PAGE lOA—WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS, AUGUST 24, 1988
Lakers
Undergo
Changes
SWAN QUARTER — Jim Ben
nington, the first-year Mattamus-
keet football head coach, has had
to scramble in the weeks since Au
gust started.
He had to move from Princeton
to Swan Quarter and he had to get
the Mattamuskeet football team
off and rolling on its preseason
practices.
He managed.
He has instituted some changes
— getting things going in the
direction he wants.
“When I got here, we had two
(game) tapes,” he said. “Starting
this week, we will have all our
practices taped.”
Taking over a 1-A program that
has recorded four wins in the last
four seasons, Bennington has his
work cut out.
But, the former assistant coach
at Princeton, is a fountain of confi
dence and optimism.
“We’ve got the overall talent, if
they are all here and all healthy, to
compete in the (Tobacco Belt)
conference,” he said. “We are
sound defensively. Offensively, if
we don’t give the ball away, we
can use a lot of tlie clock.”
Bennington said the Lakers will
play a pure power I — lining up
wi^ two tight ends.
“We’ll send three people into
the off-tackle hole and the defense
will come a runnin’. If they stop
that, then we’ll just have to get
ready for next week. We will pass
... once in a blue moon,” he said.
“If someone is flipping through
the paper and they see a score of a
Mattamuskeet game with 30’s and
40’s in it, we get beat.
“We’re going to have to keep the
scores in the 20’s.
“The kids are hungry. Last year,
they went 0-10 and got beat pretty
soundly with only one close game.
“But, their attitudes have been
good. I’ve talked to the kids about
being dedicated. ’They have a lot
of heart.”
Bennington said he has had as
many as 23 players working out.
But, the average has been
around 20 at each practice, he
said.
He lists 17 lettermen returning
— seven starters and five seniors.
Reggie Blount, a junior, is slated
to quarterback.
“He’s never played football,”
Bennington said. “He is a great
athlete but he has to get used to
playing football. We’ve been
working with him on handoffs
and reads. He’s been practicing
every day steady.”
Bernardo Murray, a 5-9, 180-
pound junior, will be the fullback
while James Spencer, a junior
varsity performer last season, will
handle blocking-back duties.
Leondas Farrow and Jerel John
son will alternate at the tailback,
bringing in plays from the bench.
Wallace Gibbs, a 169-pound
sophomore, is the only sure thing
on the line, Bennington said.
“We’re still moving people
around — we won’t have the line
settled until the first game.”
Defensively, Gyno Topping and
Art Whitley are slated at end while
Roy Cotton and Lawrence Blount
, will play tackles. Wallace Murray
will play at nose guard.
Eddie Collins, James Toppings
and Leondas Farrow have the in
side track for the linebacker posi
tions, Bennington said.
Edwin Spencer has nailed down
one secondary position — the
others are still in contention.
’The Lakers had but one scrim
mage in which to prepare for the
season opener against Acme-
Delco.
And, that was a harried affair.
Originally slated for Mattamus
keet, Princeton’s team bus broke
down. So, early Saturday morn
ing, the Lakers made a several
hour road trip for a mid-aftemoon
scrimmage in the heat of the day.
“They had 35 to 38 kids dressed
out,” Bennington said. “For the
first 10 minutes we held our own.
Then we had a couple of players
go down because of the heat.”
Fumbles were a problem. Ben-
ll.i.lWlHlI
WASHINGTON TIRE COMPANY
301 N. Bonner St. Phone 946-1946
Washington, N.C.
Best Wishes To All Area Teams
TIRES
FRONT END ALIGNMENT
WHEEL BALANCING
nington said. The Lakers hobbled
the ball four times, losing one.
But, Bennington noted, once
the exchange was made, the
offense clicked.
»
The defense held Princeton.’s
offense to one touchdown.
In assessing the upcoming sea
son, Bennington was frank.
“We might take our lumps,” he
said. “Next year, if I don’t run all
the kids off, things will be diffe
rent.”
2
9
It
21
30
J
U
21
20
MATTAMUSKEET
at Ocma-Dtico
September
Miirtao
at CtiKoarinity*
Opan
at Calumbla
Open
October
laimnllla*
at Crttwtir
Btihavan*
Batli*
November
4 at Nofth EdcacoflilM*
Patriots’
Outlook
Not Good
Members of the 1988 Mattamuskeet Laker football team are! front row, from left, l.awrenre Blount, Jerel Johnson, Mario
Barber, James Spencer and Todd Mason; on the second row, from left, James Topping, Gyno Topping, l.eondus Farrow,
Michael Whitney, Antowion Whitney, James Blount and Eddie CoUins; on the third row, from left, Mitchell Gibbs, Edwin
Spencer, Bernardo Murray, Jason Mayo, Kevin Lloyd, Reggie Blount, Shannon Swindell and Roy Cotton.
1988 Mattamuskeet Roster
NO.
Player
CLASS
HGT.
WGT.
POS.
11
Edwin Spancar
Jr.
5- 1
147
Back
10
Raflnald Blount
Jr.
S-10
126
Back
12
laondua Fairow
Jr.
$-10
159
Back
81
MKchall Bibbs
Jr.
S-tl
172
End
10
Edward Collins
Jr.
6- 3
180
Back
86
Roe L Cotton
Sr.
S-IO
219
Una
40
lamas Bumis
So.
5- 1
187
Back
SO
Antowlott Whitnsi
Sr.
6- 2
195
End
ss
Micbaal Whitnay
So.
5- $
133
Una
80
Wallaca 6ibbs
So.
5- 6
169
Una
12
Syno Toppini
Sr.
5-11
154
End
30
iaral Johnson
Sr.
5- 6
132
Back
70
Todd Mason
Fr.
5-11
231
Una
82
Shannon Swindall
So.
5-10
210
Una
44
Bamardo Murray
Jr.
5- 9
113
Back
71
Karin Uoyd
So.
6- 0
191
Una
Spancar Swindlar
So.
5- 9
150
End
41
Jason Mayo
So.
5- 7
147
Back
42
Jamas Toppinf
Sr.
5-10
180
Back
72
lawranca Blount
Fr.
5- 7
240
Uno
20
Mario Barbar
So.
5-11
187
Back
Chris Spancar
Fr.
5- 2
145
Back
laon Crann
Fr.
5- 6
130
Back
18
Jamas Blount
Jr.
5-10
187
End
MOREHEAD CITY — West Car
teret head football coach Edsel
Hiatt was rather blunt when asses
sing his team’s outlook for the
1988 season.
“We hope to do better, but with
the talent and other problems we
have, there's not a whole lot you
can say,” Hiatt, a 27-year veteran
of coaching, said. “The players on
this team have good attitudes, but
as a whole we are small and inex
perienced and we don’t have any
depth, strength or quickness.”
Hiatt is in his second year at the
helm. In his first year, the Patriots
finished at the bottom of the Coas
tal Conference at 0-6 and ended
with a 1-9 record. Hiatt came to
Morehead City from Richmond
County, where he had been head
coach for four years.
“We were supposed to have nine
starters back on offense but only
six showed up,” Hiatt said. “On
defense, we were scheduled
have five back, now it’s two. We
only have one senior on each side
of the ball.”
Jeff Blessing (5-7, 155) is the
lone senior starter to return. Bles
sing is the team captain and will
play wideout this season. A trio of
juniors return: quarterback Mike
Haman (6-0, 160), tackle David
Donovan (6-1, 235) and split end
Nick Kukilinski (6-4, 215). Kuki-
linski will also play linebacker on
defense.
In addition, Mark Lewis (5-7,
160), the team’s projected tail
back, should help the Patriots
with his speed (4.7 in the 40-yard
dash).
West Carteret will carry 29 play
ers this season, Hiatt said.
1987
WEST CARTERET
8
Pamlico County
22
8
Southwest Onslow
7
20
Jonas Senior
14
0
lajauna
7
B
West Craven
45
8
D.H. Conley
41
12
Washlniton
42
0
East Cartarat
41
B
Havelock
55
1
Roith lanoir
21
EAST CARTERET
15
laiauna
14
11
Southwest Onslow
1
14
Ptymouth
11
18
Wiihiniton
7
0
Wallaca Rosa-HIII
13
17
Havelock
20
41
West Cartarat
0
31
Horth Lanoir
6
13
West Craven
14
1
O.H. Conley
23
Injury-Free Jackets Could Surprise
ROANOKE RAPIDS — If the
Roanoke Rapids football team
can avoid ipjuries on the offensive
and defensive lines and avoid the
turnovers that plagued it through
out the 1987 season, it may be in
for a surprisingly successful 1988
season, head coach Ed Nelson
said.
The mqjor loss the Yellow Jack
ets face is the graduation of wide
receiver Walter Jones, an all-
Northeastern Conference perfor
mer and a second team All-East
performer who is attending Duke
University this fall on a full athle
tic scholarship.
Four senior returnees head the
offensive line: Charles Hudson (5-
10,180), Jeff Baird (5-10,185), Stan
Dalton (5-10, 175) and Brent Mas
sey (6-0, 260).
Charlie Ludlam, who was a
wide reeeiver and backup quar
terback last season, returns as the
Jackets’ starting quarterback.
Ludlam (5-10,165, Sr.) is joined in
the baekfield of the I-split back
offense by fullback John Lowe (5-
10, 150, Sr.) and tailbacks Johnny
B. Harrison (5-10, 260, Jr.) and
Chad Matta (5-11, 170, Jr.). The
wide receivers are Ashley Parker
(5-7,150, Jr.), Bob Wilson (6-0,155,
Jr.) and Stuart Chambers (6-1,170,
Jr.).
Four starters — Massey (tackle),
Baird and Dalton (linebackers)
and Scott Harris (tackle, 6-1, 235,
Sr.) lead the Yellow Jacket de
fense. Competing for defensive
end spots are Matta, Jeffrey White
(6-0, 170, Jr.) and Tripp Elias (6-0,
165, Sr.). Brent Manning (5-7, 165,
Jr.), Parker, Wilson and Casey
Gregory (5-10, 155, Jr.) are com
peting for the cornerback slots.
Chambers and Brian Smith (5-10,
155, Jr.) will be the safeties in the
Jackets’ 44 defense. The defensive
baekfield will be totally restruc
tured.
To be in the thick of the NEAC
race. Nelson said Ludlam and
Smith will have to be effective
quarterbacks and the younger
players would have to learn
throuugh valuable game experi
ence early in the season.