THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 7, 1996 TAG: 9609070451
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 63 lines
Anyone who was still wondering what all the fuss over Norcom's TaRon Anderson was about got their answer Friday night when the debate turned from transfers and transcripts to plain old football.
Anderson touched the ball only nine times on offense and scored three touchdowns as the fifth-ranked Greyhounds upended No. 3 Western Branch 37-20 in the opener for both teams.
Anderson rushed eight times for 101 yards and two TDs and took a screen pass, his only reception, 27 yards for another score. He also punted twice for a 42.5-yard average.
``I think we've got the best line in the state,'' crowed Anderson, careful to avoid any more controversy.
Anderson made headlines last week when the School Board modified its policy on academic eligibility by allowing transfers from outside the system a probationary period to raise their GPAs.
Nobody wanted to talk about that, however, and it was obvious why. Anderson was only the hub of a Norcom rushing attack that piled up 278 yards in only 31 carries.
Darin Satterwhite gained 86 yards in six carries and Emmanuel Shaw added 63 yards in seven.
The Greyhounds ran out to a 24-6 halftime lead and the Bruins never got closer than within 10.
If there was any consolation for Western Branch, it's that this was a non-district game. Norcom moved to the Eastern District this fall.
But the Bruins' hopes of a championship season received a devastating blow when quarterback Daryl Walton injured his right knee on the fourth play from scrimmage. Walton, the active passing leader in South Hampton Roads, spent the rest of the game on crutches and the prognosis isn't good.
``He planted on it and the knee just went out,'' Western Branch coach Lew Johnston said. ``It's bad.''
``It took the heart out of me,'' said Darren Walton, Daryl's twin and favorite receiver. ``I tried not to sit around and be depressed, but it was hard with him in pain.''
Norcom scored the first time it got the ball, driving 60 yards in 7 plays. Quarterback Kevin Jones stood in the pocket for what seemed like forever before dumping a pass off to Anderson in the left flat. ``I was supposed to block the linebacker, but he didn't come up,'' Anderson said. ``So I swung out of the backfield and called (Jones' name). He got it to me and I saw daylight.''
Western Branch countered with a 67-yard drive to pull even at 6-6.
But the tie was short-lived. Norcom's Charles Lowe returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to the Western Branch 19 and Anderson scored on the next play.
After a Western Branch punt, Norcom swept 84 yards in five plays to go up 18-6. Anderson had runs of 29 and 25 yards.
The crushing blow came just before halftime, when the Greyhounds stopped Western Branch on a fourth-and-1 play at Norcom's 47. On the next play, Jones faked inside and handed off to Satterwhite, who raced 53 yards around left end to make it 24-6 with 34 seconds left. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY C. KNAPP
Norcom running back TaRon Anderson outruns a host of Western Branch
defenders during the Greyhounds' 37-20 win Friday night. by CNB