THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 19, 1996 TAG: 9609190563
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 64 lines
Deep Creek coach Jerry Carter and Norcom's Joe Langston were talking ecently when Langston casually posed a question to which he already knew the answer.
``Joe said, `You guys still have that winning streak going, don't you?' '' Carter recalled.
That would be the Hornets' regular-season winning streak, now at 24 games.
Carter, who has been around long enough to know when he's being hustled, forced a smile.
``I know how he operates,'' Carter said later. ``He's going to use that for motivation against us.''
Motivation shouldn't be an issue tonight when the third-ranked Greyhounds (2-0) play host to the No. 1 Hornets (2-0). Kickoff is 7:30 at Churchland.
Norcom (1992-93) and Deep Creek (1994-95) have combined to win the past four Southeastern District championships.
It's a non-district game this year; Norcom has moved to the Eastern District. But the past isn't erased so easily or quickly. Moreover, this could be a precursor to the Division 5 playoffs.
In fact, when Carter discusses Norcom, he dips into the past for an apt comparison.
``A couple of people have told me they look similar to the team that had Jay Clarke and that bunch,'' Carter said.
Clarke starred for the 1993 Greyhounds, who went 14-0 and won the state Division 5 championship. That was also the last team to beat Deep Creek in the regular season.
The date was Oct. 29, 1993. The site was Deep Creek Middle School.
Norcom won 22-0 as its ``Maroon mayhem'' defense held Deep Creek to 60 offensive yarrds. On the final play the Greyhounds' Terry Ricks bolted 19 yards to become the all-time leading rusher in South Hampton Roads (a perch he relinquished last year to Princess Anne's Mike Majette.)
That game came in the midst of a 25-game regular-season winning streak for Norcom that was broken the next season by Indian River.
Carter has done his best to downplay Deep Creek's streak.
``To be real honest, we don't talk much about it,'' he said. ``The kids are aware we've had some success the past few years, but they just go out and play the game.''
Deep Creek's only losses in the past two seasons have been to Patrick Henry-Ashland in the 1994 state final and to Hampton in the 1995 region final. The Hornets are 28-2 in their last 30 games.
``I think we've pretty much got the program to where I envisioned it,'' said Carter, in his sixth season at Deep Creek. ``I've got the coaching staff I want, the administrative support, the community support. I think it's one of the better programs in the state.''
He could say the same about Norcom. The Hornets and Greyhounds each have had one losing season this decade.
Deep Creek went 4-6 in 1993 and Norcom slipped from 8-2 to 4-6 last year.
``We're just digging in and trying to get our dignity back,'' Langston said in the wake of last week's 62-0 rout of Hickory.
A victory tonight could gain the Greyhounds more than that. Likely at stake is the No. 1 ranking Norcom held or shared for 27 consecutive weeks from September 1992 to October 1994.
``This is a good group of kids who can play smash-mouth football and can take criticism,'' Langston said. ``There are no wimps or crybabies on this team.''
We'll find out tonight. by CNB