THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 19, 1994 TAG: 9408190758
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD AND PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
Looking for a trendy pick as the most improved high school football team in South Hampton Roads?
Try Booker T. Washington.
The Bookers could boast one of the best offensive backfields around with the help of two newcomers.
Michael Beverly, the city's second-leading passer a year ago while attending Norfolk Academy, and Michael Basnight, who gained more than 3,200 yards in two years at Columbia (N.C.) High School, have transferred to Booker T.
Basnight, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior, rushed for 1,700 yards and averaged 10.6 yards per carry last season at Columbia, which has an enrollment of roughly 150 students and is located about 30 miles west of Manteo below Albemarle Sound.
As a sophomore, Basnight racked up 1,532 yards. ``He is a super athlete and a super student,'' Columbia coach Jimmy Furlough said. ``I hated to lose him.''
East Carolina and N.C. State were already high on Basnight as a prospect. His move to a bigger market likely will increase his stock among college recruiters.
Beverly, who practiced with Norfolk Academy players this summer, lives in the Booker T. zone. The reason for his transfer is unclear.
Norfolk Academy coach Tom York, Booker T. coach Larry Stepney and Beverly all declined to comment.
JACK'S BACK: Jack Harcourt, who turned a floundering Green Run wrestling program into one of the state's best two years ago, will coach the Ocean Lakes team this fall, Dolphins athletic director John Williams announced Thursday.
Harcourt, who is also the head of the physical education department at Ocean Lakes, said in July that he wasn't interested in coaching again this fall and that Ocean Lakes had someone lined up to be its coach.
One month later, however, Harcourt agreed to the position when that individual couldn't be hired, Williams said.
``He wanted to stress the fact that being a department head is still his No. 1 concern and goal,'' Williams said. ``But when it became apparent we couldn't hire the person we had in mind, Jack was willing to think through his previous decision.
``We're just overjoyed about it. We know Jack Harcourt will do the same things for us that he did for Green Run.''
Harcourt led the Stallions to Beach District titles and berths in the state duals championships in 1992 and 1993.
Harcourt is on vacation and couldn't be reached for comment.
In other Ocean Lakes coaching news, Rob Stover, formerly of Bayside, will coach the Dolphins' boys volleyball team, and Angela Hubner will be the school's softball coach.
STILL A TWO-SPORT MAN: One week last month, he was at the Five-Star basketball camp at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh. The next week, he was attending the Region I Under-18 soccer camp at Penn State.
Cox High's Matt Whalen is still entertaining thoughts of being a two-sport athlete in college, and he said he isn't even close to making a decision as to which sport he favors.
``It's still 50-50,'' said Whalen, a 6-5, 185-pound rising senior. ``Until I get some scholarship offers, I'm not going to make any kind of decision.
``Navy and William and Mary are both showing interest for both sports. I think there's a chance I could play both at the college level.''
Maryland also has shown some interest, but only in soccer at this point. The prospect of playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference intrigues Whalen, who in his junior year averaged 18.6 points and 12.5 rebounds in basketball and was a first-team All-Tidewater selection.
He was even better in soccer, garnering Tidewater player of the year and Group AAA state player of the year honors.
``If I go ACC, I'm probably going to look at just playing soccer,'' Whalen said.
Either way, Whalen plans to remain close to home. After Navy and William and Mary, he said he's most interested in James Madison, Virginia Tech and Virginia.
COLOR-CODED: It's going to be tough for Maury to replace Charles ``Boom-Boom'' Jackson, Ryan Pigford and Terrance Caine, who combined for more than 2,700 rushing yards a year ago. But while this year's running attack might not be as productive, it'll definitely be colorful. The projected starters: William Black, Mario White and Charlie Brown. by CNB