THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 8, 1996 TAG: 9602080534
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Long : 137 lines
One of the proudest days in Green Run football history occurred Wednesday when six Stallions signed Division I grants-in-aid and two others were on the brink.
Parade All-American Plaxico Burress, a wide receiver, signed with Michigan State.
Cedric Warren, a defensive back, signed with Florida.
Defensive tackle Ray Shupe is headed for Marshall.
Inside linebacker Larry Jordan and noseguard Daryl Cherry signed with Liberty.
Outside linebacker Corey Cason chose Hampton University.
Wide receiver Lanier Washington is expected to sign today with Marshall.
Offensive lineman Troy Smith said he will sign with Virginia Tech and enroll in January 1997.
The six signings are believed to be the most for one school in one year in state history. A final total of eight would make it even more eye-popping. Doug Doughty of the Roanoke Times, who has compiled a list of Virginia's top high school prospects for more than 15 years, said his records don't show another state school that's had more than five Division I signees in one year.
``This is much bigger than any game,'' Green Run coach Cadillac Harris said. ``We concern ourselves with only two things, scholarships and championships, in that order.''
The Stallions won the Beach District and finished 11-1 last fall. They lost to Indian River 14-7 in the Division 6 region final.
At a morning press conference in the school library to announce the signings, Burress and Washington balked.
Burress eventually followed through, signing in the afternoon, and Green Run assistant coach Johnny White said he expects Washington to sign today.
Burress and Washington have yet to qualify under NCAA academic guidelines and are awaiting results of the SAT. The others are expected to qualify.
Michigan State and Marshall have said they will accept Burress and Washington as partial qualifiers. That means they need only achieve a minimum test score or a minimum core grade-point average - but not both - to be admitted. The signing period lasts 14 days.
``I found out all the information I needed and it sounds good,'' said Burress, who admitted he was nervous earlier.
Burress (6-6, 215) caught 17 passes for 440 yards and nine touchdowns.
Florida was his first choice and he was still hopeful Wednesday morning that if gets a qualifying test score he could sign with the Gators.
It probably didn't help at the press conference that he was sitting next to Warren, who made good on his oral commitment to the Gators.
``I feel sorry for them,'' Warren said of Burress and Washington. ``They are my two closest friends. I wish they had studied harder.''
Burress was at Warren's house Wednesday morning when Florida assistant coach Ron Zook called.
``He said if Plax doesn't sign and he gets his (SAT) score they will take him down there,'' Warren said.
Also Wednesday, Tallwood tackle Amos Rawls became the 19th area player to commit to a Division I program when he signed with James Madison. Rawls (6-4, 275) still needs a qualifying test score to become eligible.
Burress, Washington, Shupe and Jordan were first-team All-Tidewater picks.
Smith (6-5, 267) was leaning toward Marshall on Tuesday but a busy night of phone calls switched his allegiance.
Smith said Virginia Tech, Marshall, East Carolina, West Virginia Tech, Elon and ``a couple of a schools I can't remember,'' called him Tuesday.
Some schools called several times and several of the calls were screened by an answering machine and went unreturned.
``I talked to Tech three times and my dad talked to them twice,'' Smith said.
The negotiations went from Tech asking him to walk on Monday night to an offer of a full scholarship beginning in January 1997, Smith said.
``I stayed up until 12:30 talking with my dad,'' he said. ``It came down to Tech and Marshall, but you can't beat a Sugar Bowl team.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
L. TODD SPENCER/The Virginian-Pilot
COREY CASON
Hampton University
RAY SHUPE
Marshall University
LARRY JORDAN
Liberty University
DARYL CHERRY
Liberty University
PLAXICO BURRESS
Michigan State
CEDRIC WARREN
University of Florida
TROY SMITH
will sign with Virginia Tech (enroll in January 1997)
LANIER WASHINGTON
expected to sign with Marshall University today
Photo
L. TODD SPENCER/The Virginian-Pilot
The number of football signings Wednesday in the Green Run High
School library was, well . . . voluminous.
Graphic
THE COMMITMENTS
Area players that have committed to play college football, with
their high school, projected college position and college:
Anthony King: Granby, DB, Penn State
Cedric Warren: Green Run, DB, Florida
Plaxico Burress: Green Run, WR, Michigan State
Troy Smith: Green Run, OT, Virginia Tech
Ray Shupe: Green Run, DT, Marshall
Corey Cason: Green Run, LB, Hampton
Larry Jordan: Green Run, LB, Liberty
Daryl Cherry: Green Run, NG, Liberty
Deon Dyer: Deep Creek RB, North Carolina
Shyrone Stith: Western Branch RB, Virginia Tech
Lorenzo Ferguson: Western Branch, DB, Virginia Tech
Mike Majette: Princess Anne, RB, Norfolk State
Joe Verdi: Deep Creek, PK, Norfolk State
Curtis Sanders: Salem, DB, Marshall
Jose Mojica: Salem, DB, VMI
Richard Holland: Salem, DB, VMI
Patrick McDowell: Fork Union/FC, DT, VMI
William Brown: Southampton, RB, William and Mary
Amos Rawls: Tallwood, OL, James Madison
by CNB