DATE: Tuesday, September 9, 1997            TAG: 9709090402

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   73 lines

HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP

Western Branch

takes top spot

from Norcom

How momentous was Western Branch's 12-7 victory over Norcom last Thursday?

The Bruins have replaced the Greyhounds at the top of the South Hampton Roads football poll this week for the first time since the newspaper began running a Top 10 in 1981.

``We beat No. 1, I guess we deserve it,'' Bruins coach Lew Johnston said. ``That was an excellent measuring stick of where we are and where we want to go.''

The Bruins want to go to the playoffs for the first time since 1976. They came close in 1995, losing a coin flip with Kecoughtan for a wild-card berth.

Western Branch's weakness has been its defense, but the Bruins completely shut down Norcom's running attack. They held TaRon Anderson to 26 yards in 11 carries after he had burned them for 101 yards in eight rushes last year.

Johnson gave linebackers Anthony Wolfe and Kenny Moseley and tackle Jeff Clayton high marks. Keith Burnell, who rushed for 128 yards and both Western Branch touchdowns, saw his first varsity action on defense at outside linebacker and also drew praise.

The Bruins play host to Wilson this week.

Game of inches for G. Bridge

Great Bridge is a missed extra point attempt that hit the upright from starting a season 2-0 for the first time since 1990.

Instead the Wildcats went into overtime for the second consecutive week and lost to Kempsville 26-19.

As disappointing as that was for new Wildcats' coach Noble Palmer, it was a marked improvement over last season when Kempsville blew out Great Bridge 31-0.

Led by the running of fullback Troy Lee, Great Bridge has scored 40 points. It took the Wildcats seven games to reach that figure last fall.

Palmer describes the 6-foot, 225-pound Lee as a ``big old diesel.''

``He's perfect for the spot we have him in,'' Palmer says. ``He's a north-south runner and always fights for that extra yard or two.''

The Wildcats play Maury at Harbor Park on Friday night.

Churchland rich in QBs

Look for Churchland to play quarterbacks Chatame Ward and Brandon Hall in the same backfield soon. Truckers coach Ken Taylor prefers Hall, the better passer, behind center. But Ward's production is impossible to ignore.

He rushed for 130 yards and two TDs in last week's 37-20 win over Oscar Smith and had 543 yards rushing and eight TDs in six games last season before being injured.

``Chatame played two series at halfback against Oscar Smith and I think we're going to have them both on the field quite a bit,'' Taylor said.

Hall and Ward are sophomores. Hall broke his thumb in the preseason and was cleared to play only last week. He carried three times for seven yards and was 0 for 3 passing.

``We used the game like scrimmage time for him,'' Taylor said.

Churchland is host to Nansemond River this week.

Quick hits

Nansemond-Suffolk's Warren Carroll leads all area rushers with 370 yards, including a season-best 203 last week against Woodberry Forest . . . Atlantic Shores quarterback Janson Greene has completed 19 of 27 passes for 327 yards and 6 TDs . . . First Colonial could have a new quarterback this week against Kempsville. Adam Winfield was injured against Maury and if he can't go sophomore Jeremiah Harless could make his first start . . . No quarterback change is a imminent at Princess Anne although coach Jeff Ballance says heralded freshman C. J. Fayton will continue to compete each week in practice with senior starter Steve VanNostrand . . . Matt Lemn's 129 yards passing against Great Bridge last week were the most by Kempsville quarterback since Ryan Talley threw for 147 yards in the last game of 1993.

- ROBIN BRINKLEY ILLUSTRATION: Keith Burnell

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