THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511110141
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAN COOLEY, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
THE NANSEMOND-SUFFOLK football team surprised most everyone last week by finishing second in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools after a 14-0 win over Greenbrier Christian.
After an 0-5 start in which the Saints were outscored 34-8, no one expected the team would rebound by winning three out of four conference games.
No one, that is, except coach Terry Crigger and his players. Crigger said he felt with a very young team, the Saints would struggle early against a tough, nonconference schedule.
``I thought we still had a chance and give a lot of credit to the kids,'' Crigger said. ``They really grew up and improved a lot.''
Much of the Saints' turnaround can be attributed to hard-nosed, 5-foot-11, 180-pound tailback Sydney Hazelwood. Despite running behind an offensive line typically smaller than opposing defensive lines, the junior rushed for 767 yards in 10 games.
Those numbers could have been higher. Two weeks ago, in a nonconference game at Northampton, Hazelwood played at wide receiver. Crigger made the switch in order to save the junior running back for the season finale against Greenbrier Christian.
Hazelwood's success has been just as much a surprise as N-SA's, considering he was a receiver his first two varsity seasons.
With the loss of standout running back Mark Fowler to graduation, Crigger said he felt the athletic Hazelwood was the most logical replacement last year. The coach decided to take Hazelwood out of the defensive backfield so he could concentrate on the new position.
``I told (Crigger) I would do it, but I knew I had some big shoes to fill,'' Hazelwood said.
Fittingly, Hazelwood was a running back in junior high. But with Fowler already well established at running back, Hazelwood felt he could help the team more at a different position and switched to wide receiver his freshman year.
In moving to tailback again, Hazelwood said he tried several different styles. The one that seemed to fit was not flashy, but very workmanlike.
Carrying the ball 25 or more times per game, Hazelwood utilized a straight-ahead, power-type style that punished tacklers. While Hazelwood did not put up numbers like Fowler (over 1,000 yards) his first year, Crigger felt his choice had paid off.
``He's played beyond our expectation,'' Crigger said. ``He finds and reads the holes well and runs with a lot of power. He needs to work a bit more on his strength and speed, but I think any coach would say that about one of his backs.''
Hazelwood's workmanlike approach began to pay off in the TCIS opener against Catholic. Hazelwood rushed for 101 yards and scored the game's only touchdown in an 8-0 win.
The Saints then suffered a 41-0 drubbing at the hands of eventual conference champion Norfolk Academy. But Hazelwood helped spark a much-needed comeback win the following week against Hampton Roads.
N-SA was struggling on offense and trailed the Navigators 7-3 at halftime. But Hazelwood helped put the Saints on top with a 24-yard touchdown run on the team's first possession of the second half. Nansemond-Suffolk held on to win 15-7.
Hazelwood knows where his success starts: the offensive line.
``If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be going anywhere,'' he said. ``They don't get as much credit as they deserve. They don't score the TDs, but they make it all possible.''
The Saints' defense also deserves credit for the team's late-season success. After giving up an average of 34 points in five losses, the defense recorded two shutouts and gave up just one touchdown in three wins. And it was defense that won the showdown against Greenbrier Christian.
Joe Riddick and C.T. Harry scored on interception returns of 45 and 21 yards for the game's only touchdowns. Harry also intercepted a pass in the end zone in the third quarter.
Hazelwood gained 82 yards on 25 carries against Greenbrier Christian, but his biggest contribution came on defense, where he played very little all season.
``Greenbrier had Chad Dunlow, a big, strong kid with a lot of speed, who they liked to use a lot on passes and reverses,'' Crigger said. ``I thought with Hazelwood's size and speed in there at defensive back, we could contain him.''
Crigger was right. Dunlow broke loose on a reverse early in the second quarter and was racing toward the end zone, but Hazelwood caught him from behind at the N-SA 34. Two plays later, the Saints recovered a fumble.
Just another good prediction by Crigger concerning Hazelwood. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Sydney Hazelwood, N-SA tailback
by CNB