THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 16, 1994 TAG: 9411160580
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Tallwood's TaRon Anderson has done a mean impression of the Energizer Bunny.
He's kept going, and going and going while displaying some jackrabbit moves.
His 1994 performance has left opponents asking the same question: Are you sure you're only a freshman?
``After every game, somebody always asks me that,'' Anderson said. ``I just laugh and say, `Yeah, I'm a freshman.' Then they ask me my age.''
Yes, Anderson is a ``true'' freshman with three years of eligibility left. But don't fault those who ask, for this 15-year-old has played beyond his years.
In rushing for 1,055 yards this season, Anderson became the first ``true'' freshman in South Hampton Roads to run for more than 1,000 yards in a season since The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star began keeping extensive records in 1969. He finished sixth in the area in rushing and fourth in scoring, with all 16 of his touchdowns coming on the ground.
Anderson will take his mantle as South Hampton Roads' best freshman into Friday night's Eastern Region Division 6 semifinal when the Lions (7-3) meet the Kempsville Chiefs (9-1) at Kellam High at 8 p.m.
For Anderson, it will be an opportunity for redemption. He played his least impressive game of the season in Kempsville's 17-0 regular-season victory over Tallwood.
On a damp field that took away much of his maneuverability, Anderson was held to 44 yards rushing on 13 attempts and was held scoreless for the first of only two times all season.
``Every time I'd try to turn, I'd slip, and by the time I'd catch myself someone was on top of me,'' Anderson said.
Kempsville's field has a reputation for holding water, but Kellam High's field is known as one of the best in the area for absorbing water. So even if it rains today, the field should be fast and dry come Friday.
With more than 1,000 yards as a freshman it's fair to compare Anderson to former Norcom star Terry Ricks, who holds the career area rushing mark of 4,085 yards.
Coincidentally, Ricks is the only area running back Anderson ever paid much attention to.
Tallwood defensive coordinator Robert Jackson is Anderson's brother-in-law - he married Anderson's sister Pina. When Jackson was on the Norcom staff, Anderson would occasionally tag along to Greyhounds practices.
``He was good,'' Anderson said of Ricks. ``He was fast, ran like a waterbug, but he had power. I wasn't even going to compare myself to him.''
But it's a natural, seeing how Ricks ran for 752 yards as a freshman, the most by anyone before Anderson came along.
The most telling difference is that Anderson is bigger than the 5-foot-7, 170-pound Ricks. Anderson is 5-10 and 180 pounds . . . as a freshman.
``I hope to get to 210 pounds by my senior year,'' Anderson said. ``I feel for my size and my age I have a lot of power. But I want more power.''
And more 1,000-yard seasons.
``I'd love to have 1,000 or more every year,'' Anderson said. ``After I ran for over 100 yards in my first game, I figured 1,000 wouldn't be that hard. Ten carries a game for 10 yards each. That's only the length of a football field. I found out that 100 yards a game is tough to get.''
Tallwood coach Ken Barto only now acknowledges that he knew on the first day of practice how much of an asset Anderson could be.
``I told all the ninth-graders and 10th-graders that they were all going to be on the JV team, you know, to keep them on their toes, so TaRon didn't know what to expect,'' Barto recalled. ``But he knows he's good, everybody and his brother knows he's good.
``And after that first game (11 carries for 102 yards against Great Bridge), I knew he was the icing on the cake.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
RICH RADFORD
TaRon Anderson had 16 touchdowns for Tallwood, which meets
neighborhood rival Kempsville in Friday's region playoffs.
by CNB