THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 12, 1996 TAG: 9607120617
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: 52 lines
Granted, he was surrounded by some of the state's top football talent. Still, it seemed strange to see Granby's Anthony King spending more time on the sidelines than he did on the field Thursday during the Virginia High School Coaches Association all-star game at Darling Stadium.
After all, this is a guy who threw for nearly 1,000 yards and ran for more than 700. An all-state defensive back. Penn State signee. The Virginian-Pilot Athlete of the Year.
Turns out that in the final game of his high school career, the 5-8, 165-pound King actually was beginning the transformation of his game for the next level.
He did everything at Granby. He'll do anything at Penn State.
Like lining up in the slot, running a reverse and flipping a pass, as he did on the opening play Thursday. Or playing defensive back for a quarter. Or playing wideout and returning kicks, which consumed his time the rest of the game.
``Just let me get on the field,'' King said. ``I don't care where I play. It's all football.''
And it was all good for the East, which snapped a five-game losing streak by pounding the West, 23-0. Deep Creek fullback Deon Dyer, bound for the University of North Carolina, ran for 46 yards and two touchdowns as the East rolled up the biggest margin of victory since 1976. The East gained 67 yards on 32 carries and had 140 yards through the air.
Despite Dyer's heroics, Bethel linebacker Chris Morant and Hampton defensive tackle Donnie Green shared the East MVP honors.
Led by Green and Morant, the East limited the West to 98 yards total offense - 49 yards rushing on 24 carries and 49 yards passing. The closest the West came to scoring was a missed 48-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, King stood stoically along the sidelines, feet about a foot from the sideline. Helmet on, chinstrap buckled. He wanted to be ready. For anything, and a little bit of everything.
``King was chosen as a defensive player, but he was also our threat guy, the one we felt might pop something, like on a punt return,'' said Indian River's Bob Parker, one of the East's seven coaches. ``We were tempted to use him at quarterback, but we already had two and it would have been tough to rotate three guys in there.
``There are so many good players here. But I'll tell you, I think we all thought that, all-around, he was our best athlete.'' ILLUSTRATION: VICKI CRONIS
The Virginian-Pilot
Deep Creek fullback Deon Dyer ran for 46 yards and two touchdowns in
the East's 23-0 all-star victory Thursday. by CNB