DATE: Thursday, October 9, 1997             TAG: 9710080197

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 12   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   61 lines

NO GETTING AROUND IT, N-SA VS. NORFOLK ACADEMY IS BIG THE SUFFOLK SCHOOL MUST WIN TONIGHT'S GAME TO WIN A TITLE.

Forget beating around the bush. Tonight's game between Norfolk Academy and Nansemond-Suffolk is big and the Saints know it.

``It's not just another game,'' N-SA coach Terry Crigger said of the 7:30 p.m contest at N-SA. ``To win this conference, they have to beat Norfolk Academy.''

But N-SA plus Norfolk Academy has not equated to success for the Saints. N-SA (4-2, 2-0 TCIS) has not beaten ninth-ranked Norfolk Academy (4-0, 2-0) since an 11-8 victory in 1990.

``We have 14 seniors and this is their last chance,'' senior quarterback J.M. Nemish said.

Norfolk Academy's dominance over N-SA is nothing personal, though. The Bulldogs have not lost a conference game since the TCIS re-started its football conference in 1995. And since then, the Bulldogs have been viewed head-and-shoulders over the rest of their TCIS foes.

``We've been really gifted, really blessed since I've been here,'' said Norfolk Academy coach Tom York, who's in his eighth year. ``We've always had good running backs, a good quarterback and some good size.''

In Nemish and junior tailback Warren Carroll, the Saints have a talented backfield of their own. Yet, the key to their success is keeping N-SA's offense on the field.

In Norfolk Academy's 41-20 victory last year, the Bulldogs scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and led 28-0 at halftime.

``Norfolk Academy came out and took control of the offense and defense and we can't allow that to happen,'' Crigger said. ``We must control some part of the game.''

Defensively, the Saints must stop halfbacks Claude Diggs and Bo Wilkinson.

Diggs ran for 131 yards, had three touchdowns and scored two PATs in Norfolk Academy's 48-35 victory over Greenbrier Christian Sept. 26.

Wilkinson gained 161 yards on 13 carries and had a 49-yard touchdown run in last year's game against the Saints.

However, if N-SA makes a couple of big stops earlier, its offense should have a chance.

Norfolk Academy has held only one opponent, Atlantic Shores, under 20 points.

The Bulldogs gave up a season-high 35 points to Greenbrier, which was 0-5 before beating Hampton Roads Friday.

Another key will be preparation.

The Saints had only three days to prepare. Norfolk Academy, however, has not played since beating Greenbrier. But despite Crigger's concerns, the Saints players insist the discrepancy in time off will not be a factor tonight.

``Actually, it's better because it's not giving us much time to think about it,'' Carroll said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER

Jay Jenkins, a running back for Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, carries

the ball during a recent practice.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy quarterback J.M. Nemish is one of the

primary movers on the Saints offense.

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