THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 7, 1995 TAG: 9511070397
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Lake Taylor's Bert Harrell will be seeking his 100th - and final - coaching victory Thursday when the Titans meet Maury at Harbor Park.
Harrell (99-57-4) has been appointed the Virginia High School League athletic coordinator for Norfolk. In his new position, Harrell will oversee the direction of all VHSL activities from athletics to forensics at Norfolk's five public high schools.
``It's a huge challenge,'' said Harrell, whose first chore will be to replace himself.
Lake Taylor has had only two coaches in its 29 seasons of football. Harrell held the position from 1967-1978 and again from 1992-1995. Billy Morrow was the coach from 1979 to 1991.
``I'll miss tremendously working with the kids on an individual basis,'' Harrell said. ``But I look forward to pulling everybody (in the city) together instead of five different ways.''
PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES: As we go into the final week of the regular season, in Division 6, Beach champion Green Run (9-0) has clinched the top seed and is the only team assured of a bid. Tallwood (7-2) can qualify with a victory over First Colonial (2-7); likewise Indian River (7-2) with a victory over Oscar Smith.
Kempsville (7-2) can get in by beating Green Run or having Salem (6-3) lose to Cox (4-5). If Salem wins and Kempsville loses, Salem is in.
If Green Run, Tallwood, Indian River and Salem all win the pairings would have the Stallions against the Sun Devils at Kellam and the Braves against the Lions at either Princess Anne or Great Bridge, depending on which team has a higher power rating.
In Division 5, Eastern District champion Granby (6-3) and Peninsula District champion Hampton (8-1) are in and will play each other at Darling Stadium. Deep Creek (9-0) also is in and can clinch the top seed with a victory over Western Branch (8-1). The Bruins also can clinch a bid and the top seed by beating Deep Creek. Should that happen the two would meet again next week at Oscar Smith.
Should Western Branch lose, the Bruins must wait until at least Saturday to learn their fate when Kecoughtan (7-2) plays Ferguson (5-4) at Todd Stadium. Kecoughtan, Western Branch and Phoebus (8-2) could all end up 8-2.
If that happens here are the power point possibilities:
Kecoughtan would have 129 points and could get to 130 if Bethel beats Tabb on Saturday.
Western Branch would have 129 and could get to 130 if Maury beats Lake Taylor on Thursday night.
Phoebus would have 128 and could get to 130 if Gloucester beats Hampton and Menchville beats Denbigh.
A three-way tie would be broken by a draw.
RECORDS ARE MADE . . . : Princess Anne's Mike Majette is the new all-time rushing leading in South Hampton Roads with 4,329 yards, but for how long?
The record has changed hands four times in the past eight years. That's after Norview's Larry Stepney, now the coach at Booker T. Washington, held the record of 3,504 yards from 1970 to 1988.
Majette, with one game to go Thursday night against Kellam, could push the mark well past 4,500 yards. Kellam allows an average of 243.1 yards rushing, worst in South Hampton Roads.
No one will catch Majette next year, but Tallwood's TaRon Anderson (1,929 yards) and Lake Taylor's Ronyell Whitaker (1,390), both sophomores with one game to play, could mount challenges in 1997. Majette had 1,495 yards after his sophomore season.
VISFA PLAYOFFS: Atlantic Shores is the only South Hampton Roads team to receive a Division I playoff bid and will play host to Broadwater Academy on Saturday at 2 p.m. by CNB