DATE: Saturday, August 16, 1997             TAG: 9708160297

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

TYPE: HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 

SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:  235 lines

TRAINING CAMPS OFFER PREVIEW OF 11 SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL PROSPECTS

Opening day for most of the area's high schools is Friday. Here is a preview of the season from 11 training camps:

BERTIE COUNTY

The past two years have been a case of living and dying by the coin toss. In 1995, the Falcons reached the 3A playoffs by virtue of a tie-breaking coin toss and went on to win the state championship. In 1996, Bertie lost the toss and stayed home.

Coach Roy Bond would rather win the Big Eight outright and not have to worry about the coin flip. Big Eight coaches have picked Bertie third behind Wilson Hunt and Southern Nash. In a pre-season poll by the North Carolina Prep Football News, Bertie was ranked 12th in the state.

``This will be one of the best offense teams since I've been here,' Bond said.

``We're going to put up the points this year.''

The offense will rest heavily on highly recruited senior running back Christshawn Gilliam, who rushed for more than 1,700 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Terry Lee is the other back.

Quarterback is still a tossup between Ronnie Riddick and Robert Crevin.

Also back on offense are guard Ryan Shook, tackle Linton Miller and guard Marlon Wiggins.

On defense, Justin Small and Kevin Outlaw will start at cornerback, Lee and Jerry McGrandy will start at defensive end, and Melvin Cherry will start at linebacker.

CAMDEN COUNTY

Nineteen ninety-seven could be the year of the Bruin. Camden County has moved from the now defunct Albemarle Conference into the weaker Tobacco Belt Conference, and TBC coaches have given the Bruins the nod for the title.

``We're not taking anything for granted,'' said Camden head coach Scott Jones. ``They know at any given time anybody could beat anybody else.''

Also new to the TBC is Gates County, a team that Camden has not beaten since 1994. Jones picks the Red Barons as the favorite. A key game could be Camden versus Gates on Oct. 31.

Camden reached the 1A playoffs last year and hosted the school's first-ever postseason game. Many of the key players from that squad are back.

Quarterback Brian Gamet, who accounted for over 2,000 yards and 31 touchdowns last year, is back at the helm. Running back James Walker returns, as well as fullback Terrell Munden. Other starters will include Lavar Bryant at tight end, Andre Butts at split end, Rod Paxton at flanker, Chad Leary and Brian Mattera at tackle, Ben Graham and D.J. Drawdy at guard, and Kenny Coleman at center.

Butts and James McCoy will start at safety, Graham and Bryant will be on the defensive ends, Mattera plays tackle, and Munden, James Walker, and Karon Sawyer will be on the line.

One loss for Camden will be its kicking game. Kevin Dodson, who graduated, was one of the best 1A kickers in the state, having booted three field goals from over 50 yards.

CURRITUCK COUNTY

The Knights have missed the 2A playoffs the last two seasons but look to get back on track this year. Currituck, despite going 8-3, was knocked out of the postseason the last week of the season by Edenton-Holmes.

If Currituck wants to get back to the playoffs this year, it will have to win the 2A portion of the newly aligned Northeastern Conference. The 2A schools get just one playoff spot for three teams.

``The conference will be competitive all the way down,'' said head coach Donnie Simpson. ``Our main goal is to get back to the playoffs. In this conference, we could have a good record again and stay home again.''

Returning from last year's squad are seven players on offense and defense. Leading the offense will be senior quarterback Jesse Jones, senior wide out Dayreun Robertson and senior running back Christian Burton.

It could be now or never for the Knights in 1997 with this senior-laden team.

EDENTON-HOLMES

Edenton-Holmes is favored to win the Northeastern Conference and should have plenty of firepower on offense. The question is, who will step up on defense?

Mitchell Stanley is one of the best running backs in the eastern part of the state. Last year, he accumulated 2,400 yards total offense. Chris Williams will be back at quarterback, as well as backup QB Shawn Rankins. Rankins, though, will end up starting in the defensive secondary and may also play wide receiver. At fullback will be Robert Nixon and Eric Brown, who will split time.

Other starters include Kendell Bonner at center, guards Jason Vanduyn, Mark Musante and Adam Cole, Preston Bunch at center, tackles Thomas Rivers and Melvin Bonner, and tight end Wayne Downing. Receivers include Kevin Moye, Troy Holley, Curtis Wrals, Ryan Westbrook and Melvin Tyner.

Defense is where the Aces could have problems. Edenton head coach Jay Swicegood said as many as seven or eight players may have to play on both sides of the ball.

Swicegood is confident that the Aces will return to the 2A playoffs. ``It's a matter of keeping the kids disciplined and in the right frame of mind. It's quite a long season.''

GATES COUNTY

With Clark Harrell back after turning down the head coaching job at Hertford County, the Red Barons will bring their one-back offense to the Tobacco Belt Conference. The team should be in the running for one of the three 1A playoff spots from the TBC.

Harrell's young team will once again go to the air. Ronnie Melton, who started for the JV team last year, will get the nod at quarterback. Returning starters are Dominique Johnson, T.J. Spruill, tackle Brett Casper and running back Lamont Boone. The rest of the players will come from last year's JV squad.

On defense, Spruill will start at outside linebacker, Derrick Harrell will be at inside linebacker, Bryant will play linebacker, John Wayne Hollowell and Casper are back at tackle, and Johnson will start at cornerback.

``I'm more worried about us than anybody else right now because we're so young,'' Harrell said. ``We're not that experienced. You get that by playing.''

HERTFORD COUNTY

To say the Hertford County football program is in a state of constant change may be an understatement. In July of 1996, Carl Brock, who resigned as head coach, died right before he was to leave for Raleigh.

Bryan Morings, who took over as head coach, did not have his contract renewed this June. Daryl Allen, who coached from 1970 to 1990, was hired just days before practice began. Allen is hoping to bring some stability to a once proud program.

Allen said that he will probably use eight players on both offense and defense. Players expected to start include running back Detron Powell, defensive back Jason Horton, quarterback Tron Parker, cornerback Brian Overton, guard Kenny Smith, guard Terek Askew, tackle Hymin Rogers, end Norman Hunter, outside linebacker Brandon Peoples, and defensive end Dominique Vaughan.

``We have a pretty good nucleus to work with. A couple of players weren't eligible last year and they are with us this year,'' Allen said. ``We've got about 15 or 16 pretty good players, then it drops off considerably after that.''

The Bears are picked by Big Eight coaches to finish fourth.

``Our goal is to win the championship,'' Allen.

``None of these coaches has ever coached against me except Roy Bond at Bertie.''

MANTEO

Despite a move to the Class 3A Northeast Albemarle Conference, Manteo head coach Steve Basnight is optimistic about improvement in 1997, after a 2-9 season last year.

The Redskins return 15 starters. This season, the usually offensive-minded Basnight has turned his attention to defense. The third-year head coach is especially excited about his new defensive coordinator.

``We brought Kenny Fields in from First Flight Middle School,'' Basnight said. ``I told him to take the 11 players he wanted to build a defense, and I'd take care of offense with the rest.''

The defense features some experienced players, including senior tackle Freddie Gates, senior linebacker Colin Noone and junior defensive end Chris Mascio.

On offense, key performers include running backs George Carver, Demetrius Selby and Martin Zarate.

Basnight also expects big things from his offensive line.

``We're going to be big,'' Basnight said.

``We had a lot of guys that were freshmen last year who had to step in and play.''

But standing in the way of an improved campaign is a tough non-conference schedule.

``We play all of the tough teams in northeastern North Carolina, except for New Bern and Greenville-Rose,'' Basnight said.

Aggressiveness will be the key for the Redskins.

``If we start that first night and hit people, we can be good,'' Basnight said. ``We've got decent speed and good quickness. We need to pin back our ears and get after folks.''

NORTHAMPTON EAST

Although Northampton East's football program is traditionally strong, the Rams will be sailing into uncharted waters this year in the Tar-Roanoke Conference. Coach Diego Hasty has called the league the state's toughest 1A conference, and he's probably right.

North Edgecombe went to the state championship. Roanoke went three rounds into the playoffs. Northampton West went two rounds into the playoffs. Bunn, Louisburg and Franklinton were all 2A schools last year.

``On paper we don't look too strong. We can be competitive, but we have some mighty strong competition,'' Hasty said.

The Rams have few players coming back on offense: Mike Ordnung, guard; Nick Gay, tackle; and Derrick Jacobs.

``All the other positions are up for grabs. We have players coming back but they didn't start all the time,'' Hasty said.

A question mark is at quarterback. Derek Bynum and Ishawn Shoulars will battle for the spot.

Defensive starters will be Ordnung, Thurman Barrow, Derrick Jacobs and Michael Brimley at linebacker and Michael Barnes at defensive end. No starters are back in the secondary.

NORTHEASTERN

The Eagles have come of age and have plenty of experience, at least on defense. After an 8-3 record last year and just missing the playoffs on the last week of the season, the Eagles won't be able to sneak up on as many teams this year. Head coach Eric McDaniels said his team's main goal is to grab one of the two 4A playoff spots in the Big East Conference.

``Where we go will depend on the defense, no doubt,'' McDaniels said. ``One area we have to develop is our offensive line. We don't have much experience.''

McDaniels also said the Eagles will have a hard time stacking up to the rest of the Big East Conference size-wise.

Back for Northeastern on defense are All-State strong safety Javon Green and his brother Shamon Green, who will play strong side back. Others will be C.J. Harris at weak side back, Darius Owens at cornerback, Travis Snowden at cornerback, and Derrick James. John Peel and Eric Felton are on the line.

On offense, Northeastern will have experience at the skill positions. Back for a third year at quarterback is Tim Mitchell. Kentron King will start at fullback and hopes to regain his top-notch status after an injury-plagued 1996 campaign. Also coming back on offense are tight end Ian Brown and tackle Corien Battle.

PERQUIMANS COUNTY

Under first-year head coach Bobby Rast, Perquimans County will be starting with a new system. Rast said he knows little about the other teams in the Northeastern Conference.

``I want to try to keep the mistakes few and just execute,'' Rast said. ``With each game, if we can decrease mistakes, I know things will work out favorably. I just want the kids to be intense and play each down as hard as they can.''

Clif Stallings and Brian Jacobs are battling for the starting job at quarterback. Expected to start on offense are Calvin Hurdle and James White at fullback, Tavares Ferebee and Donald Stepney at running back, Chris Wetherington at tackle, Andrew Harris at center, and Charlie Layden at guard.

On defense, tackle Phillip Jenkins, free safety Jerrial Perry, cornerbacks Ferebee and Anthony Thatch, nose guard Javon Griffin and defensive lineman Adriel Felton are expected to start.

WILLIAMSTON

After winning the 1A state championship in 1995, the Tigers were a respectable 6-6, and 4-2 in the Albemarle Conference, good enough to reach the playoffs again. Williamston was bounced in the first round 6-0 by cross-county rival Roanoke. Playing in the new Northeastern Conference, the Tigers will have to be even better to reach the playoffs again. Robinson is particularly bitter about the North Carolina High School Athletic Association allowing the 1A schools from the Northeastern Conference just six playoff spots over the next four years and only one this year.

``We (Williamston, Perquimans County, Northside) were the scapegoats for the state,'' Robinson said.

Robinson will have to replace all-state caliber players like Pernell Griffin (linebacker and tight end) and Rodney Bland (broke the school rushing record).

Back at quarterback will be Jason Mobley. The Tigers will rely heavily on running back Ronald Pou. Matt Jenkins will return at center and Torie Young will replace Griffin at tight end.

On defense, Pou will play linebacker (in Griffin's spot), Antwan Williams will play corner and Quincy Wiggins will start at either linebacker or strong safety. ILLUSTRATION: 1997 ALBEMARLE AREA PREP FOOTBALL SCHEDULES

[Complete text of this schedule can be found on the microfilm for

this date.]

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