ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 22, 1996 TAG: 9612230127
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
THERE WAS SO MUCH running back talent in Timesland this year that two 1,000-yard rushers had to settle for second-team honors.
For the past few years, the competition for the running back spots on the All-Timesland football team has not been as tough as at other positions.
That changed this fall when two returning first-team selections, Martinsville's Manti Venable and William Fleming's Lee Suggs, each rushed for more than 1,000 yards and had to settle for second-team honors. Also relegated to the second team was Roanoke Valley District back of the year Craig Hodge from Pulaski County. They were run off the first team by Lord Botetourt's Wesley Cox and Staunton River's dynamic duo of Jarrett Ferguson and Kevin Martin.
Cox, Ferguson and Martin led their teams to the playoffs. For Botetourt, it was the first trip since 1984. For Staunton River it was the first ever.
Cox is Timesland's offensive player of the year. The senior was a virtual one-man statistical show every time he put on a uniform. He and the Staunton River duo were three of the 23 players who rushed for at least 1,000 yards this season in Timesland.
That doesn't mean the defense didn't have its day. Salem linebacker Jeff Akers is the best in Timesland on defense. He led a Spartans team that gave up only two touchdowns in four playoff games, culminating in a Group AA Division 4 championship. Salem gave up only six touchdowns in its last 10 games.
Staunton River's Bob Gray is Timesland's coach of the year. His Golden Eagles shared the Seminole District title with Brookville, giving Staunton River the first football championship in school history.
The Sizzlin' Sophomores of the Year are Bassett quarterback T.K. Johnson (offense), who followed up a solid freshman season with a fine 10th-grade year, and Salem linebacker Matt Anderson (defense), who made several big plays in the final two games to cap a tremendous season.
William Byrd's Frank English, another 1,000-yard rusher, is the All-Timesland quarterback. The ends are William Fleming's Richard Wilson and Salem's Ricky Eubanks, who also were two of Timesland's best defensive backs, but players can only be selected at one position.
The line is solid with Franklin County's Josh Gibson anchoring the group at center. He's flanked by a pair of Salem horses in Travis Miles and Pierce Weikle, who helped the Spartans rush for 3,200 yards. The other offensive linemen are Giles' Jeremy Saunders and Pulaski County's Bryan Dalton.
The return specialist is Roanoke Catholic's P.J. Moyer, who finished his career as Timesland's No.2 all-time rusher behind former Bath County great Tim Williams. As a running back, Moyer rushed for more than 1,000 yards this fall.
Bryan Myers is the second consecutive Pulaski County kicker to make All-Timesland. He followed in the footsteps of Shayne Graham, last year's offensive player of the year and an All-Big East Conference selection this year as a freshman at Virginia Tech.
Akers is the only Salem player on the first-team defense. Northside is represented by lineman Clay Kasey and back John Doss, who helped put the Vikings in the playoffs.
The other All-Timesland defensive linemen are Christiansburg's Brian Griffith, Bassett's John Miller and Giles' Chris Ruth. The other linebackers are Pulaski County's Ryan Brockmeyer and Blacksburg's Michael Davis. The rest of the backfield is comprised of Pulaski County's Ronald Branch, William Fleming's Charles Burnette and Giles' Chris Ratcliffe. Martinsville's Jess Wade is a repeat selection as the punter.
Cox has been a standout since he transferred from James River to Lord Botetourt as a sophomore. Until this year, though, the Cavaliers hadn't gone anywhere in football. They couldn't go anywhere without him, either. Cox suffered a shoulder injury during Lord Botetourt's final regular-season game against Northside, and he was hurting as the Cavaliers were beaten 44-7 by Staunton River in the first round of the playoffs.
``I didn't think I'd have this good a year,'' said Cox, who had more than 2,000 yards rushing. ``I had some great blocking from the guys, and Coach [Andy] Ward worked us real hard.''
Despite a long touchdown run against Staunton River, Cox wasn't around to help on defense. So Ferguson and Martin ran wild, just as they had done in the Golden Eagles' previous 10 games. It was Staunton River's greatest year in football as the two combined to rush for more than 3,000 yards.
The Golden Eagles' season came to an end the week after they beat Lord Botetourt. Staunton River then ran into Salem's defense. Akers and his mates put a bear hug around Martin and Ferguson, limiting them to a total of 135 yards.
``We were a family; we all worked together,'' Akers said of a Salem defense that dug down in the muddy trenches during the last two weeks of the playoffs to stop high-powered offenses from Grundy and Sherando. That defense was the key to the Spartans' first state crown.
``I'd definitely rather play defense,'' said Akers, who also was quite a blocker at tight end. ``I go by the philosophy that it's better to give [hits] than to receive.''
Twice in the final two playoff games, Akers stared the opposing quarterback in the eye in goal-line situations at critical moments. In one instance, the quarterback lost his concentration and didn't receive the snap properly. In the other case the rival signal-caller was forced to take a quick timeout.
Anderson also was a two-way standout for Salem. In addition to his duties as a linebacker, the sophomore was the Spartans' top running back. Coach Willis White often didn't use him on offense until the second half, though, resting him in the first half because he was a spectacular linebacker.
``I enjoyed defense the most,'' Anderson said. ``The way it's set up for us gives the linebackers a lot of chances to make big plays.''
Johnson rushed for 724 yards and passed for 420 yards as Bassett made the playoffs after knocking off then-No.1 Magna Vista during the regular season. He scored nine touchdowns and passed for four as he followed up a great freshman year.
``I enjoy playing both ways,'' said Johnson, also a defensive back. ``But I like running and trying to run over people.''
Johnson also plays basketball and baseball for the Bengals.
English evolved as a quarterback for Byrd this year, after ranking among Timesland's leading passers as a junior. He moved up from second-team All-Timesland on the strength of 1,236 yards rushing, 32 more than freshman running back O.J. Thomason had for the Terriers.
LENGTH: Long : 120 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY STAFF All-Timesland players and coach of theby CNByear are (clockwise from left) Salem's Matt Anderson, Lord
Botetourt's Wesley Cox, Bassett's T.K. Johnson, Salem's Jeff Akers,
and Staunton River coach Bob Gray. color
2. headshots of First Team Offense and Defense.
3. chart - All-Timesland Offense.
4. chart - All-Timesland Defense. KEYWORDS: MGR