THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510120473
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
Hobbled or not by a sprained ankle, James Roe is climbing Division II's all-time receptions chart, checking in at No. 12.
With four games left in Norfolk State's season, the fifth-year senior needs 47 catches to tie a 25-year record of 253 receptions set by Kenyon College's Chris Meyers.
Roe would have to average 12 catches per game in his last four games to catch Meyers. He has caught 12 passes in a game only twice - in his freshman season finale against Bethune-Cookman and last year in the season finale against Kentucky State.
Can Roe do it? He says it's doubtful.
``With (Marty) Conner, (Darius) Blount and (Ronald) Boone playing the way they're playing, I'm not getting as many chances,'' Roe said. ``My ankle is kind of iffy, but I've noticed a little difference this week. If the record comes I'll be happy about it, but the wins are more important now.''
Norfolk State's four receivers rank third, fourth, seventh and eighth in the CIAA in receptions. There has been more passing balance this season in the Spartans' attack.
But Norfolk State quarterback Aaron Sparrow says the record is a possibility.
``If we want to we can get him 20 a game,'' Sparrow said. ``He's a teammate and a friend and I know he has expectations just like everyone else.''
If Roe is to do it, the push must start this Saturday against Hampton University in the ``Battle of the Bay'' at Foreman Field at 1:30.
A year ago, Roe caught 10 passes for 203 yards against the Pirates. But the ankle, injured two weeks ago against Delaware State, has kept him on the sidelines for all but a handful of series in the last two weeks.
``It hurts,'' Roe said. ``But it hurt a whole lot more to watch from the sidelines.''
BIG YEAR CONTINUES: As a former Granby Comet, Jacob Luthardt has already talked with Granby head coach Dave Hudak about the prospects of one day returning to South Hampton Roads to coach high school football.
He'd like to return with a CIAA championship ring.
Luthardt, a former All-Tidewater linebacker, is one of Virginia State's mainstays. He's second on the team in tackles with 52 on a defense that is allowing a CIAA-low 16 points per game.
The Trojans host winless Fayetteville State this weekend, then host Elizabeth City State (Oct. 21) in a game that should decide the CIAA regular-season championship.
For all his recruiting, Virginia State coach Lou Anderson thought the day would never come when Luthardt would play for the Trojans.
Although the Trojans pursued Luthardt out of high school, the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder attended Fork Union for a year, hoping to improve his Division I prospects. He did, signing with Division I-AA Austin-Peay.
He played considerably from the outset. But the Governors posted 3-8 and 1-10 records that left Luthardt downhearted.
``We weren't winning at Austin-Peay and my family wasn't able to see me play,'' said Luthardt, pointing out that Clarksville, Tenn., is approximately a 12-hour drive from Norfolk. ``Now they see me every game.''
Since Luthardt transferred from Division I-AA to Division II, he was immediately eligible.
``He's really a helluva leader as far as our defensive fronts go,'' Anderson said. ``He's great against the run and good against the pass.
``We have people (NFL scouts) coming in and taking a look at Jacob. He has decent speed, but not phenomenal. Sometimes the scouts don't measure a player's heart or willingness to get the job done. Jacob's got a lot of that.''
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY: Grey clouds have followed NSU when it's gone to Foreman Field this season and NSU athletic director Dick Price said it ``has hurt us financially.''
After an opening-night crowd of 25,827 braved the rain when the Spartans played Virginia State, the wet stuff hindered walk-up sales. The Spartans' game against Elizabeth City drew only 6,844 and Saturday's game with Bethune-Cookman had a crowd of 8,716.
``With good weather, we could have expected anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 for those two games, particularly with the magnitudes of both games,'' Price said. ``Elizabeth City State is a natural rival and was unbeaten coming in. The Bethune-Cookman game was the Fish Bowl.
``We won't recover from those two ballgames.''
Price's fingers are crossed in hopes of good weather Saturday. The early forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a high temperature of 80.
``I'm hoping for a big gate this week, then for homecoming (Oct. 28 vs. Johnson C. Smith),'' Price said. ``We need it.''
NOTES: Norfolk State's Jason Reeves, who had eight tackles and an interception Saturday, was named the CIAA's defensive back of the week. Among the other players of the week were Winston-Salem State's Michael Brice (offensive lineman), Virginia State's Floyd Lanier (receiver), Winston-Salem State's Richard Huntley (offensive back), Livingstone's Quincy Morgan (defensive lineman), Elizabeth City State'sSteve Carter (newcomer) and North Carolina Central's Larry Little (coach). ILLUSTRATION: Photo
James Roe, who still has an injured ankle, is third this season in
CIAA receptions.
by CNB