THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 30, 1995 TAG: 9511300522
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 105 lines
Jeff McGowan had never heard of Appalachian State, and he'd certainly never heard of the mountain hamlet of Boone, N.C., until Bayside High football coach Bill King thumbed through his Rolodex three years ago and placed a call there.
King followed up by sending a tape of McGowan in action, and just two days later, McGowan got a call back, offering him a scholarship.
McGowan snapped it up, and thus began a modest Beach-to-Boone pipeline.
Saturday, when 12-0 Appalachian takes on Stephen F. Austin (10-1) in a Division I-AA quarterfinal playoff game, McGowan will be one of three Virginia Beach natives in uniform for the Mountaineers. Joining him will be free safety L.G. Goganious, from Salem High; and defensive tackle Jon Fanning, from Kempsville.
``When we first came here, there were a couple of pretty good players from that area,'' said Appalachian coach Jerry Moore, who is in his 14th season. ``For one reason or another, it kind of subsided. Either there wasn't an interest in us up there, or we didn't pursue it hard enough.
``Lately we've sent a couple of coaches up there, and we've been very fortunate. All the kids we've recruited have turned out to be tough kids, hard-nosed kids.
``We're going to get some more up there, as soon as the season is over.''
First, though, there's the matter of the I-AA playoffs. Appalachian, ranked second in the final I-AA poll, beat James Madison 31-24 in a first-round playoff game Saturday. Two more wins and the Mountaineers will play for a national championship.
``I never thought we'd be this good, this fast,'' Fanning said. ``I thought in the future we had a chance of being this good.''
The Beach trio has played a fair-sized role in Appalachian's success. They don't start, but all get their uniforms dirty each week.
McGowan, recruited as a defensive end, was switched to tight end this season, a position he had never played. Used primarily as a blocker in Appalachian's run-oriented I-formation, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound McGowan got a surprise last week late in the fourth quarter against James Madison.
``On fourth and 7 they threw it to me, and it shocked me,'' McGowan said.
McGowan caught the ball on the 27, and ran - OK, lumbered - to the 4.
``He caught that ball and it looked like the goal line was 100 yards away,'' said Moore, laughing. ``He never did get there.''
But McGowan's catch and rumble did allow the Mountaineers to run out the clock.
``It's not as much fun as sacking the quarterback, but now I like playing tight end,'' he said.
McGowan, an All-Tidewater pick at Bayside, expected to be sacking quarterbacks for Virginia Tech. But when the Hokies hesitated on a scholarship offer, he headed for Appalachian.
Goganious, also an All-Tidewater selection, found himself in a similar situation. The younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguar linebacker Keith Goganious, L.G. was offered a scholarship by East Carolina. Expecting an offer from Virginia, Goganious put the Pirates on hold. When Virginia didn't come through, Goganious decided to accept East Carolina's offer. But by then the Pirates had given away his scholarship.
``Everything kind of blew up in my face,'' Goganious said.
Appalachian stepped in and made an offer. Goganious didn't know McGowan well, but ran into him at a shopping mall.
``I distinctly remember him saying, `I signed with App. What are you going to do?' ''
Goganious signed, too. Recovering from knee surgery, he redshirted his first year, in 1993. Last year, he tore up his knee again, and had more surgery. Now a redshirt sophomore, he's finally getting a chance to play, on special teams and as a nickel back.
``His time will come next year,'' Moore said.
As for Fanning, his time has come sooner than expected. A redshirt freshman, Fanning rotates in on about half the snaps at defensive tackle. He's made 19 tackles in 10 games and is expected to start next year.
Fanning chose Appalachain over The Citadel, Richmond and VMI largely because of McGowan and Goganious.
``I knew both of them and I met them up here on my recruiting trip,'' he said.
Having a couple of familiar faces around doesn't hurt in a town like Boone. Tucked into the mountains of Western North Carolina, Boone is a long way from the Beach, not only geographically, but culturally and meteorologically as well.
``Boone is basically Appalachian State,'' Goganious said. ``Without Appalachian State, Boone would be kind of dead.''
This time of year, Boone, normally just isolated, becomes cold and isolated. The first snow fell a couple of weeks ago. More is expected before Saturday's game.
``We're adjusting,'' Goganious said.
Winning helps. Boone has gotten behind the Mountaineers, the players say.
And playing in an isolated location has its benefits.
``I've been on teams where people didn't even talk,'' McGowan said. ``This team is close knit. We all hang out together.''
Goganious said he's hoping more Beach kids will become Boone-bound.
``My position coach, John Wiley, is in charge of recruiting that area,'' he said. ``I stay on his case about getting other Virginia Beach players up here.''
If Appalachian keeps winning, Boone could become a popular destination. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Three players from Virginia Beach will be in uniform for Appalachian
State (12-0) in its Division I-AA quarterfinal playoff game
Saturday: defensive tackle Jon Fanning, from Kempsville; free safety
L.G. Goganious, from Salem High; and tight end Jeff McGowan, from
Bayside.
by CNB