THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 14, 1994 TAG: 9409140612
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
It's been almost 20 years since Western Branch played in a game the magnitude of Friday's meeting with top-ranked Norcom.
Has Western Branch coach Lew Johnston taken measures to stem any overenthusiasm on the Bruins' part?
``I'm just letting 'em rip at practice,'' Johnston said Tuesday. ``I figure I'll see how it goes and pull 'em in if I have to. We'll keep our thumb on the pulse, but I want them to be excited about this week.''
Norcom's come-from-behind 27-19 victory over Churchland last week served as a vivid reminder of the Greyhounds' amazing recuperative powers.
Norcom's winning touchdown against Churchland came on a 61-yard pass that was tipped by the defense and caught by Octavious Brothers.
That is the same Brothers who plucked a fumble out of the air last year and raced 56 yards with less than a minute remaining to lift the Greyhounds over Western Branch, 13-7.
``They just know how to win,'' Johnston said.
That they do. Norcom is 43-6 in the 1990s. The Greyhounds have gone 7-3, 10-2, 11-1, 14-0 and are 1-0 this season. Their only losses in the last three years were to teams that went on to win the state Division 5 title - Wilson twice in 1991 and Bethel in 1992.
Plus, Norcom hasn't lost to a Chesapeake team since Deep Creek beat the Greyhounds, 18-14, in 1990. Norcom has won 15 straight against Chesapeake teams and currently has a 15-game overall winning streak.
Western Branch, which comes in ranked No. 3 in South Hampton Roads, counters with unquestionably the biggest team in South Hampton Roads and started the season with a 55-21 victory over Granby.
``I've been telling my kids that it's like Notre Dame and Michigan last weekend, two highly ranked teams meeting early in the season (Michigan won, 26-24),'' Johnston said. ``We just hope the ones in the winged helmets win again.''
Western Branch student activities director Chris Ake said pregame tickets will go on sale Thursday and Friday at Western Branch during the school's lunch periods from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Western Branch seats 7,900 for football and a near capacity crowd is expected.
ADD NORCOM: Norcom's game film against Churchland shows the officials erred in awarding the Truckers a touchdown on a 61-yard fumble return by David Drake. The play, a quick pass in the flat, was ruled a lateral.
But the film shows that Norcom quarterback Rod Richardson threw a forward pass.
``The pass was just (behind) the line of scrimmage,'' said Norcom coach Joe Langston. ``The intended receiver was about 3 1/2 yards behind (the line of scrimmage). That's where the confusion came in.''
BEAST OF THE EAST? The Eastern District looks just as wide open two weeks into the season than it did on opening night, with each of the five teams sporting 1-1 records. Is this district as much a toss-up as it appears?
``I'll let you know after Friday night,'' said Lake Taylor coach Bert Harrell.
Lake Taylor and Booker T. Washington meet at Harbor Park in the district's first head-to-head game. All the previous games have been against out-of-district competition, making it even harder to pick a favorite.
Lake Taylor came in with the preseason nod. But an ugly 19-14 loss to Wilson jumbled the picture. Then Norview ran all over Kellam, 63-7, which could have marked the awakening of a slumbering giant.
Ironically, Lake Taylor plays in the first two Eastern District games of the season. On Sept. 30 the Titans visit Norview.
``It's kind of a shame that we play these two important games so early in the season,'' Harrell said. ``I think it draws more crowd interest if they're near the end of the season.''
A ROYAL DOUSING: According to Ocean Lakes head coach Jim Prince, last week's 13-12 victory over Cox took ``a lot of pressure off'' the first-year Dolphins.
After losing, 56-0, to Princess Anne in the opening week of the season, Prince said there were those drawing parallels to the first year of Tallwood's football program, in which the Lions went 0-10.
``It ended a perfect day,'' Prince said. ``We had an assembly in the stands in the afternoon and the kids were all fired up, then we win our first home game in the last minute.''
As expected, Prince received the cliched dousing with ice water from his players, but with a twist.
``Our kids are so inexperienced at things like that that they hit me in the midsection with it,'' Prince said. ``I had on headphones and they thought they might electrocute me if they hit me high.''
MILESTONES: Green Run senior quarterback Glenwood Ferebee needs 10 yards passing Friday night when the Stallions host Bayside to reach 3,000 for his career. . . . First Colonial's Marcus Wilcox surpassed 1,000 career yards rushing last Friday with 51 in a 20-17 overtime loss to Bayside. Wilcox, a junior, now has 1,034. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Octavious Brothers has come up with big plays for Norcom in close
games.
by CNB