ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 29, 1996 TAG: 9608290015
SECTION: HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PAGE: 22 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
There was a time last winter that Pulaski County High football coach Joel Hicks thought seriously about ending a career that included 244 victories.
Assistant coaches Clark Reese and Freddy Akers, who had been with Hicks for more than 10 years, retired to devote their time to running family farms.
Those losses represented a continued erosion of a veteran staff of assistants upon whom Hicks, like any head coach, had come to depend.
``Those two were good friends. My buddies, who did a good job,'' said Hicks. ``But Freddy's father was over 70 years old, and I knew one day I'd lose Freddy. Clark has a 90-acre farm with a whole bunch of cattle.''
These days, getting assistant coaches in high school is a roll of the dice because it's not easy to fit teaching positions and athletic department jobs. Often, assistant coaches are hired as part-timers who don't teach.
One of the things that kept Hicks in football came about when Pulaski County had the right teaching openings to hire a pair of new assistants, Paul Wheeler and Jack Turner. Wheeler had head coaching experience at three schools but was out of football when the Pulaski County position opened up. Turner, a former All-Timesland defensive lineman for the Cougars and a standout at Ferrum College, was on Horace Green's staff at Franklin County.
Both assistants had played high school football for Hicks. They join a staff that includes Perry Reese, Scott Vest, Rodney Landreth and J.W. Smith, who also played for Hicks. So did junior varsity coaches Buddy Ratcliff, Eric Berry and Wayne Viars.
Only Ken Dobson, Tommy Hale and Dave Bell had not played for Hicks. Those three have coached with Hicks on the Pulaski County staff for four or more years.
Suddenly, Hicks, 55, was rejuvenated and ready to rebuild a program that had to share the Roanoke Valley District title a year ago with Patrick Henry.
``This year, it's entirely different,'' said Hicks. ``When I get here at 7 a.m., everyone [the assistant coaches] is singing in the shower. They've been here since 6 a.m., lifting weights. I'm a runner, so we do different things to stay in shape.''
Wheeler, 40, and Turner, 28, already had firmly established reputations before they arrived at Pulaski County. The new opportunity at Pulaski County represents an exciting time for them.
Wheeler, who has a 113-38 record as a head coach at Rustburg, Virginia High, and George Wythe, won Group AA titles in two divisions for the Red Devils, the one in Division 3 coming in 1990 and the one in Division 4 in 1993. Wheeler resigned when he and the school's principal, Hugh Pendleton, didn't agree on the course for the program. Wheeler took a year's self-imposed exile from football as a teacher at Brookville High and then decided the time was right to come back to football.
His name is one of the few mentioned as a successor to Hicks when the veteran coach retires. Make no mistake, Wheeler wants to return to head coaching and has the credentials to be a strong candidate anywhere he applies.
Besides his Rustburg success, Wheeler took George Wythe to the 1983 Group A state title game and had Virginia High in the 1989 Group AA semifinals. He may be the only coach ever to put three different schools in the state semifinals.
``I thought it was a good opportunity at Pulaski County,'' said Wheeler about his return as an assistant coach. ``I look on this as a [chance] to learn. There are very few people I'd work for at this point in my career.
``I'm kind of starting over. This is what it was like 12-14 years ago,'' added Wheeler, who played for Hicks when the two were at Woodrow Wilson High in Beckley, W.Va.
Wheeler's family is spread out because of this move. He and his son, Thad, are living in an apartment in Wytheville while his wife, Becky, and two daughters, remain in Rustburg until they can sell their house.
``Last year was the first time I had been out of football since I played sandlots. It was tough in a lot of ways, but I looked at it as an opportunity to start over,'' said Wheeler.
``I had a year to do things I hadn't done in the past year. I'd go to Beckley to see games, but I didn't see as much football. I took a year off to study some things [in football].''
Wheeler ran the wing-T formation at Rustburg and was one of the first coaches Hicks turned to when he put in the formation several years ago. Now Wheeler is the head offensive line coach and assists J.W. Smith and Reese with the defensive line.
``I knew I was going to work again [in football],'' said Wheeler, who talks little about how he decided to part ways with the Rustburg program.
``I resigned as a coach because there were some differences of opinion. All this started before the [state championship] season [of 1993]. It was tough to walk away. I didn't feel like we could continue the way we were going.''
For Turner, it's been different. He played at Ferrum and was a graduate assistant coach there before joining the Franklin County staff for the past five years.
``It was a great feeling [to join the staff here],'' said Turner. ``You always eventually want to come home and coach. Coming back and coaching for Coach Hicks was a goal I set.''
Turner remembers there had been talk for years of him coming back to Pulaski County, but there was never a coaching or a teaching position. This year there was an opening in special education where Turner is qualified to teach.
``We [the assistants] all know each other,'' Turner said. ``We grew up together, played for Coach. We know what he expects. All this makes it easier to be enthusiastic.''.
If Wheeler is the veteran head coach looking for another opening, Turner is the novice who hopes to one day get his own program, whether it be at Pulaski County or another school.
Turner and his wife, Leslie, who is from Franklin County, had no doubts about the move back here. ``She was excited about it because she knew it was something I wanted to do,'' said Turner.
In sizing up the coming Roanoke Valley District race, Pulaski County is favored even though most notable young players are on other teams. That's because the Cougars have dominated the RVD for a decade, going 37-7 in league games the past 10 years.
Want more proof? The Cougars have lost in the 90s in the RVD only to Patrick Henry, last year. That was 26-21 and Pulaski County nearly won the game at the end.
Pulaski County has won or shared the RVD title five straight and seven of the last eight years. So who is going to pick against success, strength and tradition?
Still, Hicks points out that only four players on offense and three on defense are back from last year's 8-4 team that will not be remembered as one of the great Cougar machines.
Quarterback Ronald Branch is being looked at by a lot of colleges and he engineered much of the comeback against PH.
``Last year he threw for 700 yards [in 12 games]. I'd like to get him over 1,000 yards for the regular season,'' Hicks said.
Branch didn't qualify to be included among last season's Timesland passing leaders because he failed to average 60 yards throwing per game during the regular season.
``That's a realistic goal,''Hicks said. ``But we'll still be a running, play-tough-defense, rely-on-good-kicking type of team.''
Branch will do his share of running with football because unlike other years, the Cougars don't have many speedy backs.
``So we want him to take the ball, hide it and run toward the corner,'' Hicks said. ``Being 6 feet, 3 inches, he can drop back and throw it.''
Branch will likely take aim at speedy Jabbar Patterson, who has designs on becoming a well-known wide receiver in Timesland.
The Cougars also won't be as big defensively as usual. And they'll have to replace place kicker-punter Shayne Graham, the Timesland Player of the Year on offense who set all kinds of field goal and extra point records. Brian Myers will do the placekicking, but Hicks says his range won't equal that of Graham's. For the last couple of years, Pulaski County started thinking field goal anytime they moved across the 50 into the other team's territory.
Linebacker Ryan Brockmeyer, who was third in Timesland in tackles, leads the defense. Bryan Dalton, a 6-3, 304-pounder, is one Cougar with size who returns as a two-way player. Jonathan Gilbert, a 250-pounder is another huge player, but then size drops off dramatically
So which team will be Pulaski County's main challenger? Probably Patrick Henry. PH also lost a lot, but veteran coach Ed Scott has two great defensive players back in linebacker Mike Stevens and defensive end Devon ``Boo'' Battle, who were Timesland Sizzlin' Sophs and competed for the top 10th-grader on defense award that went to Stevens.
The Patriots also have James Hickenbotham at running back, a player Scott believes is the fastest in the district.
If PH isn't the team, it might be William Fleming. The Colonels return Charles Burnette at quarterback and defensive back. He's rated one of the top players in Timesland on defense.
Burnette's ability to pass might help Lee Suggs, an All-Timesland running back as a sophomore, keep going. If the passing game breaks down, teams no doubt will load up on Suggs.
Franklin County also could be tough as Coach Horace Green, starting his fifth year, welcomes back more returnees than any other team. Henry Eggleston is back at running back while Josh Gibson, Jonathan Meador, Bruce Cobbs and Jamie Dunn give the Eagles a tremendous defensive front.
Only Cave Spring appears to be behind when it comes to challenging the Cougars for the top spot. The Knights have only one returning starter, lineman Matt Berger, on offense other than placekicker Jud Poulter.
CAVE SPRING
1995 record: 2-2 (third in Roanoke Valley District), 7-4 overall
Coach: Steve Spangler, fifth year
Returning starters: Matt Berger, jr., OL, DL, 6-2, 225; Josh Dowdy, sr., LB (will also play FB), 6-0, 215; Travis Cooper, sr., CB, RET. (will also play WR), 6-0, 170; Jud Poulter, sr., K, PK, (wll also play DL), 6-1, 215.
Other key players: Corey Paxton, jr., QB, 6-1, 160; Darnell Glover, jr., WR, DE, 6-3, 195; Patrick Connelly, jr., LB, 5-8, 160; Greg Wells, jr., RB, LB, 5-11, 180; Joe Mullins, jr., WR, 6-0, 170; Brad Nichols, soph., RB, 5-8, 175; Aaron Williams, jr., LB, FB, 6-4, 235.
Major losses: Jeff Lang, QB, DB, 6-0, 180; Billy Frantz, WR, DB, 6-3, 180; Nathan Manning, LB, WR, 6-1, 210; Jason Fox, TB, 5-9, 170; Robert Hale, FB, 5-10, 200; Jimmy Fusco, OL, DE, 6-2, 235; Mike Mitchem, OL, DL, 6-3, 270; Jon Poff, DE, OG, 5-11, 195; Jon Guilliams, LB, 5-7, 170.
Outlook: Cave Spring is the most inexperienced team in the RVD and faces a rebuilding campaign. To make matters worse, the Knights' schedule is tougher than it was the previous two years. Still, Cave Spring's program is much stronger than it was three years ago when it faced a smilar building situation and went 0-10, something that isn't likely to happen this fall.
1996 SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 -at Northside, 7:30 p.m.,
Sept. 6 - at Jefferson Forest, 7:30 p.m.; 13 - Blacksburg, 7:30 p.m.; 20 - Salem, 7:30 p.m.; 27 - E.C. Glass.
Oct. 4 - Franklin County, 7:30 p.m.; 18 - Patrick Henry (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.; 25 - William Fleming (Victory Stadium) , 7:30 p.m.;
Nov. 1 - at Halifax County, 7:30 p.m.; 8 - Pulaski County, 8 p.m.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
1995 record: 1-3 (Tied for fourth in the district), 3-7 overall
Coach: Horace Green, fifth year
Returning starters: Bruce Cobbs, sr., DT, 5-6, 260; Jamie Dunn, sr., DT, 5-11, 220; Jonathan Meador, jr., K, DE (will also play OT), 6-2, 212; Josh Gibson, sr., LB, TE (will move to C), 6-1, 230; Henry Eggleston, jr., db, rb, 6-1, 167; Tommy Wimmer, sr., DB (will also play WR), 5-10, 151; Bill Dixon, jr., OT, 6-4, 251; Anthony Patterson, jr., G, 5-7, 244; Bradley Jordan, sr., FB (will also play LB), 5-9, 200; Brandon Smith, sr., RB, 5-9, 162; Matt Maxey, jr., PK, 5-7, 154.
Other key players: Jamie Tuck, jr., QB, 5-11, 175; Jim Dillon, jr., LB, 6-3, 175; Steve Opetaia-Williamson, jr., RB, 5-10, 175.
Major losses: Brian Gilreath, C, LB, 5-9, 193; K.C. Hancock, DB, 6-1, 169; Gray Hodges, QB, DB, 6-0, 149; Willie Arrington, OL, 6-0, 272; Heywood Dunlap, OL, DL5-11, 202.
Outlook: This should be the strongest Franklin County team since Green arrived. Whether the Eagles are ready to move into title contention remains to be seen, but everything is in place for a good year. There are a number of veterans and the schedule, minus George Washington-Danville and E.C. Glass, is more realistic.
1996 SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 - Laurel Park, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 - Magna Vista, 7:30 p.m.; 13 - Heritage, 7:30 p.m.; 20 - at Lord Botetourt, 7:30 p.m.; 27 - at Amherst County, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 - at Cave Spring, 8 p.m.; 11 - Pulaski County, 7:30 p.m.; 18 - at Halifax County, 7:30 p.m.; 25 - Patrick Henry, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 1 - William Fleming (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
PATRICK HENRY
1995 record: 3-1 (Roanoke Valley District co-champion, 6-4 overall
Coach: Ed Scott, seventh year
Returning starters: Dennis Dunnaville, sr., QB, DB, 5-9, 170; James Hickenbotham, jr., RB, (will also play db), 5-10, 160; Shaun Akers, sr, RB (moves to FB), DB, 5-11, 175; Brent Reedy, sr., C, 5-9, 185; Tiran Stewart, sr., G (will also play DT), 6-3, 265; Jonathan Helms, jr., OT (will also play DT), 6-4, 240; Jerome Cook, jr., TE, 6-1, 220; Mike Stevens, jr., LB, 6-0, 210; Devon ``Boo'' Battle, jr., DE (will also play QB), 6-4, 210; Drew Dickinson, sr., DE, 5-11, 175.
Other key players: Gus Joseph, sr., LB, PK, 5-9, 165; Josh Newsome, jr., OL, 6-5, 275; Steven Patsell, jr., OG, 6-0, 215; Chad Giles, jr., WR, DB, 5-8, 145.
Major losses: Raheem Barnwell, QB, 6-0, 160; Dan Ankoma, RB, 5-10, 215; T.J. Tate, OL, DL, 5-9, 225; Nick Saunders, WR, DB, 5-7, 160.
Outlook: Patrick Henry has a veteran team that seems to have turned the corner and is ready to be a yearly contender in the RVD race. The Patriots have had winning records for three consecutive years. Even stronger evidence that the program is solid came last year when PH beat perennial RVD power Pulaski County 26-21. It was the Patriots' first victory over the Cougars since 1985.
1996 SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 - Jefferson Forest (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 13 - at Albemarle, 6:30 p.m.; 20 - at George Washington-Danville 7:30 p.m.; 27 - Halifax County (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 - at E.C. Glass (City Stadium), 7:30 p.m.; 11 - Amherst County (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.; 18 - Cave Spring (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.; 25 - at Franklin County , 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 1 - at Pulaski County , 7:30 p.m.; 8 - William Fleming (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
PULASKI COUNTY
1995 record: 3-1 (Roanoke Valley District co-champions), 8-4 overall
Coach: Joel Hicks, 18th year
Returning starters: Ronald Branch, sr., QB, (also will play DB), 6-3, 183; Craig Hodge, jr., (will switch from WB to FB and also play DB), 5-10, 186; Brian Dalton, sr, OT, DT, 6-3, 304; Jonathan Gilbert, sr., DT, 5-10, 250; Mike Coleman, sr., DE (will also play WB), 6-0, 250; Ryan Brockmeyer, sr., LB (will also play tb), 5-11, 205; J.R. Brown, sr., DB, 6-0, 155; Jabbar Patterson, sr, SE, 6-2, 173.
Other key players: Daniel Hall, jr., DT, 6-3, 213; Matt Price, sr., DE, 6-2, 201; Randy Queen, jr., DB, 5-10, 155; Nick Yates, jr., RB, 5-5, 135; Bucky Seagle, sr., SE, 5-11, 163.
Major losses: Shayne Graham, PK, K, 6-0,170; Jawan Clark, FB, 5-11, 175; Derrick Hunter, TB, 5-10, 160; Brian Queen, C, 5-11, 210; Jay James, OT, 6-1, 227; Roland Donithan, OT, 6-1, 230, 6-2, 228; Matt Hull, DE; Kevin Phillips, OG, 5-11, 201.
Outlook: After tying Patrick Henry for the RVD title and going out of the Group AAA Division 5 playoffs in a second-round loss to E.C. Glass, the Cougars hope to make a comeback and earn a place among the state's top 10 teams. There are not many returning starters, and Pulaski County faces one of its most demanding schedules. Four years ago, the Cougars entered the 1992 season under similar circumstances and wound up winning a state championship.
1996 SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 - Good Council, Md., 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 - at Amherst County, 7:30 p.m.; 13 - at Salem, 7:30 p.m.; 20 - Anacostia (D.C.), 7:30 p.m; 27 - Science Hill (Johnson City, Tenn.), 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 - Woodson (D.C.), 7:30 p.m.; 11- at Franklin County, 7:30 p.m.; 18 - William Fleming, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 1 - Patrick Henry, 7:30 p.m.; 8 - at Cave Spring, 7:30 p.m.
WILLIAM FLEMING
1995 record: 1-3 (Tied for fourth in Roanoke Valley District), 4-6
Coach: George Miller, second year
Returning starters: Patrick McGeorge, sr., C, 5-10, 185; Dequon Mayo, sr., OG (will also play DE), 6-1, 220; Shakir Majied, jr., OT, DT, 6-3, 235; Lee Suggs, jr., RB, 6-1, 190; Charles Burnette, sr., QB, DB, 6-3, 185; J.I. Word, jr., FB, 5-10, 225; Richard Wilson, sr., WR, DB, 5-9, 160; Derrick Ruben, jr., NG, 6-1, 230; Josh Taylor, sr., MLB, 6-1, 195; Tito Stones, jr., LB, 6-1, 205; Joe Brown, sr., CB (moves to DE), 5-10, 180.
Other key players Doug Taborn, jr., WR, CB, 6-0, 150; Eugene Smith, sr., OL, DL, 6-1, 255; Josh Berry, jr., LB, 5-11, 180; Demare Gill, jr., TB, LB, 5-11, 185; Mike King, soph., TE, DE, 6-3, 185; Everett Watson, jr., OL, DL, 5-11, 245.
Major losses: Ricardo Gill, OT, DT, 6-1, 245; Matt Grogan, LB, 6-0, 225; Waris Wade, WR, DE, 6-2, 180; Garrett Lancaster, PK, K, 5-6, 145; Qunton Harrington, OT, DE, 6-3, 215; Corey Poindexter, TE, DE, 6-0, 195; Andre Rhodes, RB, LB, 5-7, 158; Eric Jackson, WR, 6-1, 175.
Outlook: William Fleming is looking to turn the corner and post its first winning season since 1992 when the Colonels went 6-5. The Colonels have enough talent to be contenders for the title, but they must play at Pulaski County, a team Fleming hasn't beaten since 1990 when the Colonels won 7-0 in Dublin. Fleming also won its last RVD title in 1990 when the Colonels allowed four other league opponents only one field goal. |1996 SCHEDULE| Aug. 30 - at Amherst County, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 - at Petersburg, 7:30 p.m.; 13 - Halifax County (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.; 20 - E.C. Glass (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.; 27 - at George Washington-Danville, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 - Albemarle (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.; 18 - at Pulaski County, 7:30 p.m.; 25 - Cave Spring (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
Nov.1 - Franklin County (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.; 8 - Patrick Henry (Victory Stadium), 7:30 p.m.
Predicted finish:1, Pulaski County; 2, Patrick Henry; 3, William Fleming; 4, Franklin County; 5, Cave Spring.
LENGTH: Long : 320 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON/Staff. 1. Pulaski County's Ron Branchby CNBstretches out for yardage in a game last year. 2. Ryan
Brockmeyer\Pulaski County linebacker had 157 tackles in 1995.