ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 22, 1996 TAG: 9612230132
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
A dream season justified the new philosophy Bob Gray brought to Staunton River High School football.
When Gray was hired three years ago to energize a perennial losing program, he decided his players would play either offense or defense - not both.
While this approach is the norm in college and the NFL, it's hard to do in high school football, where ability sometimes outweighs numbers.
``In three years, we've played 22 players the whole time,'' Gray said. ``We've seen benefits to doing it that way. The biggest one is that we've gotten numbers out [for the team]. As the numbers increase, the talent pool increases.''
Gray's three-year plan culminated this season as Staunton River went 10-2 and played in the Group AA Division 4 playoffs for the first time. It was only the second winning record in Golden Eagles history, and they also shared their first Seminole District football title.
Gray is Timesland's football coach of the year, two weeks after he was named the Group AA coach of the year for the state. He beat out Salem's Willis White for Timesland honors.
White enjoyed a first of his own as Salem won the Group AA Division 4 championship, the longtime coach's first state title in an illustrious career.
What's in the future for Gray and the Eagles? More two-platoon football for sure now that it has worked.
``I hope we're not wipe-out city next year,'' Gray said. He must replace running backs Jarrett Ferguson and Kevin Martin, who rushed for more than 3,000 yards between them. But the Staunton River junior varsity was 5-3.
``We graduate four on defense and seven on offense,'' Gray said. ``So, we'll have to have someone step up.
``This season was the first time I thought we could match up physically. Our big key was we found a way to win the first two games,'' he said referring to a 20-12 triumph over William Byrd and a 48-40 victory over Bassett. ``We were 2-0 and we could just as easily have been 0-2. The team really got excited.''.
Gray also got Ferguson and Martin to work together.
Last year, Martin left the team during the season. He returned at the urging of Ferguson, who learned to be a winner when he played a major role in the Golden Eagles' Group AA track and field title in the spring.
``Those two understood their roles,'' Gray said. ``Jarrett always tried to do what you wanted him to do. But Kevin was the most improved player on the team - not as an athlete, but he learned what `we' means, not `I.' He stepped it up and has been a team player.''
White has been Timesland's coach of the year before, but he is the runner-up this year because of Gray's unique season. Still, it was a unique season for White, too.
White may not have had as many talented athletes as in past season, but the Spartans had one thing no other Salem team could boast - a state title.
There were no 1,000-yard rushers, and a new quarterback, R.J. Beckwith, passed for a lot of yardage as long as he played within the Salem offense. The Spartans' defense was tough, and Salem turned a team performance into the school's finest hour in football.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 linesby CNB