DATE: Friday, November 14, 1997             TAG: 9711120199

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 12   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   76 lines

ONCE 0-5, GREENBRIER ROLLS INTO STATE SEMIS RECOVERED FROM INJURIES AND A SLOW START, GATORS FACE TOP-RANKED AND UNBEATEN FUQUA TONIGHT.

GREENBRIER CHRISTIAN knows a thing or two about 360 degree turnarounds.

Through September, the Gators were 0-5 and going nowhere fast. Yet Saturday, Greenbrier clobbered Roanoke Catholic, 49-7, in the first round of the Division I Independent Schools playoffs for its sixth straight victory. The Gators (6-5) play at top-ranked Fuqua (11-0) in the semifinals tonight.

``We have overcome a lot of obstacles,'' Greenbrier coach Tommy Lewis said.

No kidding!

In the first half of the season, the Gators faced a rash of injuries that forced inexperienced newcomers into action.

It started with the bruised kidney and sprained ankle that sidelined quarterback Alan Driskell for the first and fourth games. Then came the season-ending knee injury to offensive guard Mark Andrews. By late September, eight Gators sustained injuries that sidelined them each at least one game. And not to be forgotten was the ineligible player and the two athletes who were pulled off the team by their parents.

``At one time, we had about 40 kids and ended up with 23 on the roster,'' Lewis said.

The dwindling personnel led to lop-sided defeats: Benedictine 41-0, Isle of Wight 26-2, Nansemond-Suffolk 20-6 along with losses to Colonial Beach and Norfolk Academy. However, the setbacks didn't result in a loss of confidence.

``I don't want to blame it on the injuries because we played some tough, competitive teams,'' Lewis said.

Last year, the Gators dropped their first five games but managed to get into the playoffs. This year's team, accompanied with bruises and bandages, figured it was at least as good.

The turnaround started in game six, a 30-13 victory over Hampton Roads in which Doug Keiper scored on a 74-yard run.

Next came a 33-6 victory over Huguenot in which the Gators accumulated more than 400 yards of offense.

Greenbrier rolled over Broadwater 34-0 and then Chincoteague 77-6 to set up the season finale against Catholic with a playoff berth on the line. No problem.

Driskell connected on three touchdown passes of more than 30 yards to Jason Babb en route to a 32-14 victory over the Crusaders. The win gave Greenbrier the honor of hosting its first playoff game in school history.

Against Roanoke Catholic, the Gators scored on five of their first seven possessions in addition to defensive and special-teams TDs to post their first-ever playoff victory.

``We were a little uptight in the first half,'' said Driskell, who has completed 57 of 141 passes for 1,403 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions this season.

Driskell's main targets have been Griffin and Babb. Babb has 26 catches for 618 yards and seven touchdowns while Griffin has 21 catches for 535 yards and three touchdowns. Wright is the main force on the ground with 144 carries for 923 yards with 10 TDs.

Babb, who also plays defensive back, has been in on 53 tackles and has six interceptions and five pass breakups. Middle linebacker Doug Yates has been in on 97 tackles and has recovered two fumbles. Lineman Steven Claggion has been in on 104 tackles with six sacks and three fumble recoveries.

Tonight, the Gators play a Fuqua team that has experienced a reversal of fortune itself. Fuqua steamed-rolled teams early on to a No. 1 ranking in the state but has been slowed by injuries to a fullback and tight end and squeaked past Atlantic Shores 8-6 last week.

``I guess they're kind of going through what we went through, plugging holes and filling gaps, but they're still the team to beat,'' Lewis said. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by L. TODD SPENCER

LEFT: Despite ankle injuries that forced him to miss two games,

quarterback Alan Driskell has racked up 1,403 passing yards and 13

TD passes.

RIGHT: Jon Davenport celebrates the Gators' playoff victory over

Roanoke Catholic. KEYWORDS: PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOOTBALL

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