THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 26, 1994 TAG: 9411260159
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
The hits are a little harder.
Their voices are raised a little more.
It must be Tuesday - defense day.
``Everybody gets really hyped up on Tuesdays for defensive practice,'' said Nansemond River's Donald Turner, the Bay Rivers District defensive player of the year.
Everybody knows about the Warriors' big-strike quarterback, Leon Porter, and their threat-from-everywhere wide-receiver turned tailback, Turner. But the area that caused the biggest concern in the off-season is now the primary reason Nansemond River is still playing football in late November.
Defense.
Today that defense takes on York, led by offensive player of the year Brian Ginn, at 1:30 at Nansemond River's Arrowhead Stadium.
Graduation and preseason injuries left Nansemond River head coach Jerry Varacallo and his staff with a lot of questions to answer.
Enter Leshawn Pugh, a 6-foot-1, 203-pound junior who wanted to play linebacker.
``I played defensive end on JV,'' Pugh said. ``I went out for linebacker, but coach V moved me back to end. He said that's where they needed me.''
Pugh earned a first-team all-district selection at the spot. Next to him on that all-district team is Wilvern Flythe, who had to transition from outside linebacker to end.
Curtis Barnes, who at 5-foot-8, 161-pounds may be the smallest nose guard in the area, also earned a first team all-district selection in his first year at the position.
``I thought (the coaches) were crazy to put me there,'' Barnes said. ``I just try to use my speed and small size to my advantage.''
Add all-district defensive backs Turner and Porter, and it isn't hard to figure out why the Warriors have gained five shutouts this season. Only two teams have been able to score more than one touchdown on them, and one of those teams was York.
``We rely on our quickness and speed. We're not big enough to play hit and roll,'' Varacallo said. ``We try to mess up their timing, and we do a good job of attacking the other team's weakness.''
Both of the Falcons' scores in their 35-14 loss to the Warriors capped long, sustained drives, which is something the Warriors can't let Ginn put together again.
``We have to concentrate on the quarterback,'' Turner said. ``If we can contain Ginn, we can probably contain the whole offense.''
Ginn has thrown for more than 1,100 yards this season with a 55 percentcompletion rate and has a career total of more than 4,100 yards and 30 touchdowns.
The Falcons have capable defensive personnel as well, most notably linebacker Greg Foster and defensive back Je'cisken Ramsey, both of whom have a knack for creating turnovers.
``They are real aggressive,'' Varacallo said. ``These guys are going to try to force the turnovers and rely on strength and size.''
The problem York and everyone else has when they run up against a team with a quarterback like Porter is predictability, or rather the lack thereof.
``(Porter) makes the big play when he has to,'' York head coach Bob Pearce said. ``He can turn a busted play into a touchdown or a big gain with one turn.
``He and Turner have a tremendous amount of athletic ability and instincts. You don't coach that. It's very hard to coach against.''
Varacallo expects a tightly played football game because ``everybody is 1-0 now and the first one to lose stays home.'' ILLUSTRATION: Chart
NANSEMOND RIVER vs. YORK
For copy of chart, see microfilm
by CNB