THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 22, 1996 TAG: 9610220399
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 61 lines
Barring an injury to the seemingly indestructible Alex Lleces, Kempsville figures to have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers this season.
Zeb Clark zeroed in on the area rushing championship last week with a 250-yard performance against Kellam that pushed his total to 1,144.
Lleces, who is built like a fullback at 225 pounds but is so effective he often lines up in a split formation with Clark, gained 74 yards against the Knights. That was the first time he's been under 100 this season and dropped him to fourth in the area with 882 yards.
``I've never been around two 1,000-yard backs and it's not something we set out to accomplish,'' Kempsville coach John Bowles said. ``But I think it's kind of neat to think about.''
Interestingly they will both go over 2,000 career yards before they both get to 1,000 this season. Clark has 2,156 yards and Lleces has 1,937.
QUIZ: Name the last pair of Group AAA teammates in South Hampton Roads to rush for more than 1,000 yards in the same season? Answer below.
FANS OFF KEY: Nobody has better fans than Deep Creek and with a 31-2 record over the past 2 1/2 seasons the Hornets deserve all their support. But for those fans to chant ``We want Hampton'' - like they did during last week's rout of Lakeland - betrays a dangerous lack of respect for another defending state champion.
Indian River figures to be 7-0 when its plays host to Deep Creek on Nov. 1 in this year's version of the Game of the Century.
The teams are statistical twins and the Braves already are stewing over a perceived lack of respect for their Division 6 title last year.
It's possible that if Deep Creek wins that game it will end up playing Indian River again in the first round of the playoffs.
But it's more likely the loser will draw Hampton.
OFFICIALS FLAP: The fans, it seems, aren't the only ones anticipating a Deep Creek-Hampton playoff matchup. The Eastern Region investigated the possibility of using neutral, i.e. Central Region, officials in any playoff games between South Hampton Roads and Peninsula teams, but was rebuffed.
The Central Region officials declined, apparently at the request of the Southeastern and Peninsula officials associations who felt their integrity was being questioned.
As a matter of fact, it was. There is a widespread perception, not just among certain coaches, that Southeastern officials stick it to Peninsula teams and vice versa.
This long-simmering suspicion bubbled to the surface two years ago when Deep Creek beat Hampton on a controversial (according to Crabbers coach Mike Smith) last-second diving catch by Dee Harrell. Southeastern officials worked that game.
Then last year Deep Creek coach Jerry Carter grumbled after the Hornets had several long runs, including a touchdown, called back by Peninsula officials.
MILESTONES: Deep Creek quarterback Arnie Powell passed the 2,000-yard career total offense mark last week with 135 yards against Lakeland. Powell has 1,761 yards passing and 297 yards rushing for 2,058 total yards ... Phoebus tailback Antoine Womack needs two yards rushing to break the all-time Group AAA record. Annandale's Mike Lucido, who played in the early 1970s, holds the mark of 5,196.
QUIZ ANSWER: Great Bridge's William Tillett and Kenny Dawson each rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 1983. Tillett had 1,008 and Dawson 1,007.
KEYWORDS: FOOTBALL by CNB