DATE: Friday, September 12, 1997            TAG: 9709120824

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE:    - ROBIN BRINKLEY

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   30 lines

SIZE AND SPEED WORK IN TALLWOOD'S FAVOR AS COX HOPES IT CAN STAY CLOSE

Cox coach Reggie Garrett envisions two likely scenarios for tonight's Beach District opener with No. 6 Tallwood, and neither figures to arouse the Falcons' faithful.

``We can either play them close and have a chance to do something at the end,'' he says, ``or they can blow us out if they get rolling.''

Garrett is most concerned about the Lions' speed. ``I thought we had team speed,'' Garrett says, ``but they've got big guys who can run.''

There aren't many bigger than Lions' 350-pound offensive tackle Brandon Langhorne.

``He came off the ball very, very well against Lake Taylor,'' Tallwood coach Ken Barto says.

The Lions displayed one of the area's more balanced attacks, rushing for 182 yards and passing for 84 in their 27-12 win over the Titans.

If Cox has an edge, it might be the two weeks it has had to prepare for Tallwood since beating Granby 6-2.

The Falcons were minus both starting offensive guards against the Comets, and Icky Sparks (knee) could miss the entire season.

Keys for Tallwood are controlling the line of scrimmage. Cox has spent a lot of time in practice on special teams and needs a big play from tailback Shawn Gibbs or wideout Mike McIlravy.

Pick: Tallwood 28, Cox 7: The Lions get rolling.

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