THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 1, 1995 TAG: 9501010201
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
It's official. The Norfolk entry in the new United Football Association has a coach and a nickname - and the two have a history together.
General manager Pat Reilly announced Saturday that former Granby High School and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy coach Ron Killmon has been hired as head coach. At the same time, Reilly announced that the team, which opens play this spring in the new eight-man professional league, will be known as the Neptunes.
Tidewater Professional Sports, Inc., which owned the rights to the name following the demise of the Norfolk Neptunes in the old Continental Football League, granted Reilly's request to revive the name for this new venture.
Killmon, 52, played safety and was a kick returner for the original Neptunes from 1965-69 before entering coaching on the high school level at Granby. He spent five years as head coach there, stepping down in 1978 to enter the restaurant business.
Five years later, he returned to coaching at Nansemond-Suffolk. In 10 seasons there, Killmon compiled a 60-31 mark in football, winning one Virginia Independent Schools state championship, and a 105-25 record in baseball, with two state titles. He resigned last spring.
A native of Onancock on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Killmon began his college career as a quarterback and safety at William and Mary, and finished his college education at Old Dominion, where he played baseball for Bud Metheny.
``Since word of this team became known, I've heard so many people say to me, `If only we could do something here like the old Neptunes,' '' Killmon said. ``I look at the Admirals, and the wonderful success they've had both drawing (hockey) fans and associating with the community, plus the knowledge that the old Neptunes fans haven't left us yet, and it excites me to realize that we can do something like that again.
``At the same time, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some apprehension and doubts. But I have to admit that this thing looks so much better organized than the old Continental League.''
Reilly said that close to 175 prospects have contacted him about participating in the team's tryouts at Lake Wright on Jan. 14. Included among them are former University of Maryland running back Ricky Johnson, who led the Montreal Machine of the World League of American Football in rushing in 1991 and was the WLAF's leading rusher three weeks into the '92 season before suffering a knee injury.
In addition, the United Football Association has signed 17 other players, and assigned them to try out for the Neptunes. Among them are receiver Kelvin Edwards, a Liberty University graduate who played for the Dallas Cowboys in 1987-88, but most recently for Dallas of the Arena Football League. And tight end Rapier Porter, a 10th-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1991 who last played for Charlotte in the Arena League.
Others include former University of Virginia center Tim Samec, a four-time letterman for the Cavaliers who played in the post-'92 season All-American Classic and won the university's Joe Palumbo Award for ``self-sacrifice, dedication and enthusiasm.''
Prospects with CIAA backgrounds include receiver Charles Barker and defensive lineman Shawn Bridges of Elizabeth City State, and quarterback Henderson Mosley, who played for Calgary of the Canadian Football League.
He is not the only CFL player scheduled to try out for the Neptunes. Defensive back Jamie Freeman and running back Wade Johnson played for Shreveport and Hamilton of the CFL, respectively.
Reilly said he is still accepting applications for tryouts. For more information, call 627-4248. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Ron Killmon was a safety and returner for the original Norfolk
Neptunes from 1965-69.
by CNB