DATE: Thursday, November 6, 1997            TAG: 9711060668

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  121 lines

LOOK WHO'S MAKING RUN FOR TITLE KELLAM, CHURCHLAND, WESTERN BRANCH IN UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY.

One of the delightful things about a miracle is that you can never see it coming.

Like Kellam's football team, for instance.

When coach Chris Worst was asked to give a speech about his team before the season, the boldest thing he could come up with was a vow that the Knights wouldn't finish last in the Beach District for a fifth straight year.

Some 10 weeks and nine games later Kellam (7-2, 7-1) already has clinched a share of its first district championship since 1984 and can win the title outright with a victory Friday night over First Colonial.

``I didn't think we'd win the championship,'' Worst said. ``It wasn't until we beat Salem for our third win in a row that I began to think, hey, we've got something special here.''

That something special - a combination of chemistry, coaching and kismet - is going around this year.

Western Branch, which hasn't won a district championship since 1977, can clinch the Southeastern District title Friday night with a victory over Deep Creek.

Churchland, whose last championship came in 1976, can claim a share of the Eastern District title with a victory Friday night over Granby.

Kellam's rise has evoked the most surprise because of its recent history of failure. The Knights' record between championships was 27-95-1, including a 25-game losing streak from 1992-1994.

But when Kellam was struggling to win three games a season in the late `80s, Churchland was setting the area standard for futility. The Truckers lost 35 consecutive games between 1986 and 1989 - a streak later interrupted when they were awarded a forfeit win over Wilson.

Churchland has been a consistent winner the past five years, but that just produced another kind of frustration. The Truckers finished 6-4 every season from 1993-1996.

``We felt each year, with the exception of maybe 1993, that we should've been better than 6-4,'' Truckers coach Ken Taylor said. ``This year, for the first time, we won the games that nobody gave us a chance.''

Western Branch (9-0) never dipped quite as low as Kellam or Churchland, but the Bruins had their own demons to slay. This is the sixth consecutive season the Bruins will finish in the Top 5 in scoring - and the first year they'll finish in the Top 5 in scoring defense.

That singular shortcoming led to their earning the tag of best team in the `90s never to make the playoffs.

Said Bruins coach Lew Johnston, ``Somebody in my church recently told me you finally broke through after being 8-2 Lew. That stung a little.''

What changed this season for the Knights, Truckers and Bruins?

KELLAM

It's been a slow-growth process for the Knights that had its roots in a 3-2-1 JV team three years ago.

Players such as defensive back Cortney Dailey, with seven interceptions, and linebacker Chad Merritt, with more than 100 tackles, have been in the program for four seasons and spearhead a defense that leads the area in turnover differential.

Worst is also a big believer in conditioning, partly because the Knights don't enjoy the depth in numbers of some rival programs.

``We lift three times a week during the season and probably run harder than anybody in Tidewater,'' he said.

In an effort to uncover more raw talent Worst limited himself last year to teaching only freshmen. That's where he discovered Zachary Blaine, the sophomore placekicker who has won two games this season with last-minute field goals.

Then there is Worst himself. He continued to believe in himself and the program when fans were planting For Sale signs in his yard and mailing resignation letters to his house.

``My wife, Susan, kept telling me, you were successful in college, you were successful coaching college,'' he said. ``One day we'll show them.''

One day is today.

CHURCHLAND

Much of the Truckers' rise can be traced to two-headed, four-legged quarterback, Brandonhallchatameward.

That mythical beast is actually two players, both sophomores. Brandon Hall and Chatame Ward have combined for 1,208 yards rushing and 353 yards passing.

Hall has finally taken over most of the quarterbacking duties, but having both in the same backfield creates defensive headaches. Last week Hall handed off to Ward, who passed back to Hall for a 35-yard touchdown.

Ward missed five games last season with injuries and Hall began this year with a broken hand. Their availability for most of this season has helped compensate for the loss of fullback Marcus Doxie, last year's leading rusher who broke his jaw in September.

``We've gotten better with our system and knowing what we can and can't do,'' Taylor said. ``Also having the same coaching staff two years in a row helps.''

Churchland's championship run has been built on the strength of victories over Booker T. Washington and Norcom, in which the defense dominated.

But the turning point for Taylor was a 33-12 victory over Maury.

``That was Hall's first game as the quarterback,'' he said. ``Plus it came right after the loss to Lake Taylor and gave us our confidence back.''

WESTERN BRANCH

On his pre-season information form, Johnston wrote, ``This is our year'' and so it has been.

Western Branch ranks first in the area in total offense, scoring and scoring defense and is seventh in total defense.

It's hard to find a turning point in a 9-0 season, but if the Bruins' had one it was opening night. Norcom came in ranked No. 1 - not everyone shared Johnston's chutzpah - and the Bruins' escaped with a 12-7 victory.

Western Branch spanked Churchland 32-7 in Week 3 and hasn't allowed more than 10 points in a game all season.

The Bruins have dominated with speed - five defensive starters ran on last spring's state championship track team. But the effort starts on the line where tackles Frank Lemagna and James Jarman have taken away the dive.

The Bruins had similar hopes last season when quarterback Daryl Walton blew out a knee in the first series of the first game. The defense didn't take up the slack and the Bruins stumbled to a 5-5 record, their only non-winning season since 1991.

They are back on track this year but just winning isn't enough, Johnston said. A 14-0 victory over Great Bridge last week guaranteed the Bruins a spot in the playoffs and congratulations were spread accordingly.

``But when we got in the locker room there were a lot of heads down,'' Johnston said. ``The kids were disappointed in their performance. They want to win the district championship.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

HUY NGUYEN/file photo

In a meeting in September, Western Branch defenders swarm over

Churchland quarterback Chatame Ward. Western Branch went on to post

an easy 32-7 victory.

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