THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 19, 1994 TAG: 9408190777
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICK BAILEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
The Tidewater Sharks enter 1994 with a new head coach and renewed hopes of making the Mason-Dixon League playoffs.
The Sharks missed the playoffs for the first time last season, when they finished 7-4.
Veteran high school coach Red Stickney inherits a team with two all-stars and at least two familiar newcomers.
Cornerback Jody Gonzales and Defensive end Rodney Baylor played in the minor league all-star game last year in Florida.
The newcomers are former Norfolk State quarterback Joe Bryant and former Bayside running back Kevin Blanding.
Bryant will compete with Johnnie Ealey and Tim Carr for playing time. Ealey is a five-year Sharks veteran. Carr was cut this summer by Calgary of the Canadian Football League.
``I see a lot of fire on this team,'' Ealey said. ``I predict we'll win.''
Another key figure on offense is running back James Rogers.
``He has great speed and balance,'' Stickney said.
Back for his third year with the Sharks is wide receiver Derrick Carroll. Veteran lineman Duke Young, in his ninth season with the Sharks, will play both ways.
``This is my last year, and I'm doing it my way,'' Young said. ``We look a lot better this year now with the new organization. We're playing as a team.''
The Sharks also boast several of the biggest players in the league.
Larry Christian, who works during the day at Sentera Hospital as an X-ray technician, is 6-foot-8 and 260 pounds.
James Young and John Cartwright stand over 6-5 and weigh more than 340 pounds. Lee Lewis is 6-4 and 315 pounds.
Defensive lineman Sampson Jackson, a Navy SEAL, is another impressive physical specimen at 6-5 and 300 pounds.
``Samson is a mountain of a man,'' Stickney said. ``He just throws people around.''
Stickney said he is looking forward to coaching at a higher level.
``You really have to plan and organize,'' he said. ``You have to be disciplined. I have a hard time adjusting to the few that don't want to come in to practice on time. We're getting there.''
To get there, Stickney has to pull together men who have day jobs and families.
``When you set up a practice schedule, you plan on certain people being there to do certain things,'' Stickney said. ``I don't want to go out unprepared.''
The Sharks open the season at 7 p.m. Saturday night at the Center for Effective Learning Field in Virginia Beach. by CNB