THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 6, 1994 TAG: 9411060342
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NSUNOTES NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
When coach Darnell Moore tried to talk Brian Rountree into playing running back early in the season, the senior from Suffolk didn't want any part of it.
``I wanted to stay at wide receiver,'' he said.
But with the Spartans down to three healthy running backs, Rountree agreed to make the move Saturday against Lane College.
Rountree wasted no time in showing why Moore wanted to move him. On his first carry - his first at running back since high school - he ran for 30 yards. He ran for 12 on his next, and finished with 12 carries for 57 yards - the second highest-total from a Spartan back this season.
``I was supposed to catch the ball out of the backfield, basically,'' Rountree said. ``Q (John Quinerly) has been hurt and I had to step in for Q.''
Quinerly, the starting tailback has been banged up for a couple weeks. The original starter, Jeff Henderson, is lost for the year with a knee injury. The regular fullback, Stanley Johnson, is also out with a knee injury.
Rountree, the team's smallest regular at 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, has spent his career at wide receiver. He has also been one of the CIAA's top kick returners.
Rountree caught 17 passes last year but has been the fourth receiver in a three-man rotation this year and has caught just three.
``I was really just trying to get him a few plays,'' Moore said.
SPARROW UPDATE: Sparrow said the elbow injury that knocked him out of the game is a recurring one.
``I hurt it two years ago against Hampton and keep re-injuring it,'' he said. ``Now every time I draw back to throw I can feel a little zing in there, a sharp pain.''
Sparrow said he'll be good for the season finale next week against Kentucky State. Even with the injury Saturday, he set a CIAA record for pass completions in a season with 196.
TIDBITS: Freshman Yacento Scott, who has played offensive line all season, switched to defense Saturday. Scott had two tackles, one for a loss, recovered a fumble and deflected two passes.
``Were were going to move him next year any way,'' Moore said. ``He did a good job.'' . . . Johnnie Harrell kicked his first two extra points of the season. Harrell had been 0-for-5. . . . James Roe's 10 catches give him 65 on the season, five short of the CIAA record. He tied a school record with three touchdown catches. by CNB