THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 14, 1995 TAG: 9510140407
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Hampton Roads Sharks president Dr. T.J. Morgan has been named the American Football Association's East Coast regional tournament coordinator.
The AFA has divided its ranks into three groups, the West, Midwest and East. Each will hold a tournament, with winners to meet in three regional bowl games. From the winners of those bowl games will be chosen the two participants for the AFA Arthur S. Arkush Cup - the Super Bowl of minor league football.
Morgan sees four teams as strong candidates for the East tournament: the Sharks, the West Virginia Lightning and Carolina League members Catawba and Concord. In the latest East Coast Top 10, the two North Carolina teams are ranked first and second, followed by Hampton Roads at No. 3 and the Lightning at No. 4.
``We'd like to host the East Coast championship around the Thanksgiving weekend, because all playoffs have to be completed by Dec. 2 for selection of the national championship game,'' Morgan said. ``Efforts like this are going to bring some big notoriety to this area.''
STEPPING RIGHT IN: Lake Taylor and Norfolk State product Devonne Brown got more than he asked for when he asked Morgan if he could work out with the team a couple of weeks ago.
After returning to the United States after playing for a German team in the European pro league, Brown ended up as the Sharks' starting quarterback in a 34-0 victory over York last week. Brown threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
``He's a real quarterback with a lot of ability,'' Morgan said. ``He's very polished and delivers smoothly. And since he'd just finished playing over there, he was in great shape and ready to go.''
Brown is scheduled to get the nod again tonight when the Sharks host the Peninsula Poseidons at the Center for Effective Learning field in Virginia Beach in a rematch of the Sharks' overtime victory over the Poseidons earlier this season.
GOING INTERNATIONAL: In a continuing effort to bring attention to his team, Morgan has secured an August 1996 game against a team from the Japanese professional league.
``They've had a league for a long time and they'd come here to play,'' Morgan said. ``We'd either be playing one of their better teams or an all-star team.
``We got a commitment from them, and it's a go.''
The Sharks already are scheduled to travel to London next year to play a team from the European professional ranks. ILLUSTRATION: GAMEWATCH
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by CNB