THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 17, 1995 TAG: 9511170345
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
Fame is fleeting, injuries are a part of football and winning heals all wounds.
All cliches and all true. Just ask Corey Holley.
Holley, a 5-foot-7, 165-pound halfback, created a firestorm of controversy last summer when he transferred from Great Bridge to Indian River.
As a junior at Great Bridge he rushed for 1,133 yards and 14 touchdowns, but the Wildcats went 3-7.
Meanwhile Indian River won a region championship for the second consecutive year and the prospects of making the playoffs again looked pretty good.
So Holley decided to bail. His stepfather, Calvin Holmes, supported the decision and the family moved into the Indian River zone.
The reaction, fueled by the twin engines of suspicion and jealousy, was swift and loud - but off the record.
Some coaches accused Indian River of recruiting, but Braves coach Bob Parker denied the allegations and nothing came of them.
In Great Bridge there were feelings of anger and betrayal.
But Holley, in the spirit of the '90s, was just looking for the right environment to succeed.
``Put it this way,'' he said. ``I wanted to win more than I cared about my stats.''
In an amazing coincidence that's just how things worked out.
Indian River is 8-2 and back in the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Only Hampton has a longer streak.
But an ankle injury helped cut Holley's production in half. He still led Indian River in rushing, but gained only 517 yards on 88 carries.
So did he make the right decision?
``I just wish I had transferred a little earlier,'' he said. ``Maybe two years ago.''
Holley is healthy now and treating tonight's 8 o'clock region semifinal game against Tallwood at Princess Anne like a new season.
``I want to win a state championship,'' he says.
It takes four games to reach the state final, which coincidentally, is how many games Holley effectively missed nursing his ankle.
He was hurt against Norcom in game five. He ran a counter up the middle, broke a pair of tackles and as he went down someone rolled on the ankle.
His rushing statistics to that point were 364 yards on 55 carries.
The next four weeks he carried a total of 13 times for 55 yards. In the Braves' two losses, to Deep Creek and Western Branch, Holley rushed five times for 15 yards.
``If there was one game I wish I could play over it's Deep Creek,'' he said.
But it was the Braves' trip to Great Bridge on Oct. 20 that will haunt him the longest.
Indian River escaped with a 7-0 victory while Holley carried four times for five yards.
``It wasn't too pleasant,'' he said. ``I don't think they appreciated what I did for them in the two years I was there.''
That's one way to put it.
Instead of retiring Holley's Great Bridge jersey, several of the Wildcats made a spectacle of tearing it up on the sideline during the coin toss.
Parker sympathizes with his would-be star and continues to back him.
``Corey is a good kid,'' Parker said. ``When he's healthy he gives us another threat. He's not a power back or a super speedster. His game is built on cutting and the ankle has slowed him down.
``I don't know what he expected coming in, and I didn't make him any promises. But he's only been positive, and I'd like to get him in college somewhere.''
Holmes said neither he nor Holley had a problem with Great Bridge, but they didn't discuss their decision with Wildcats coach Phil Webb.
``I was in the process of moving anyway,'' Holmes said. ``Corey picked Indian River, and I think he feels more comfortable there.''
That comfort zone hadn't fully extended to the football field until two weeks ago when Holley rushed for 93 yards on only 11 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 21-7 victory over Churchland.
He was less effective last week, gaining 56 yards on 13 carries in a 43-14 rout of Oscar Smith. He had to come out briefly with a slight charley horse.
``It was just a little achy,'' he said. ``I'll be fine Friday night.''
All's well that ends well. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Running back Corey Holley says he transferred to Indian River
because he wanted to play on a winning team.
by CNB