THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 9, 1995 TAG: 9512090483
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Northampton's football players say their success in piling up the best record in school history starts with an unwavering belief in themselves, a faith succintly summed up in the team's motto, ``If You Don't Believe, You Don't Belong.''
Today, however, the Yellow Jackets' faith will be put to its sternest test when defending champion Powell Valley arrives on the Eastern Shore for the Group A, Division 2 state championship game at 1:30 p.m. at Nandua High School in Onley.
Also today at 1:30 p.m., Hampton will go for its 13th state title - the Crabbers last won it all in 1988 - against E.C. Glass at Todd Stadium in Newport News.
Powell Valley has won 24 in a row, including 13 straight this season, and features running back and Gatorade state player of the year Thomas Jones (6,998 career yards, second in state history to Tabb's Terry Kirby).
Still, the Yellow Jackets say they're not intimidated.
``We realize that (Jones) is a great player, but he's just a high school kid,'' Northampton linebacker Keith Layne said. ``He's just human. And people talk about how good they are, but I don't think they've faced a team with the overall speed we have.''
Northampton would like Jones to spend a lot of time on the field - playing linebacker. The Yellow Jackets hope to use their wishbone attack to control the clock. Sam Ames (1,650 yards) and leads the Northampton ground attack.
The spotlight in the Division 5 final will be on a pair of multi-talented quarterbacks, Hampton's Ronald Curry and E.C. Glass' Andre Kendrick.
The Hilltoppers will be trying to overcome not only the Crabbers, but also their poor recent history against Eastern Region teams. Hampton Roads teams have eliminated Glass from the state playoffs the last four years - twice in the final, twice by shutout. Last year's 24-17 loss to Deep Creek marked the first time in the four games the Hilltoppers scored a touchdown. by CNB