THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 19, 1994 TAG: 9410190562
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
When windy conditions blew away LaShawn Jones' attempts at making an impact on offense, the Bayside football star simply made like the wind and blew Cox away on defense.
Jones, a 6-4, 195-pound senior safety/wide receiver, turned in the season's most spectacular defensive performance in the Marlins' 36-12 over the Falcons Friday, packing a season's worth of big plays into one half.
In the third quarter, Jones got started by scooping up a fumble and returning it 12 yards for a touchdown. He then blocked a punt to set up the Marlins' go-ahead score.
Later, he blocked another punt, setting up another Marlins' touchdown. Finally, he picked off a pass and ran 95 yards for the Marlins' final score.
``Hey, this is my senior year,'' said Jones, a Marlins' basketball standout who is playing football for the first time this season. ``I have to go all out.''
Friday's heroics made Jones a hands-down winner of the Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star boys athlete of the week award. And the irony is that his success came in every manner except the one Bayside coach Bill King had in mind when he drew up the game plan.
Prior to the Cox game, Jones, who earlier this season held Green Run receiving star Plaxico Burress to one reception, had made his biggest impact on defense. King, however, said the plan was to unleash Jones' sprinter speed and 36-inch vertical leap when Bayside had the ball.
``The idea was for us to start throwing it to him some,'' King said.
But with gusting, 25-mile-an-hour winds swirling about Cox's field, the Marlins' passing game was a comedy of errors.
``We sent (Jones) out on a fade pattern (toward the sidelines), but the wind was blowing so hard it blew the ball back to the middle of the field,'' Bayside coach Bill King said.
``So the next time, we told him to run to the middle of the field and we'd have (Bayside quarterback Jeff) Wallace aim for the sidelines. I think Jeff got sacked on that one.''
Fortunately for the Marlins, none of this frustrated Jones.
``I'd rather play defense anyway,'' Jones said. ``I like to punish people.''
Another dose of Jones' unique style of punishment could come Friday, when the Marlins entertain Kellam. But what could he possibly do for an encore?
The answer could be blowing in the wind. by CNB