THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 29, 1996 TAG: 9608250332
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: V30 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Preview: High school forecasts:
SOURCE: ROBIN BRINKLEY
LENGTH: 48 lines
OCEAN LAKES
COACH: Jim Prince (3rd year, 7-13)
STAFF MEMBERS: Jimmy DiNardo, Morgan Raone, Mike Head, Rob Howard, Tom Anderson, Jim Iman, Jerry Henry, Mike Banks
WHERE THEY PLAY: Ocean Lakes High (capacity 5,000), 885 Schumann Drive in Virginia Beach
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 5-5 overall, 5-4 district
RETURNING STARTERS: Mike Carney Sr., OG/DT, 6-2, 320; Walt Amos, Jr., QB, 6-2, 220; Sonie Owens, Sr., T, 6-0, 360; Jon Hoggard, Jr., C, 6-3, 280; Torrell Cherry, Sr., RB, 6-2, 200; Joe Pascarosa, Jr., LB, 5-9, 180; Sheron Joseph, Sr., Sr., 5-11, 160; C. J. Matthews, Sr., E, 6-2, 205; Ty Pollard, Jr., LB, 5-11, 200; Jermaine Lauzon, Jr., DB, 6-2, 170.
TOP NEWCOMERS: Nehemiah Olds, Sr., WR, 6-2, 170; Dennis Johnson, So., LB, 6-0, 200; Ryan Williams, So., OT/DE, 6-2, 200.
OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW: It all starts with the ``tractor trailers,'' Hoggard, All-Tidewater pick Carney and Owens who line up together and average a staggering 320 pounds. Amos is a three-year starter at quarterback and at 220 pounds is a load himself. He'll play a greater role this season, mixing in short passes to keep teams from crowding the line. But the Dolphins will still live by the run. Cherry, raw but athletic, and Joseph, a slasher who was pound-for-pound the strongest player at the scouting combine last spring, will compete to succeed Chad Holland, who moved to Lake Taylor, as the featured runner. The Dolphins lost two games by a missed extra point last year and are no closer to finding a consistent placekicker. Cherry, at least, is an excellent punter.
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW:. Owens, Carney and Hoggard will rotate at defensive tackle, effectively clogging the middle. The key to improvement, however, lies with linebackers Pascarosa, Pollard and Johnson. The Dolphins gave up too many big plays last season and Prince hopes more consistent linebacking will eliminate that. Lauzon, who won the vertical jump at the combine, is the top cover guy.
COACH'S QUOTE: ``We had a chance to win eight games last season . . . and we've gotten a lot better. Other people better have, too, or we have a chance to win a lot more.''
IT'S A FACT: The ``Ace'' back position in Prince's one-back offense has averaged 1,500 yards rushing over the past six seasons at Cox and Ocean Lakes.
KEYWORDS: SPECIAL SECTION PREVIEW by CNB