THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 17, 1994 TAG: 9408170544
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Maury High's Josh Parker remembers waking up ``in excruciating pain'' during the first week of practice last season.
This season, the pain is gone. So is the cyst which was eating through Parker's right femur just below his hip.
``At first I thought it was a muscle,'' Parker said. ``But the pain didn't go away. The cyst was filled with fluid, which was causing the pain.''
At this time a year ago, Parker was being told he wouldn't be playing football. An MRI revealed the cyst, which was about the size of a golf ball.
``Josh was competing for a spot in the lineup last year and definitely would have played some,'' Maury coach Bobby Pannenbacker said. ``He'll most likely start at center for us this year.''
After the cyst was removed, Parker missed his sophomore season. X-rays taken in December showed the bone had regenerated. The 6-foot, 255-pound Parker should bolster an already impressive Maury front line.
And Parker returns this fall with a new nickname, thanks to Pannenbacker: Kodiak Jack.
The explanation?
``I worked 50 days this summer on one of my uncle's deep-sea fishing boats up in Homer, Alaska,'' Parker said.
A STEP QUICKER: Churchland senior tailback Greg Boothe had never run track seriously until the final two meets of last spring's track season.
Now, the 5-foot-10, 162-pounder is being touted as a track standout and hopes his improved speed translates into more yardage out of the backfield. He ran for 286 yards as a reserve tailback last season.
Boothe hooked up this summer with Green Run's Donald Samuels, Booker T. Washington's Nevie Sessoms and Western Branch's Malik Cook and the foursome traveled the East Coast as a 400-meter relay team. They ended the summer finishing second three weeks ago at the AAU National Junior Olympics in Florida.
Meanwhile, Boothe found himself improving dramatically as a sprint man. After clocking 11.0 in the Southeastern District meet and finishing sixth, Boothe began trimming tenths of seconds off his time, with his best of the summer a hand held 10.33.
At the Junior Olympics, Boothe finished third in the 100, which was won by University of Tennessee recruit Brian Raspberry.
Asked what part of his track training he thought would most benefit his football play, Boothe said, ``I pulled a tire in summer training. It built up my legs and made me quicker.''
BIGFOOT: Tallwood High coach Ken Barto had a most pleasant surprise waiting on the Lions' opening day of practice: All-Tidewater soccer player Danny McVey.
McVey, who is being recruited by a number of top-20 college soccer programs, figured he'd give football a try, but only as a placekicker. Don't look for the slender McVey to line up at free safety.
``I just wanted to give it a shot and see what I could do,'' McVey said. ``I wanted to make myself useful in the fall. If I do well, who knows what could happen?''
McVey definitely has a strong right foot, kicking a 58-yard field goal the first week of practice.
``But the wind was at my back,'' McVey said.
OVER BEFORE IT BEGAN: Fred Benevento's reign as head football coach at Centerville High in Northern Virginia ended before it officially began. The Washington Post reported in its Tuesday editions that Benevento resigned last week after it was alleged that he took part in on-field workouts before Monday's official start date of practice at Centerville.
Benevento was last seen here coaching Langley to the state Group AAA Division 5 final, where the Saxons lost to Norcom, 19-0, at Western Branch.
Benevento then won the vacated Centerville post, beating out numerous applicants.
But a West Potomac High assistant football coach said he'd seen Benevento running players through drills on Aug. 1 and 2. West Potomac head coach Dale Eaton filed a written complaint. Out-of-season practice is looked upon as a serious breach of Virginia High School League rules.
Concorde District officials ruled that Centerville would be ineligible for postseason play if Benevento remained as head coach. Benevento resigned and the district restored Centerville's postseason eligibility.
``The reason I resigned was I did not feel like the kids deserved to be punished,'' said Benevento, who also resigned his teaching position at Centreville. by CNB