DATE: Friday, October 17, 1997              TAG: 9710160303

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 12   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAY LIDINGTON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   45 lines

THERE'S NO WAY TO DOWNPLAY NEIGHBORHOOD RIVALRY TRUCKERS, GREYHOUNDS MEET ON GRIDIRON FOR CROSS-TOWN CLASH TONIGHT AT CHURCHLAND

Coaches this week didn't downplay the importance of tonight's Churchland-Norcom football clash.

By game time, players for both schools will be fully aware of the game's impact, in terms of bragging rights as well as the Eastern District standings.

Players on the teams have grown up together, played youth football together and, in some cases, have transferred from one school to the other.

In short, motivation will be in abundant supply for both teams.

``The game sells itself,'' said Churchland coach Ken Taylor. ``If they can't get excited about this game, there's no need (to play it).

``We don't need to use their numbers when we play them. We know the names of their guys.''

For Churchland, the game means a chance to pull even with Booker T. and Norcom in the Eastern District Standings.

Should Norcom lose, all three teams would have one district loss each. With the game on Churchland's home field, the Truckers are feeling confident.

Though the Truckers lost to Lake Taylor 9-6 two weeks ago, starting in the third quarter of last week's game with Maury, a 33-12 win, Norcom was the prime topic of conversation.

``They're our big rivalry and we hope we're theirs','' Taylor said.

Churchland isn't doing anything special to prepare for the Greyhounds, although the Truckers, still smarting from four blocked punts in an 18-14 loss to Norcom last year, started preseason practices in August with special teams workouts.

Norcom coach Joe Langston said he, too, didn't underemphasize the game's importance to his team. Each week, he goes over the district standings with the Greyhounds and lets them know what the game means.

``We like to deal with them in reality,'' Langston said. ``We don't try to give them false hype. We tell them this is where we are. . . and this is what is expected.

``It's more than just a district game.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN

I.C. Norcom's tight end Bryant Clemmons scores against Maury.

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