THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 25, 1995 TAG: 9508250815
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Great Bridge returned to the field Wednesday, a week after the Chesapeake Health Department recommended that practice be canceled following an outbreak of viral meningitis.
Eight players were diagnosed and another 12 showed some symptoms of the disease, coach Phil Webb said.
The layoff has put Great Bridge behind in preparing for its opener against Tallwood. The game is scheduled for Thursday, but could be pushed back to Sept. 2 or Sept. 4.
The Virginia High School League requires that teams have 20 days of practice before the first game, but the Wildcats have been given permission to play after 19 days, principal Bob Robinson said.
``Everybody seems to be doing pretty well,'' said lineman Matt Russell, who had meningitis. ``I'm 100 percent, and we're ready to rip.''
The disease cost the Wildcats both of their scrimmages. They had to pull out of a jamboree last Saturday that fell during the layoff. Green Run took their place in the jamboree and then backed out of a scrimmage against the Wildcats scheduled for last night.
``I'm disappointed Green Run would drop us at the last minute,'' Webb said. ``We're dealing with enough problems and adversity as it is.''
Webb lost his best player over the summer when tailback Corey Holley moved to Indian River. Touted freshman Antwan Stukes, who lives in the Great Bridge attendance zone, also enrolled at Indian River by taking a Russian course that is not offered at Great Bridge.
``They didn't do anything illegal,'' Webb said. ``But it boils down to a lack of character and ethics. If I had a player from another school approach me and say he wanted to come to Great Bridge just to play football I'm not sure I'd take him.
``Something needs to be done. We're starting to see a trickle down from the pros and colleges of a win-at-all-costs attitude.''
WEBSTER GETS SPECIAL DEAL: First Colonial's Frank Webster has retired. But don't worry, he's still going to coach the football team.
After 36 years of full-time teaching and coaching, Webster will continue as the Patriots' head coach and substitute teach.
``I made the decision at the end of last year, and they were able to work it out so that I could still coach,'' said Webster, who is 216-73-8 in his 28 years with the Patriots and 251-97-9 overall in 34 years. ``I'm very happy with the situation.''
Webster took early retirement, but still plans on being a fixture in the hallways and classrooms.
``I'll probably be around more than I think I will,'' he said. ``So I won't miss it as much as I would if I wasn't substituting. But I had mixed emotions about it.
``I'm just not ready to give up coaching yet. I want to continue to do that as long as I'm healthy and they'll still have me.''
TCIS RESTORES FOOTBALL: The Tidewater Conference will crown a football champion this fall for the first time since 1989.
The TCIS requires at least half of its membership to play a sport before a champion is recognized. With the addition of Greenbrier Christian, five of the 10 schools now offer football. The other football-playing members are Norfolk Academy, Catholic, Nansemond-Suffolk and Hampton Roads.
Those five schools, along with Atlantic Shores, got together last year to form the Colonial Football Association. Atlantic Shores is now an independent.
NOTES: The recruiting scene has been unusually active for August. Granby's Anthony King last week gave an oral commitment to Penn State even though players can't sign until February. Also Western Branch's Lorenzo Ferguson, Shyrone Stith and Malik Cook and Deep Creek's Deon Dyer have received offers from University of Virginia, Virginia Tech or both if they qualify academically . . . Deep Creek is 24th in USA Today's preseason rankings . . . Maury has a new offensive coordinator, Dan Newell, and a new scheme, the wishbone with two wide receivers. Newell ran the offense last year at George Washington-Danville, which reached the state Division 6 final. Newell previously coached at Nansemond-Suffolk. MEMO: Staff writer Lee Tolliver contributed to this story
by CNB