THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 1, 1994 TAG: 9411010438
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 114 lines
How serious are recruiters about Western Branch's Dre Bly?
University of Virginia offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien was at Western Branch Friday night and took in an outstanding performance by the 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior.
Such a trip is rare, since O'Brien must spend Friday nights with the Cavaliers when they are preparing for an opponent. But Virginia had the week off and O'Brien took advantage.
Unaware of O'Brien's presence, Bly upped his stock by catching four passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns from his wingback position and intercepting two passes from his defensive back slot.
Bly has been clocked in 4.29 in the 40-yard dash, which is why Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Clemson and Syracuse are recruiting him.
``Their cornerback was up playing the run and only gave me a five-yard cushion,'' Bly said. ``If you're going to check me, you better give me at least 10 yards.''
THE ANKLE'S FINE: Green Run quarterback Glenwood Ferebee returned from two weeks on the sidelines with an ankle sprain and passed for 209 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-3 victory last Friday.
Of course, the victim was Kellam, which has lost 23 straight. None of the Stallions' recent opponents has been of much quality: Princess Anne, Salem, Cox and Kellam are a combined 5-27.
But that won't be the case this week as 8-0 Green Run meets 7-1 Tallwood in a key Beach District game with playoff ramifications.
``We are really hungry for a good opponent,'' said Ferebee. ``We were losing our concentration and it showed a little against the last couple teams. We won't have that problem this week. We're taking Tallwood real serious.''
Ferebee finds himself in an equally serious race for first-team All-Tidewater quarterback honors. His main competition is Granby's Anthony King.
King has thrown for 939 yards, completing 66 of 117 attempts (56.4 percent) with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. King is the only quarterback in the top five in passing to complete more than 50 percent of his passes.
Ferebee, in two fewer games, has completed 41 of 87 passes (47 percent) for 788 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions.
``The way we're playing as a team, that just doesn't matter that much,'' Ferebee said of a possible All-Tidewater selection.
Ferebee, one of the area's top recruits, said his list of colleges includes N.C. State, Kansas, East Carolina, Florida and U.Va.
MORE ON QBS: The Southeastern District has three sophomore quarterbacks starting for quality teams - Deep Creek's Arnie Powell, Indian River's James Boyd and Western Branch's Daryl Walton.
And while each has improved markedly over the last few weeks, Walton is the hottest.
In his last four games, Walton is 30-for-50 with no interceptions, eight touchdowns and 569 yards. For the season, Walton is 51-for-102 with six interceptions and 10 touchdowns and an area-best 962 yards.
Powell is 28-of-60 for 565 yards with one interception and four touchdowns.
Boyd mixes the run with the pass, rushing for 343 yards and throwing for 537 yards. He is 28-for-79 with four interceptions and five touchdown passes.
Western Branch coach Lew Johnston gives this assessment: ``Daryl is the best quarterback, Boyd is the best athlete and Powell at 6-foot-4 has the most potential.''
THE PLAYOFF BERTH RACES: It was inaccurately reported in Saturday's editions that Hampton finishes the season against Phoebus and Bethel. The Crabbers have it a bit easier than that. After Phoebus this Friday, Hampton plays Gloucester, Gloucester is 1-7.
Even if the Crabbers lose to Phoebus, they should beat Gloucester and finish 9-1 to take the lone Division 5 wild-card berth - the Southeastern, Peninsula and Eastern District champions all will be Division 5 teams and Deep Creek needs only to beat Great Bridge to lock up the Southeastern title. Phoebus is already 9-0.
That scenario ends any chance of either Western Branch, Norcom or Tabb slipping into the playoffs. But if Hampton were to lose to Gloucester, either Western Branch or Norcom could still catch the Crabbers in the power points race. Tabb can't.
Division 6 is more wide-open. Green Run has locked up at least a wildcard berth. Kempsville and Tallwood are in if Tallwood beats Green Run and Kempsville can get in on its own if it beats Bayside. Of the other four teams still harboring hopes, Indian River has the most potential for power points, followed by Bethel, Bayside and First Colonial.
THIS 'N THAT: One of Western Branch's defensive players was called for unsportsmanlike conduct at the beginning of Friday's game for wearing illegal gloves. The National Federation of High School Sports banned gloves that can improve a player's grip beginning this season. The penalty set off a humorous chain reaction of Western Branch players running to the sideline and hurling their gloves over the coaching staff's heads. ``Only one kid was wearing illegal gloves, but I guess the rest of them figured if they didn't take theirs off then the 15-yard penalties would start flying,'' Johnston said. . .
Tallwood captain John Vann, who plays linebacker and fullback, says the Lions will be more prepared for their game with Green Run than they were when they played Kempsville two weeks ago, losing 17-0. ``Half of us had never played in a big game like that (Kempsville game),'' Vann said. ``I'd never played in a game like that. We were nervous.'' Vann said he's been contacted by coaches from UNC, Maryland, Houston, Tennessee, Penn State, James Madison and Hampton. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Dre Bly, left, has attracted much attention from college recruiters.
Glenwood Ferebee, right, passed for five touchdowns last week.
Chart
TOP 10 CAREER PASSING LEADERS
For copy of chart, see microfilm
by CNB