THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9608010479
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 70 lines
An estimated 50 athletes are expected to take the field this morning when Manteo High School begins football practice along with other schools throughout the state.
The Redskins, 6-5 in 1995, open their season Aug. 30 against Northeastern in Elizabeth City.
For second-year Coach Steve Basnight, the key to the campaign will be the progress of the offensive and defensive lines.
``I think our total fortune this year rests with our line,'' Basnight says.``The kids have been working in the weight room during the off season. The kids who played a great deal for us last year will be coming back bigger and stronger, and with a year of extra experience.''
Leading the offensive line this season will be senior center James Wright. Wright, and returning veterans Dirk Lehman, Freddie Gates, Casey McPherson and Wes Mosdale, are expected to anchor an improved offensive front.
Two beneficiaries of an improved offensive front will be senior running backs Danny Davis and Robert Flowers.
Davis, a pre-season all-state selection by North Carolina Prep Football magazine, has committed to play football at the University of North Carolina in the fall of 1997.
Davis ran and caught his way to 1,900 all-purpose yards in 1995.
Flowers impressed coaches at the East Carolina University Football Camp with a 4.6 time in the 40-yard dash.
The Redskins will start a new quarterback this season. Senior Joel Daniels, understudy to Patrick McNeeley in 1995, will be the Manteo starter this year.
``Joel didn't play a lot last year,'' Basnight said. ``But he's pretty quick and has a good grasp of our offense. We may not throw as much as we did last year. But I think Joel will do a good job.''
Junior Colin Noone will return at tight end. At the receiver slots, Junior George Carver is penciled in for one starting job. But the other is up for grabs.
``George has great speed,'' Basnight said. ``But he hurt his shin in a three-wheeler accident, and he's not at full speed. We don't know who will start at the other spot.''
Defensively, Basnight wants his club to be more aggressive.
``We have to get more penetration in the defensive line,'' Basnight says.
McPherson will be joined by sophomore Mike Winslow at the defensive end spots. Winslow was one of two freshmen to play on the Manteo varsity a year ago. The other, Jason Creef, is also expected to see action.
Eddie Forbes and Joel Daniels are potential starters at linebacker. Brandon Butler was a solid performer for the Redskins at linebacker at the end of last year.
In the secondary, Flowers and Davis are expected to start at the corners. Depending on the progress of Manteo's young linemen and linebackers, Daniels could start at strong safety.
``I'm really looking at this year's team as a lot of guys with experience,'' Basnight said. ``But we need to have people step up and play to the best of their ability.''
Manteo came out of the gate last season with a 4-2 start. But after the suspension of a number of athletes for violation of the school's substance abuse policy following a loss at Asheville, the Redskins stumbled to a 6-5 mark.
``Last year, I learned that you can't please all the people all of the time, and some people you can't please at all,'' Basnight said. ``If you go at it from the standpoint of trying to make everyone happy, you won't be successful a lot of the time. This year, we're going to look at things from the standpoint of how they benefit the team as a whole.''
Manteo will practice twice a day today, Friday and Saturday. Beginning Monday, the Redskins will work at 7 p.m. nightly. The first scrimmage is set for Aug. 16, and will include Class 3A state champion Bertie County and Perquimans County. The junior varsity teams from the three schools also will scrimmage. by CNB