THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 16, 1994 TAG: 9409140164
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
IF CHURCHLAND FOOTBALL coach Ken Taylor is correct, those who missed the exciting season-opening game between Norcom and Churchland will have another opportunity to see the city rivals play.
``I'm looking for a rematch in the playoffs,'' said Taylor as he reviewed his Truckers' 27-19 loss to the Greyhounds Friday night at Churchland.
``Frankly, I don't believe we should have lost this game. But we'll see 'em again.''
The Truckers jumped to a 13-0 advantage and carried a 19-6 lead into the final quarter. But three touchdowns by the Greyhounds in the final 5 1/2 minutes pulled out the victory.
``Champions find a way to win,'' said Norcom assistant coach Herman Terry.
The game drew a standing-room-only audience of nearly 5,000 into the 3,500-seat Churchland Stadium. The paid gate exceeded 4,200, the largest ever at the new Churchland field.
``This could be the start of our best year at the gate in many, many years,'' said Bill Strickland, Churchland's athletic director.
``We have Great Bridge coming in Friday night and the Wildcats are coming off a big win over Kempsville. Next we have Western Branch and I believe we will have another standing-room turnout for that one.
``We can't put in any more than we had for the Norcom game, so I would suggest that people come early when we play Western Branch. I don't think everybody will get in.''
After viewing films of last week's games, both Taylor and Norcom coach Joe Langston saw many pleasing happenings and a few things they would have liked to change.
Norcom scored on the final play of the first half to trim Churchland's lead to 13-6.
``With hindsight I would have called a timeout before Norcom's last play,'' said Taylor.
It came as the clock ran out.
``I never thought Norcom could get off two plays in 21 seconds.''
Langston would have liked to erase a 61-yard touchdown run by Churchland's David Drake on a runback of a recovered Norcom fumble. Officials ruled the Norcom play was a lateral.
``Our film shows clearly it was an incomplete pass,'' said Langston.
Langston was delighted with the play of reserve tackles who stepped in for injured Marte McCall and Donald Drewary.
``You know we played without Albert Gary, one of our better runners, too,'' added Langston.
Even the public address announcer was crediting Gary with an outstanding performance, including the game-winning touchdown catch of a 61-yard deflected pass from quarterback Rod Richardson, which was intended for Jarmaine Granger and batted away by Churchland's Quinton Morris.
The program listed Gary as No. 5. The number actually was worn by Octavious Brothers.
``I thought I hit that pass pretty hard,'' said Morris. ``I didn't think anybody else would catch it.''
Taylor was especially pleased by the running of Greg Boothe, a fleet senior back who had a 77-yard touchdown run and also scored on a 3-yard plunge.
``Boothe will be a contender for rushing honors in the Southeastern District this year,'' predicted Taylor.
Wilson coach Jenson Baker figures his team should share some credit with one of his former coaches in the Presidents' surprise 19-14 victory over Lake Taylor.
Baker and assistant coach Terence Green were looking for some special way to defense Lake Taylor's veer. Baker bumped into Joe Buggs, who coached him at Hampton University and was a former high school coach at Smithfield, at a Norfolk State game and remembered Buggs as an authority on the veer.
``I asked him what gave him the most trouble defensively when he ran the veer and he gave me some very good tips. We adjusted our defense and it worked just as he said it would.''
Baker has been so satisfied with the progress of freshman quarterback Terence Winston that he has shifted holdover QB Brandon Wiggins to tailback.
``Winston is coming along nicely,'' said Baker. ``And we know Wiggins can play wherever we need him. He's our utility man.''
The Norcom-Churchland game was the lone Southeastern action last week. Friday night play starts in earnest with the Greyhounds at Western Branch, Deep Creek facing Wilson in Lawrence Stadium and Churchland at home to Great Bridge. Indian River has a non-district game, entertaining Maury.
Advance tickets can be purchased at the schools for $3. Tickets at the gate are $4.
The Norcom-Western Branch game pits the district's No. 1 defense (Norcom) against the No. 1 offense (Western Branch). The Greyhounds also lead in passing and the Bruins could be vulnerable there. Western Branch gave up 159 yards in its win over Granby via aerials and presently stands next-to-last in pass defense.
Wilson stands No. 2 in the Southeastern in passing and Deep Creek ranks second in rushing.
Both Churchland and Great Bridge have three-touchdown scoring averages. The Truckers put up 19 points against Norcom while the Wildcats have 36 points in two outings. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
Churchland scored a 61-yard touchdown when officials ruled this toss
a lateral and the Norcom receiver fumbled the ball.
by CNB