collinsville made the playoffs before losing the Region III Division 3 title game to unbeaten William Campbell.
In all, the RVD had 10 spots among the Sizzlin' Sophomores. None was nominated by Pulaski County, which has dominated the league in recent years. That's why the future looks bright for the City of Roanoke's public schools.
``We had a small senior class and have a small upcoming senior class'' for next fall, Scott said. ``Five sophomores started for us full-time and one part-time. Five or six more have the potential to be regulars next year.''
Miller sees another bumper crop of sophomores next year at Fleming.
``We went many years where kids went from sandlots to high school and then faded,'' he said. ``We kept 66 freshmen who were still with us.''
LENGTH: Long : 101 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: 2 charts by staff.by CNB