THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 9, 1994 TAG: 9409070152
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
EACH YEAR THE Southeastern District football championship usually revolves around a handful of games.
Most seasons a game at the end decides the title.
Sometimes a mid-season clash is the key contest.
But this year one of the most important is opening day for two of the championship contenders.
Norcom, the defending champion, and Churchland collide Friday night in their season-opener at Churchland. A standing-room-only audience is expected.
At first glance it would seem Norcom has a hammerlock on the Truckers. The last time a Churchland team defeated Norcom was 1989 - by a 7-0 margin.
Since then the Greyhounds have rolled up some impressive victories:
1990 - 42-18
1991 - 27-0
1992 - 46-0
1993 - 42-7
That's a whopping 157-25 edge for Norcom.
So just why are spectators looking for a nail-biting, possible down-to-the-wire battle in the latest match-up in a series that started in 1973, with Norcom holding a 14-7 advantage?
Observers believe the difference between the teams narrowed considerably when graduation claimed such Norcom standouts as Terry Ricks, Larry Staton, David Turner, Jay Clarke and Jerronne Coleman.
At Churchland they're saying the Truckers will be fielding their strongest football team since 1981 when Bill Strickland, now the athletic director, produced a 7-2-1 squad.
In his first year as head coach, Ken Taylor piloted the Truckers to a 6-4 record - the first winning season at Churchland since that '81 campaign.
The outspoken Taylor is looking for better things. Says Taylor: ``Another 6-4 year would be very disheartening.''
Meanwhile veteran Norcom coach Joe Langston, starting his 21st year at the helm of the Hounds, seems even more confident than when he was set to embark upon a 14-0 record a year ago.
``We lost some great talent,'' admits Langston. ``But we have some great talent coming back.
``I don't compare my teams but I will say this team has a lot of potential.''
Word is out that Langston has removed his state championship ring and told his players he would like to see them replace it for him.
This opening game matches two of the area's premier quarterbacks in Norcom's Rod Richardson and Churchland's Mike Holland.
Richardson passed for 854 yards in district play last year, hitting 45 of 113 passes. Holland threw for only 392 yards but that included eight touchdowns. And the third-year Trucker QB directs a ground-oriented attack.
Both teams lost their primary runners. Ricks racked up 1,057 yards for Norcom and scored 96 points. Antonio Hill netted 826 yards for Churchland and registered 10 touchdowns.
Norcom boasts several talented runners, including Ricks' younger brother, Mike. Fullback Rudy Howard likely will be the workhorse in the third-and-one situations. Langston rates his offensive line, headed by 230-pound Maceo Thomas, 276-pound Jermaine Bullock and 250-pound Lavar Bowers, as ``potentially one of our best.''
Greg Boothe, a fleet track star, is the probable Churchland offensive leader. ``He will be one of the best in the district,'' claims Taylor. Boothe blossomed at the close of the '93 season after playing sparingly in early games. He's a 5-11, 180-pound senior.
Defenses could dominate this game. Norcom allowed only two touchdowns in the first five games last year.
Both teams posted opening shutouts a year ago: Norcom over Booker T. Washington, 39-0; Churchland over Norview, 28-0.
The Greyhounds, operating out of the wide-tackle 6 favored by Langston, have such holdovers as tackle Marte McCall, nose guard Ricky DeBerry and Kevin Mapp. The secondary is exceptional, led by Howard and Octavious Brothers.
Linebackers Jay Smith, Korey Lewis and Tee Styles, nose guard Rolonzo Rawles and end Jermaine Turner are Churchland's defensive mainstays.
Portsmouth's other team, Wilson, will be playing on the road for the second week in a row. The Presidents opened against Granby last week, losing 22-19.
Wilson faces Lake Taylor. Lake Taylor also made its first start last week, routing Salem, 30-7. The Presidents will make their first home start in Frank D. Lawrence Stadium on Friday, Sept. 16 against Deep Creek. ILLUSTRATION: File photo
Coach Joe Langston is starting his 21st year at the helm of Norcom.
by CNB