THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 13, 1994 TAG: 9411110305
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
A FINAL GLANCE back at the 1994 high school football season for the Portsmouth teams:
Most exciting game - Churchland's 29-28 victory over Western Branch in overtime when the Truckers made a two-point conversion for their first victory over the archrival Bruins since 1984.
Happiest moment - Wilson coach Jenson Baker after his Presidents upended Booker T. Washington, 23-21. As a player at Cradock and as a head coach at Cradock, Manor and Wilson, Baker had been a participant in 14 games at Frank D. Lawrence Stadium and this was his first time to go home as a winner. ``How sweet it is,'' said Baker.
Best on-field performance - Wilson running back Darryl Scott rushed for 253 yards in a 48-26 loss to Western Branch. It was four yards shy of the all-time Wilson record set in 1971 by Robert ``Ton'' Davis against Granby.
Best off-field performance - Churchland coach Ken Taylor posted clippings of an Athlete of the Week newspaper story about Great Bridge star running back Corey Holley on each of the Truckers' lockers. Churchland limited Holley to 62 yards rushing in 22 carries in a 20-0 victory by the Truckers.
Best comeback - Norcom's 27-19 victory over Churchland when the Greyhounds scored 21 fourth-quarter points after trailing 13-0 and 19-6.
Toughest break of year - Norcom's loss of potential all-state tackle Marte McCall for the entire season from an injury.
Most impressive newcomer - Wilson freshman quarterback Terence Winston.
Best sophomore - Churchland's Tee Styles.
Best junior - Churchland's Demarte Franklin.
Best senior - Norcom's Rudy Howard.
Most unsung players - A tie between Norcom cornerback Jason Wells and linebacker Richard Deberry. Deberry, an all-district down lineman a year ago, stepped into a new position, struggled for a couple of games and blossomed into a standout with little fanfare.
Biggest headache - incorrect numbers in high school programs that were never corrected.
Biggest upset - Wilson's 19-14 victory over Lake Taylor. The Titans beat Indian River, Churchland and Granby and all three of those clubs topped the Presidents.
Best offensive performance - Norcom's 60-0 victory over Wilson, the most points scored by the Greyhounds since they became a member of the Southeastern District.
Best defensive performance - Norcom's 15-0 shutout of Booker T. Washington, the only time the Bookers were blanked all season. Booker T. had 46 points against Maury, 40 against Bayside and 36 against Granby.
Most improvement - Churchland's offense. The Truckers had 19 points against Norcom this year and seven a year ago, 41 against Norview and 28 last year, 29 against Western Branch and 13 in 1993, and 49 against Booker T. Washington with 21 the previous season.
Best single play - Touchdown catch by Norcom's Octavius Brothers against Churchland on a 61-yard pass play in which the throw from quarterback Rod Richardson was deflected.
Weirdest play - In the very same Norcom-Churchland game in which the Truckers scored on a 61-yard run by David Drake after he recovered a Norcom fumble. Drake viewed it as a lateral that had gone astray and the Norcom players thought it was an incompleted forward pass. The officials sided with Drake.
Biggest disappointment - No Portsmouth team in the playoffs for first time in 10 years.
Player to watch next year - Norcom quarterback Mike Ponds. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by RICHARD L. DUNSTON
The best on-field performance was by Wilson running back Darryl
Scott, who rushed for 253 yards in one game.
by CNB