THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 2, 1994 TAG: 9412020718
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
Playing E.C. Glass in December is becoming an annual rite of passage to the state championship for Hampton Roads football teams.
Three years ago Wilson hammered the Hilltoppers, 43-0, in the Division 5 final at Western Branch.
Two years ago Bethel and Allen Iverson shattered Glass, 27-0, in the final at City Stadium in Lynchburg.
Last year Norcom routed Glass, 38-3, in the state semifinals at Western Branch. The Greyhounds avenged a 34-0 loss to Glass in the 1988 semifinals.
Saturday it is Deep Creek's turn to test the Hilltoppers in Lynchburg in a Division 5 semifinal.
``Since '88, when we beat Norcom, we haven't had a lot of luck versus Tidewater teams,'' Glass coach Bo Henson said.
The Hilltoppers (11-1) hope an injection of speed will help change their luck.
Most of that speed is on offense. The Hilltoppers are averaging 39.5 points per game and four times have scored more than 50 points.
The triggerman is quarterback Andre Kendrick, a 5-9 junior who Hilltopper fans compare to Charlie Ward. Kendrick has amassed 2,099 yards of total offense, 1,243 passing.
It was his 64-yard TD run that broke open last week's 21-6 victory over Pulaski in the Northwest Region final.
The week before, in a 44-8 rout of Stafford, the hero was wideout O.J. Jones. He ran a reverse 53 yards and returned a kickoff 90 yards for touchdowns. Jones has run back three punts and two kickoffs for TDs.
``He runs a 4.3 in the 40 and has to be all-state,'' Henson said.
The Hilltoppers' only loss was to George Washington of Danville, 34-28. George Washington plays Indian River on Saturday at Great Bridge Middle School South in a Division 6 semifinal.
``Glass's quarterback and wideouts are as good as I've seen,'' George Washington coach Ed Martin said. ``Their offense is as good as I've seen, but they are young on defense.''
Glass starts only five seniors on defense and has yielded 147 points. by CNB