THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 5, 1995 TAG: 9508050430
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
The Hampton Roads Sharks football team has gone through some serious changes since last year - new management, new name, new uniforms, new personnel.
But one thing the Sharks don't want to be different when they open the season Sunday against Culpeper at the Center for Effective Learning is the level of play.
Formerly the Tidewater Sharks, the team captured the Southeastern Division title in the Mason-Dixon Football League last season. Last year, the Sharks and six other Mason-Dixon teams ranked in the top 20 of the American Football Association.
While attempting to continue those winning ways, the Sharks have adopted a new attitude to go with the new look. The current management has brought a different philosophy that led to a major house-cleaning that left only eight returning players.
``But the discipline is so much better,'' said Darryl Jackson, a charter member of the Sharks, who began in 1988. ``There is a much better attitude. That was a problem last year . . . something that hurt us.''
With everything seemingly in place, coach Red Stickney thinks the Sharks have what it takes to remain playoff contenders. There is size, speed and talent. And the team has worked hard to fuse unfamiliar faces and abilities with three-a-week practice sessions since May.
``They're very hungry, ready to go,'' Stickney said. ``You can see it in their eyes. They've been working hard and they want to play.''
The key to early success is the Sharks defense, which Stickney describes as strong and quick, with a line that averages 300 pounds.
``The defense will be the backbone of the team,'' Stickney said. ``We'll play a 4-3 or base 50.''
Anchoring that unit will be captains Jackson and Darryl Nimmo - a defensive linemen, who is a veteran of minor league football. In the middle will be tackle Sampson Jackson - a 6-foot-3, 320-pounder who runs the 40-yard dash in 5.0 and bench presses 500 pounds. At 6-5, 290, Rodney Baylor is expected to be a force at defensive end.
Joe Righetti, Tim Yannacone and Dwayne King will lead the linebacker corps. Jody Gonzalez and Dexter Stephenson are the top defensive backs.
``Dexter is going to be one of the best safeties in the league,'' Stickney said. ``But we've got a bunch of other talent and everybody's going to get all the playing time they can handle.''
With improving play from the line, Stickney hopes his offense will be explosive.
``The linemen are getting better and better every week,'' he said. ``We look like we're going to be very threatening. But in the end, I want to be able to say our offense was consistent.''
At quarterback will be former Lake Taylor standout Kevin Johnson, while Kevin Vines and James Rogers will lead the backfield. Vines played for the Peninsula Poseidons the last three years, while Rogers is a former Princess Anne and Lees-McRae College star. Charles Mott, Maurice Harold and Michael Harvey will be Johnson's main receivers.
Backup quarterbacks Dimitri Delgado and Tim Carr also will see some time at receiver. Delgado spent a preseason with the Dallas Cowboys several years ago, while Carr is a familiar face to local high school fans - he played quarterback for Bayside and helped the Marlins win the 1989-90 state basketball championship. ILLUSTRATION: SEASON INFO
SHARKS ROSTER
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB