ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 29, 1996 TAG: 9608290096
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: PREP FOOTBALL
SOURCE: KEITH POMPEY STAFF WRITER
How will Roanoke Catholic's 1996 season end?
Will the Celtics go undefeated and win the Virginia Independent Schools Division II championship, as they did in 1994?
Or will Catholic finish with the disappointment of 1995, when a first-round playoff loss left the Celtics with a 4-7 record?
``The test will come this weekend,'' said coach John Cooke, whose team is 1-0. ``We have to play Brunswick Academy in a home game at Victory Stadium on Saturday. They are the defending state champions. They beat us last year in the regular season. Then we had to play them in the first round of the playoffs and they beat us again.
``Whoever wins this game has a good shot at going all the way. Plus, if we can win this game and go 2-0, we will be in great shape.''
Catholic already is in good shape. On Friday, the Celtics crushed an improved Kenston Forest team 40-20.
The game should have been titled ``The P.J. Moyer Show.'' The 5-foot-9, 200-pound senior carried the ball 20 times for 162 yards to lead Catholic.
Moyer, one of the all-time leading rushers in Timesland, scored on runs of 36, 3 and 73 yards in the Celtics' opener.
The three-time All-State selection and Timesland Sizzlin' Sophomore of 1994 has rushed for 4,603 yards and 56 touchdowns in his career.
But if Catholic is to have a great season, Moyer needs help. That shouldn't be a problem.
Ninth-grader Tony Reed rushed six times for 34 yards against Kenston Forest. Quarterback Aki Al-Zubaidi completed two of five passes for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Al-Zubaidi, a senior, also should stand out on defense. The 6-3, 165-pound defensive back had 82 tackles and two interceptions last season.
He's not the only returning contributor.
Former defensive end Mark Buchy, now a defensive back, had 81 stops in 1995. And junior linebacker Terron Reed, who scored two touchdowns against Kenston Forest, had 63 tackles, three fumble recoveries and one interception last year.
North Cross, Catholic's archrival, doesn't appear to be ready to return to the playoffs.
``I don't want to sound pessimistic, but at best we are hoping for a .500 season - we hope,'' said Jim Muscaro, the Raiders' coach. ``You never know what the competition is going to be like. Roanoke Catholic seems to have a really tough team.''
North Cross is coming off a 3-6 record, its first losing season in 23 years. With only eight starters returning, this looks like a rebuilding year.
The Raiders will lean on senior tri-captains Hunter Smith, Carter Lee and Bill Pattisal.
Smith is a 6-3, 238-pound offensive and defensive tackle. Lee is a 6-0, 180-pound running back and defensive back. And Pattisal is a 5-11, 180-pound linebacker.
NORTH CROSS
1995 record: 3-6 (3-1 Virginia Independent Conference).
Coach: Jim Muscaro, 26th year.
Returning starters: Hunter Smith, Sr., OT-DT, 6-3, 238; Carter Lee, Sr., RB-DB, 6-0,180; Ben Moore, Jr., C, 6-1,192; Jason Saunders, E, (moves to G), 5-10, 170; Steven Nicholas, Sr., QB, 5-11, 175; Bill Pattisal, Sr., LB, 180; Joe Thielezker, Soph., K, 5-11, 162; Mason Brown, Sr., DB, 6-0, 170.
Other key players: Jeff Baetz, Sr., E-DE, 6-1, 175; Glen Mackey, Soph., FB-LB, 5-8,185 ; Tim Kelley, Jr., OT, 6-1, 210; Blair Godsey, Sr., DB, 6-0, 145.
Major losses: Jon Mull, G-LB, 6-3, 200; Jamie Kelly, G-DT, 6-2, 210; Tripp Bell, FB-LB, 5-8, 170; Brad Densmore, RB-E-DE, 6-2, 190; Mike Dyer, G-DE, 6-2, 174; Grayson Hooper, OT-DT, 6-2, 237.
Outlook: The Raiders are coming off their worst season in 23 years, and things don't look much brighter. A .500 record might be an achievement this season.
1996 SCHEDULE
Sept.13 at St.Anne's-Belfield, 4:30 p.m.; 20, Virginia Episcopal, 4 p.m.; 28, Hargrave Military, 1:30 p.m.
Oct.4, Fuqua School, 4 p.m.; 11, at Fishburne Military, 3:30 p.m.; 18, at Lynchburg Christian, 7:30 p.m.; 25, at Brunswick Academy, 7:30 p.m.
Nov.2, at Roanoke Catholic (Victory Stadium), 2 p.m.
ROANOKE CATHOLIC
1994 record: 4-7 (1-3 VIC).
Coach: John Cooke, fifth year.
Returning starters: P.J. Moyer, Sr., RB-DB, 5-9, 195; Aki Al-Zubaidi, Sr., QB-WR (moves to QB), 6-3, 165; Terron Reed, Jr., TE-LB, 6-4, 205; Jon Gagliardi, Sr., OT-NG, 5-7, 210; Brian Slenski, Jr., G (moves to RB), 5-6, 152; Matt Peck, Jr., K-C-DT (moves to NG), 5-8, 195; Mark Buchy, Sr., K-QB-DE (moves to RB-DB), 5-11, 165; Chris Coulter, Sr., LB-FB (moves to G), 5-10, 185.
Other key players: Glenn Ratcliffe, Sr., RB-DE, 6-1, 165; Tony Reed, Fr., FB-LB, 5-81/2, 185; Heath Tucker, Soph., OT-DT, 5-10, 250; Shaun Mabry, Fr., OT-DT, 6-1, 217; Jeremy Keyser, Fr., G-NG, 6-1, 207; Joey Tucciarone, Fr., G-LB, 5-8, 195; Josh Sullivan, Fr., WR-DE, 5-11, 150; Jon Reynolds, Jr., L, 6-3, 180.
Major losses: Rod Tasco, G-LB, 6-2, 226; Marshall Glass, OT-DT, 5-10, 180; Alex Dickson, RB-DB, 5-10, 160 (transferred to Salem); Anthony Dickson, DE, 5-8, 145 (transferred to Salem).
Outlook: The Celtics have a good chance of competing for a Virginia Independent Schools Division II championship. Moyer, who has received more than 50 letters of interest from Nebraska, is on pace to break the all-time Timesland rushing record. He has 4,603 yards.
1996 SCHEDULE
Aug.23, won 40-20 at Kenston Forest; Saturday, Brunswick Academy (Victory Stadium), 2 p.m.
Sept.6, at Shawsville; 7:30 p.m.; 14, at Massanutten Military, 2:30 p.m; 28, Fishburne Military (Victory Stadium), 2 p.m.
Oct.4, at Blue Ridge, 4 p.m.; 12, Lynchburg Christian (Victory Stadium), 2 p.m.; 19, St.Christopher's (Victory Stadium), 2 p.m.; 26, at Hargrave Military, 2 p.m.
Nov.2, North Cross (Victory Stadium), 2 p.m.
LENGTH: Long : 117 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Eric Brady. Roanoke Catholic has talent returning inby CNBdefensive back Mark Buchy (14), quarterback Aki Al-Zubaidi (20) and
running back P.J. Moyer (22). The three were all-conference last
season.