THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 1996 TAG: 9611050434
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 70 lines
It's a neighborhood grudge match between two teams with identical records that one coach has called ``like a state championship game.''
No, we're not talking about last week's Deep Creek-Indian River showdown.
It's Great Bridge at Hickory for sixth place in the Southeastern District and take it from Football Report, this is big.
Hickory was largely carved out of Great Bridge. Most of its players and three of its coaches, including Habit, are former Wildcats.
``Our kids have been thinking about this game since the season started,'' Hickory coach Joey Habit says. ``I'm glad it's finally here.''
Hickory is the third new school to open in Hampton Roads since 1992 - see chart - and the football program, like the school building itself, is still very much under construction.
``We still don't have locker rooms and we have to walk across a construction site to get to practice every day,'' Habit says.
Habit has his own construction blueprint and has stuck to it faithfully through the team's 1-8 start. The Hawks start seven sophomores on defense and five on offense.
Two sophomores, tackle Jupiter Wilson and running back Milton Gregory - are potential Division I-A recruits, Habit says.
``I've told our kids that when you look at the experience they've gained and the character they've built that we're winning more than losing,'' Habit says.
But Habit also knows that the only thing many people will remember about this season is who wins Friday night.
BIG GAME REVISITED: Indian River officials on Monday were still tallying the attendance from Friday night's 34-7 victory over Deep Creek. Extra bleachers were set up in the end zones and still fans lined up four deep outside the fence that encloses the field.
Principal James L. Frye said the gate receipts approached $30,000.
``I've never seen that many folks here, even when Norfolk State played some games here,'' Frye said.
CRAZYLEGS: You won't find his named listed among any of the area statistical leaders, but no offensive player has had a bigger impact on his team's success over the past month than Indian River's sophomore quarterback Antwan Stukes.
In four starts Stukes has piled up 751 yards of total offense and is responsible for 11 touchdowns. He has completed 59.3 percent of his passes and has averaged 7.3 yards per carry.
``He's not Ronald Curry,'' Braves coach Bob Parker says, invoking the name of Hampton's revered superstar. ``But he's got that kind of running ability.''
Chris Reckling of WAVY TV-10 christened Stukes ``Crazylegs'' after he rushed for 164 yards and two TDs against Deep Creek.
``I'll be a good coach for the next two years, as long as he's around,'' Parker says.
STAT STUFF: Kempsville's Zeb Clark, who injured an ankle against Salem, is expected to play Friday night against Green Run. Clark has all but wrapped up the area rushing championship with 1,407 yards. Lakeland's Travis Rawls is second with 1,133 yards.
The passing and receiving titles, however, are very much up for grabs.
Oscar Smith's LeVar Griffin took over the passing lead this week with 974 yards, but Norcom's Kevin Jones (942), First Colonial's Dorman Miner (916) and Princess Anne's Aaron Mitchell (910) are within striking distance.
In receiving, Wilson's Monte Green leads with 32 catches. Defending champion Steve Tyler of First Colonial is one back. ILLUSTRATION: A FIRST FOR HICKORY HIGH
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