THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 25, 1994 TAG: 9411250133
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Deep Creek and Hampton will make Eastern Region history when they square off at 8 tonight at Western Branch for the Division 5 championship.
The matchup of 11-0 teams is the first in the 28-year history of the region playoffs. Hampton was ranked No. 1 in the state and Deep Creek No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll.
The Hornets are fresh off an impressive power-running display in a 36-19 victory over Phoebus.
Deep Creek's top runner, Deon Dyer, is bigger than most of the Crabber defensive linemen, and its quarterback, Arnie Powell, completed just one pass last week.
So what is the Hornets' strategy?
``We're going to throw the ball,'' Deep Creek coach Jerry Carter said. ``We feel like it might be time to air it out.''
Don't laugh, though, because Carter isn't talking about having Powell put it up 30 times. Instead, look for a balanced attack early, with short passes and outside runs geared to set up Dyer's blasts inside. It's the same tactic the Hornets used to vanquish 1993 Division 5 state champion Norcom during the regular season.
Hampton also will mix the run and the pass early, although coach Mike Smith would love to be able to keep it on the ground.
Last week, Crabber running backs Carlos Ford and Chris Ricks repeatedly burned a Booker T. Washington defense that keyed on quarterback Ronald Curry. The Crabbers won that game, 34-26, after bursting to a 21-0 lead.
The Hornets don't want to make the same mistake, but it's hard to avoid paying extra attention to Curry.
``He's one of the most amazing kids I've ever seen,'' Carter said of Curry, the freshman who has accounted for more than 1,700 yards of total offense this season. ``There isn't any defense for a player like that.
``I just hope we can get a pad on him. If we can control him and not let him run wild, I'll be happy.''
The Hornets will be making their first appearance in a regional final. Hampton has been here 16 times, winning 11. Their most recent title came in 1990 over Kecoughtan in Division 6. by CNB