THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9408260754
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: R22 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Football Preview: High School Football '94
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 101 lines
A habitual gambler once told me, ``I'll bet the dogs over the ponies any time.''
He was speaking of his chances of winning at the dog tracks over the horse tracks, but in handicapping this year's area football scene, his theory applies.
I'm taking the Norcom Greyhounds over the Green Run Stallions.
1. NORCOM: Coming off a 14-0 season and top-20 national ranking, the Greyhounds are still the measuring stick of South Hampton Roads. They might have lost a slew of quality players, but the Greyhounds have reached the zenith of high school football: they don't rebuild, they reload.
Remember Terry Ricks, who left as the area's all-time rusher? In his place at tailback could be Mike Ricks, younger brother of Terry. See what we mean by reloading?
Headliners for the Greyhounds include all-purpose, two-way backs Rudy Howard and Octavious Brothers, two dynamite players with excellent speed.
That coach Joe Langston is back is reason enough to like the Greyhounds' chances. Off-season surgery to repair a stomach aneurysm was successful and Langston returns for his 21st year at the controls.
Norcom will be shooting for its third consecutive Southeastern District title and there are four other believable contenders: Deep Creek, Western Branch, Indian River and Churchland.
It's tempting to pick those four schools next. But it would be criminal to overlook the Stallions.
2. GREEN RUN: The Stallions have a stable of thoroughbreds at the skill positions: quarterback Glenwood Ferebee, running back Cedric Warren and wide receiver Plaxico Burress. They averaged 308 yards total offense and more than 23 points per game a year ago and both statistics should improve.
They also won their last four games a year ago, so they're carrying some momentum into the season at hand.
3. DEEP CREEK: The Hornets are the next team with sting. If it's a power game they want, the Hornets will go with 230-pound junior fullback Deon Dyer. His backup is 245-pound Dumeka Haskett.
Cedric Williams, who closed out last season with a 217-yard performance against Western Branch, and Lawrence Claiborne will provide the speed.
Defensively, few were better last year: The Hornets limited opponents to 10.7 points per game.
4. LAKE TAYLOR: Eastern District teams have failed to win a Eastern Region playoff game since Norview beat Great Bridge, 24-22, in a 1986 semifinal. Can the streak be broken?
The always speedy Titans have size for a change.
Mario Elliott, who earned his stripes as an all-district safety two years ago as a freshman, will try his hand at quarterback. He would have been there last year but for a shoulder injury.
5. WESTERN BRANCH: Division 5 only invites four teams to the Eastern Region playoffs. Eight could go and each game would still hold promise. Regional powers Norcom, Hampton, Deep Creek, Kecoughtan, Churchland, Lake Taylor and newcomer Tabb make this, on paper, the strongest regional division in the state.
Which is why the Bruins have been on the outside looking in in the postseason the last couple years.
They look to turn matters inside-out, and will use inside man Malik Cook and outside man Dre Bly to do so. The threat remains of finishing 8-2 and still missing the playoffs.
6. FIRST COLONIAL: Head coach Frank Webster needs one more victory to become second all-time in coaching victories in Virginia. Webster is 243-95-9 in tenures at Deep Creek and First Colonial.
Webster's gang at FC should allow him to reach the 250 victory plateau this season. First Colonial's main threat should be 220-pound fullback Marcus Wilcox, who loves to run between the tackles.
7. INDIAN RIVER: The Braves lost a number of quality players from last year's team which went to the Division 6 state semifinals. But the mere mention of Shawndell Joyner, who ran for nearly 1,000 yards and found the end zone 17 times a year ago, reminds opponents that the cupboard isn't bare.
8. KEMPSVILLE: Head coach John Bowles describes his defense at times as small and slow. But the Chiefs were big enough and fast enough a year ago to be the fourth stingiest defense in the area. Most of the defense returns and Bowles swears they are better.
The Chiefs don't have anyone to match the T.J. Morgans, D.J. Doziers or Tony DeSues of the past, but Mike Pishioneri is pretty good and could be a 1,000-yard man.
9. CHURCHLAND: The Truckers better have it in gear when they hit the on ramp. Churchland plays Norcom, Western Branch and Deep Creek in three of its first four games. An improved Great Bridge team is nestled into that stretch, disguised as a breather.
If the Truckers are ready from the get-go, much of the credit will be due quarterback Mike Holland, who head coach Ken Taylor calls his ``on-field coach.''
10. BOOKER T. WASHINGTON: No, this isn't a basketball preview. The Bookers haven't won a district title in football since 1984, which is the only year in which the Bookers have won an Eastern District title.
But two transfers showed up at preseason practice who could definitely make a difference, quarterback Mike Beverly and running back Mike Basnight. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK, Staff
Although it lost a slew of players from its championship team,
Norcom appears to have all the ingredients to return to the winner's
circle in coach Joe Langston's 21st season.
by CNB