THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 2, 1995 TAG: 9512020725
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
When Johnta Knight was replaced at quarterback by freshman Vernon Woodson in the second half of Nansemond River's Region I playoff game with Greensville County two weeks ago, the quiet junior was content to help the Warriors as a defensive back.
``Whenever coach (Jerry Varacallo) put me there,'' Knight said, ``I knew that was where I should be.''.
Said Varacallo: ``It was just a gut feeling I had.''
The hunch worked. Woodson sparked the Warriors to a 19-0 win over Greensville County and then to a 14-10 victory against archrival Lakeland in the Region I final last Saturday.
But when Nansemond River (8-4) hosts Sherando (10-2), also nicknamed the Warriors, today at 1:30 p.m. in a Group AA, Division 4 semifinal, Varacallo can't go with his ``gut feeling.'' He has no choice but to go with Knight.
That's because Woodson suffered a broken right hand in the Lakeland game when a helmet smashed into his throwing arm.
``The way things this year have been going I wasn't at all surprised,'' said Varacallo, who has lost 10 players, five starters, due to injury or for academic reasons. ``A lot of people expect someone else to be here, but this is one of our most tenacious teams. They always seem to bounce back.''
Now, Knight, who completed 32 of 86 passes for 336 yards, 11 interceptions and three touchdowns before being replaced, must bounce back and lead a team that gained confidence under another quarterback.
``I didn't do good and another quarterback stepped up,'' Knight said. ``(Woodson) stepped in and with him doing good I didn't think I'd be there any more this season. Now, I've got to come back and follow what he did.''
Woodson was impressive in just a game and a half, completing seven of 13 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns - including a 52-yarder - without throwing an interception. He also rushed for 86 yards on 12 carries and had a 44-yard touchdown run against Lakeland.
``Vernon relies on natural instincts,'' Varacallo said. ``He's young, so if he makes mistakes he just rolls with it.''
Shaking off mistakes is something Knight couldn't do.
``At the beginning of the year I was uptight,'' he said. ``I'd go back for a pass and say to myself, `I know I'm going to make a mistake.' Thinking negative like that made things worse. I went down and the team went down.''
Knight said his confidence is back, adding, ``I feel better in practice and I'm not pressuring myself.''
The other Warriors also needed their confidence in Knight restored.
After seeing Woodson come to practice Monday with a cast halfway up his arm, Varacallo said the team was ``a little flat.'' But in the past few days the team has started to rally around Knight.
``It ain't like he hasn't played (quarterback) before,'' said tight end/defensive end LaShawn Pugh, Nansemond River's leading receiver. ``Vernon's gone and that's the way it goes. People get hurt. (Knight) got us seven wins and now he's got something to prove to everybody else.''
Knight said it's no secret that the Warriors' success hinges on his performance.
``The quarterback is the leader, so the team depends on me,'' he said. ``I think I can do it. I know I can do it. I have to do it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Johnta Knight for the past two weeks has been playing defensive back
for the Warriors.
by CNB