THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 6, 1994 TAG: 9410060194
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN GORDON, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 176 lines
IT'S BEING BILLED as the game of the year in the Bay Rivers District.
Two undefeated teams and two of the most successful area programs are going head to head at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday when Southampton comes to call on Nansemond River.
Southampton has qualified for the state playoffs five straight seasons, finishing second in the state in 1989 and second in the region in 1990. Nansemond River has qualified for the playoffs all four years of its existence and placed second in the state last year and second in the region in 1992.
The host Warriors are ranked second in the state. The Indians are ranked sixth.
Because of their outstanding performance on the gridiron, especially during the past few years, a strong rivalry has developed between the two schools.
Since Nansemond River was formed four years ago, the two schools have split their four encounters. Each team has recorded a blowout and a squeaker.
Nansemond River won last year, 33-6, and 7-6, in 1992. Southampton won 27-0 in 1991 and 32-31 in 1990.
Southampton coach Littleton Parker and Nansemond River's Jerry Varacallo are not exactly strangers, having coached against each other as assistants for many years before becoming head coaches.
During the two years that Varacallo coached at John Yeates before Nansemond River was formed, Southampton won both tilts, 14-13 and 20-13.
Although this year's winner of the Bay Rivers District could be determined by this game, there is another 4-0 team waiting in the wings to take on both clubs and must not be overlooked.
York, ranked seventh in the state, pounced on Smithfield, 31-7, in its district opener and will travel to Franklin this week.
Thus, Southampton may be facing two undefeated teams two Fridays in a row with the Bay Rivers District title on the line. The Indians travel to York on Oct. 14, and Nansemond River will go to York on Oct. 28.
In other games, Lakeland travels to Poquoson, and Smithfield will play host to Bruton. Nansemond-Suffolk Academy will take on Catholic at home and Windsor will go to Mathews. The Isle of Wight Chargers head for Wakefield for a contest against Tidewater Academy. Southampton vs. Nansemond River
Date: Friday, Oct. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Arrowhead Stadium
Records: Nansemond River (4-0, 1-0); Southampton (4-0, 1-0)
Last year's result: Nansemond River won, 33-6.
Outlook: In contests where the two powerhouses have played the same opponent, the scores are very close. Both Nansemond River and Southampton blanked Lakeland, 16-0.
Coach Jerry Varacallo's Warriors also shut out Brunswick, 25-0, while Southampton opened the season with a 28-0 blowout of the Bulldogs. In four games so far, the visiting Indians have not allowed a single point while piling up 111, while Nansemond River has scored 84 and given up 15.Date: Friday, Oct. 7 Lakeland vs. Poquoson
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Poquoson Middle School, 985 Poquoson Ave.
Records: Lakeland (1-3, 0-1); Poquoson (1-3, 0-1)
Last year's result: Lakeland won, 22-10.
Outlook: Lakeland has scored only 34 points and given up 61 so far this season. Leading the Cavalier offense has been Reginald Wiggins, a 5-foot-7, 155-pound junior running back.
He has scored three toucufowns, gained 428 yards in 81 rushing attempts and hauled in two passes for another 20 yards. Senior Dwayne Wiggins has racked up 10 points with a toucufown and a pair of two-point conversions.
Poquoson's only victory came when Nansemond-Suffolk forfeited a 19-14 victory for using an ineligible player.
Last week the Islanders lost to Bruton, 16-13.
``We had two passes dropped that could have gone for toucufowns,'' said Ward. ``A lot of things are going against us.
``We're so much smaller than anyone else, and we don't have any breakaway runners. We're controlling the ball pretty well, but our defense is not doing the job.'' Franklin vs. York
Date: Friday, Oct. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Armory Field
Records: Franklin (1-3, 0-1); York (4-0, 1-0)
Last year's result: Did not play
Outlook: Coach Joe Jones' Broncos run into another district contender this week as they play host to the undefeated Falcons.
The Falcons like to take to the air and they have a quarterback named Brian Ginn who can throw the ball with authority and run. Against Smithfield last Saturday, he passed for two toucufowns and ran 59 yards for another.
Another key threat at halfback is Je'Cisken Ramsey, who caught both toucufown passes and ran for a 14-yard TD against the visiting Packers. The Falcons also have an outstanding kicker in Andy Brooks who booted four extra points and a 25-yard field goal. Smithfield vs. Bruton
Date: Friday, Oct. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: The Pig's Pen, Smithfield.
Records: Smithfield (0-4, 0-1); Bruton (2-2, 1-0)
Last year's result: Smithfield won, 21-6.
Outlook: Coach Miles Blount wasn't crying wolf before the season when he said this was going to be a rebuilding year. But some folks were a little skeptical because the Packers have been in a similar situation and still gone to the playoffs.
However, Packer playoff prospects this season appear grim indeed. In last Saturday's tilt, Smithfield rushed for only 58 yards in 28 carries and completed two passes for 11 yards.
The Packers scored their only toucufown late in the game when they recovered a York fumble at the Falcon five and Quinn Robertson crashed over on the next play. Windsor vs. Mathews
Date: Friday, Oct. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Mathews High
Records: Windsor (3-1); Mathews (4-0)
Last year's result: Windsor won 49-0.
Outlook: Coach Tommy Austin's Dukes gained an unexpected night off last week when King and Queen canceled the remainder of its season for lack of players.
Mathews, a new member of the Tidewater District, had a scare last Friday but nipped Rappahannock, 15-14. Coach Bob Frazier said his club has a little more balanced attack this campaign.
``We run a double wing and even the single wing,'' he said. ``We've been more of a running team, but we do throw the ball more this season.''
Windsor's lone loss came at the hands of Middlesex, the 1993 state champions in Group A. N-SA vs. Catholic
Date: Friday, Oct. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: N-SA's Art Jones Stadium Records: Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (1-4, 0-1), Catholic (1-2, 0-1)
Last year's result: Catholic won, 31-12.
Outlook: Coach Terry Crigger's Saints lost two games last week - one of the field and the other on paper.
They fell, 27-0, to St. Christopher's of Richmond on the field at home, and had to forfeit to Poquoson.
Although N-SA defeated the Islanders, 19-14, in the season's second game, the Saints were using an ineligible player against a public school.
Nansemond-Suffolk has accepted the forfeit but has appealed to the VHSL to allow the unnamed player to play against Northampton, another public school, in Suffolk on Oct. 28. A decision on the appeal has not been made, according to Larry Johnson, VHSL programs supervisor.
Meanwhile, Catholic - now located in Virginia Beach - fell to Benedictine at Richmond last Saturday, 21-12. Isle of Wight vs. Tidewater Academy
Date: Friday, Oct. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Wakefield Town Park
Records: Isle of Wight (0-5); Tidewater Academy (0-0)
Last year's result: Did not play.
Outlook: If the winless Chargers are going to get on the winning track, this is the week to do it.
Tidewater Academy is trying to bring football back to its program and this will be the Warriors' first varsity game this season. So far, they are 2-1 against junior varsity teams from Northampton, Windsor and Norfolk Academy.
``We are building our program and hope to play a nine-game varsity schedule soon,'' Tidewater athletic director Stuart Russ Jr., said.
Coach Dale Chapman's Chargers avoided a shutout last week when Broadwater Academy rolled up a 42-8 victory. Isle of Wight quarterback Richard Spady tossed a 15-yard toucufown to Brandon Blythe with 4:30 left in the game. MEMO: Dan Cooley contributed to this report. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Leon ``Snake'' Porter scampers through a hole in the Franklin
defense during a Bay Rivers District game at Nansemond River High
School. The Warriors are going into Friday night's game on an even
keel with Southampton.
by CNB