THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 17, 1994 TAG: 9411160170
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 30 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
It has been two years since they last met, and it is a meeting Southampton would prefer to forget.
In 1992, Matoaca pounded the Indians, 42-0, in the first round of the playoffs.
Friday night at 7:30, the Indians, ranked sixth in the state Group AA poll, will play host to the Warriors in the first round of the Group AA, Region I, Division 3 playoffs.
The Indians (9-1) finished the regular season tied with Nansemond River atop the Bay Rivers District. The Indians' only loss was a 31-0 pounding at the hands of York the night starting quarterback Chris Applewhite was injured.
The Indians shut out their opponents four times and held them to just one touchdown three times.
Head coach Littleton Parker knows they are going to have to play that kind of defense if they are going to stop the Warriors (7-3).
Matoaca, which finished third in the Southside District, averaged a 33-point margin of victory this season and its three losses came by a collective three points.
The Warriors fell to Group AAA Manchester in Richmond, 7-6; to Southside District champion Nottoway, 14-13; and to Nansemond River, 13-12.
``We were just about three plays away from being 10-0,'' said Matoaca coach Pat Manuel.
``We are going to have to play good defense and control the football,'' Parker said. ``They have a couple of good backs we are going to have to key on, but it should be a good defensive battle.''
Byron Thweatt and Roger Brown are those backs. Thweatt is averaging 11 yards per carry; Brown, 6 yards.
But Manuel said defensive back Cardell Winfield ``is the man who makes our defense go. His play is the key.''
Junior Brad Davis, who took over quarterbacking duties at Southampton when Applewhite went down, has guided the Indians to four solid wins and will have to maintain that confidence.
``I felt that he was very capable of doing the job and he has proved that,'' Parker said.
Davis scored a pair of TDs last week, one rushing and one passing. First team all-district running back William Brown rushed for 141 yards and one TD, and Rico Ivey, an honorable mention all-district selection, gained 126 yards and a TD in the 34-14 win over Franklin.
With only one true letdown all season, Parker certainly isn't disappointed in the way the season unfolded for the Indians, except when it comes to sharing the district title with Nansemond River, which suffered its only loss to Southampton.
``It's kind of a letdown. To me we're the district champs,'' Parker said. ``We beat the team we are sharing it with. But sometimes you have to take what you can get.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Southampton defensive back Raymond Brown (88) goes for an
interception.
by CNB