
DATE: Tuesday, September 2, 1997            TAG: 9709020128

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:  142 lines

ECSU, CHOWAN HAVE HIGH GRID HOPES BOTH SCHOOLS KICK OFF THEIR SEASONS SATURDAY IN OUT-OF-TOWN GAMES.

Two college football teams in northeastern North Carolina have high hopes for the 1997 season after experiencing losing seasons in 1996.

Elizabeth City State University and Chowan College will both kick off their seasons Saturday on the road. Ironically, both teams will be in Fayetteville. ECSU will play at Fayetteville State and Chowan will face Methodist.

The Vikings will be a young team with many freshmen and sophomores in starting roles. After a controversial spring in which spring practice was canceled because of low numbers, head coach Elisha ``Cadillac'' Harris has put his players through rigorous three-a-day workouts that began at 5 a.m. The long sessions were twofold - to get his players in shape, and to find out who was truly committed to the program.

``These are the most grueling practices I have ever encountered as a coach,'' Harris said. ``They were given a lot of information. It was beneficial to see who was in shape and who was committed to the program and willing to go the extra mile. Since we are so young, I thought the three-a-days gave us time to gel together and to learn together. There is no substitution for preparation and hard work. I only know one way, and that's to get up early and work as hard as you can and evaluate your day.''

Harris said the Vikings have vacancies to fill on both sides of the ball.

``We have weaknesses that we are working on. Our offense will be more productive than last year even though we've lost some great football players,'' Harris said. ``They are beginning to understand the system we installed last year. They are operating it with more efficiency.''

ECSU's offensive line will consist of all freshmen and sophomores. Included in that group will be All-CIAA preseason selection Kevin Jones at left tackle; Kevin Singletary, offensive guard; Freddie Hall, right tackle; Carlos Talavera, center; Rodney Cherry, off guard; and George Privott, off guard; and Donnell Woods, center, tackle and guard.

Darren Cannon, a sophomore, will get the nod at quarterback. Cannon finished last season in the starting role. Sophomore Eddie Cuffee will be the backup.

Expected to start and see playing time at fullback are Tim Langaster, Duke Midgette and Joe Johnson. Tailbacks will be Lawrence Mack and Mike Green. Receivers will be Earl Jones, Brian Wiggins, Carlandus Banks, Ken Simmons (Currituck) and Michael Flanagan. At tight end, Jessie Jones and Barry Monk will both see playing time. Harris feels hisspeed at receiver will open up the Multiple I offense.

``Everybody played us real tight last year because we didn't have as much speed,'' he said. ``This year they will respect us for the deep ball and that will open up our running game.''

The Vikings could have question marks on defense where almost the entire starting lineup will be new. The defense will be anchored around senior nose or strong side linebacker Ivan Deloatch, one of the few seniors on the team.

``We expect him to be a team leader. He has seniority and one of the few we have on defense. We expect him to step up and take a leadership role,'' Harris said.

Others expected to start on the Multiple 50 defense, or see significant playing time, include preseason All-CIAA inside linebacker Jermaine Jones, who is injured but may be back for the first or second game; outside linebackers Uyless Dewberry; defensive end Keith Manson; nose guard Omari Salisbury; left end Jerome Holmes; linebacker William Morris; inside linebacker John Joseph; inside and outside linebacker Alvin Wilson; inside linebacker Jamon Davenport; defensive end Archie McDonald; cornerbacks Ernest Sutton, Marcus Battle and Alvin Keels; and safeties Derrick Williams, Marcus Graham, Chris Holley, Steve Carter, Terrence Thornton and Alfonzo Randolph.

All-CIAA punter James Cheatham will be the punter and Wilton Evans will be the kicker.

Despite a sub-.500 1996 record, the hard luck Vikings lost three of their games by seven or less points. They lost to conference champion Virginia State by four points and fell to Norfolk State by seven. ``A lot of close games were decided in the fourth quarter,'' Harris said. ``We were battling the whole way.''

Harris' goal is to win every ball game. ``The other is to play within the team concept and with effort and enthusiasm. Let's have some fun. It's a fun game and we want to have fun this year,'' he said.

For Chowan College head coach Dan Surface, this year's challenge will be for the Braves to have their first winning season since becoming a Division III school four years ago. Perhaps this is the year. College Football USA has ranked the Braves 18th in the nation among NCAA Division III independents. Chowan was 3-7 last year.

The Braves will have several returning skill players on offense. Expected to start are Chris Dent at quarterback, Danny Iscoe, Chad Dunlow and Jeremy Forbes at wide receiver, Reggie Wilson at tight end, Dwayne Wiggins at fullback, and Mark Fowler at running back.

``One place we have depth is at running back,'' Surface said. ``We will also have Ryan Brown at tailback, Tim Carter at running back, and Jay Staten (Northeastern) at running back. I feel pretty good at those positions.''

On the offensive line will be veterans Darian Blanch and Andre Stewart at offensive tackle and Joey Still at offensive guard.

The defense should also be set. Tackles Derek Smith and David Devereaux; defensive end Isias Martinez; linebackers Dan Stockner, Thomas Davis and Chris Coleman; cornerback Matt Pizero; and strong safety Ronnie Baker are all returning.

The only question on defense will be the secondary, where the Braves lost a lot to graduation. ``We lost right many people in the defensive secondary,'' Surface said. ``We are depending on some of the young people to step up.''

Included in that group are safety Tony Reed, cornerback Tony Black and cornerback Lamart White.

After a three-year provisional period, the Braves have been approved to officially play NCAA Division III football and are supposed to hear an official announcement this week. The school is hoping to form a new league with Ferrum, Methodist, Frostburg State, Salisbury State and Wesley, all teams that are on this year's schedule. With 700 to 800 students, Chowan would be one of the smallest teams in the new league.

Surface said Chowan's goal in 1997 is to have a winning record.

``The first two games with Methodist and Greensboro are important in achieving that goal. We played both of them close last year. We feel we can match up with Guilford, Newport News Apprentice, Ferrum, Methodist and Greensboro. If we play well, we think we can win these games. Others like Frostburg, Salisbury State and Wesley, they have their programs at a very high level.''

Elizabeth City State University

Head coach: Elisha ``Cadillac'' Harris

Conference: CIAA, NCAA Division II

1996 Record: 4-6, 3-6

Sept. 6 - at Fayetteville State

Sept. 13 - Benedict College

Sept. 20 - J.C. Smith

Sept. 27 - N.C. Central

Oct. 4 - at Virginia Union

Oct. 11 - Bowie State

Oct. 18 - Livingstone

Oct. 25 - at New Haven