Spruill To Lead
Youthful Tigers
Senior Guy Spruill appears to
be the starting quarterback for the
Williamston football team going
into the season opener at home
against non-conference 1-A oppo
nent Manteo
Spruill (5-8, 165) will be leading
a relatively inexperienced squad
which returns minus 19 starters
from last year’s 7-4 edition.
Spruill performed at tailback
for the 1987 Tiger gridders, gain
ing 900 yards rushing.
For head coach Harold Robin
son, in his 15th year at William
ston and his 11th year as head
coach, the on-field strength of the
Tigers will be the offensive backs
and linebackers.
There is an intangible dimen
sion for Williamston too.
“Good attitudes and work
habits have always been a trait of a
Williamston High School football
team,” he said. “We have a strong
• commitment and a lot of pride.”
-—And a large amount of commun
ity support. In fact, this year,
opponents heading into the Ti
ger’s sparkling clean and green
stadium will be greeted by a large
billboard listing a group of athle
tic sponsors.
Robinson’s program is also a
sparkling model. His practices are
efficient. He is a whirling non-stop
dynamo of action.
He sets the example for his
players.
ITiis year, the intangibles may
be the spark that ignites the Tigers
into the playoffs.
Last year, Williamston adv
anced to the first round, losing a
squeaker to Clayton. 14-13.
The Tigers will go into this sea
son searching for the fifth-straight
winning season.
The key Robinson said would
be how fast his youngsters can
mature.
Williamston’s roster lists 32
varsity performers — 17 seniors,
10 juniors and five sophomores.
On the offensive line, three-year
performer Steven Clifford is the
only returner. Clifford (6-2, 249)
earned all-conference honors as a
junior. He is the strongest player
on the team with a bench-press of
390 pounds.
Tyronne Bland, a 4.5 speedster,
will be looking to follow Clifford
into the line. Bland (5-9, 180)
rushed for close to 800 yards last
season and was a threat on kickoff
1988 Williamston Roster
NO.
Player
CLASS
HGT.
WOT.
POS.
1
Guy Spruill
Sr.
5- 6
165
Back
2
Tyronne Bland
Sr.
5- 9
180
Back
3
Tony Williams
Sr.
5- 8
160
Back
4
Chris Coudreit
Sr.
S- 8
135
Kick
S
Ted Biggs
Jr.
5-10
160
End
6
Morris Warren
Sr.
5-10
160
End
7
Pierre Jones
Jr.
6- 0
155
End
10
Chris Miles
Jr.
5- 9
150
End
12
John Sparrow
Sr.
6- 2
175
Back
IS
Charlie Russell
Jr.
5- 8
145
End
'20
Ryan Phelps
Sr.
6- 1
170
Back
24
Toby Goss
Sr.
6- 0
195
Back
30
William Everett
Jr.
6- 1
205
Back
40
Tony Oland
So.
5- 9
180
Back
S2
Tommy Taylor
Jr.
5- 9
195
Line
S5
Chris Peaks
Jr.
5- 9
210
line
64
llm Carter
Sr.
5- 9
170
line
6S
Chris Hardison
Sr.
5- 8
190
line
66
Gary Manning
Sr.
5- 9
165
line
72
Steve Clifford
Sr.
6- 0
249
line
76
Murdock Bullock
Sr.
6- 0
180
line
77
Hoel Matthewson
Jr.
5-11
252
line
80
John Oglesby
Jr.
8- 1
185
End
84
Bart Revels
Sr.
6- 0
195
End
66
Ricky Griffin
Sr.
6- 0
170
End
75
Jamie Roberson
Sr.
5-10
225
Line
60
Tim Lauiter
Jr.
5- 9
160
Line
78
Marcus Freeman
So.
6- 0
220
Line
62
David Wallace
So.
6- 1
170
line
SO
lamont Moore
So.
8- 0
160
Line
25
Edon Rodgers
So.
5- 8
160
Back
88
Mike Yc'k
Sr.
6- 0
185
End
NCHSAA
WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS, AUGUST 24. 1988—PAGE 13A
^ •*
- 1
Members of the 1988 WUliamsIon Tiger football team are, from left, front row: Obarlie Russell, Cbris Peaks, Chris
Coudreit, Tyrone Bland, Tony Williams, Guy Spruill and Morris Warren; second row: Chris Hardison, Cary Manning,
Chris Miles, Tony Bland, Noel Matthewson, Jim Carter, Tommy Taylor and Toby Goss; back row: John Oglesby, William
Everett, Steve Clifford, Bart Revels, Pierre Jones, Ryan Phelps, Murdock Bullock, Ted Biggs and John Sparrow. Not
pictured are Ricky Griffin, Jamie Roberson, Tim Lassiter, Marcus Freeman, David Wallace, Lamont Moore, Edon
Rodgers and Mike York.
returns. Bland is also a strong
physical specimen, benching 320
pounds.
The Williamston offense wilt be
oriented to the run.
Defense has always been Robin
son’s emphasis — he is quick to
remind he started his career at
Williamston as the defensive coor
dinator.
This year, Williamston wil have
a young and inexperienced defen
sive unit.
Senior defensive end Jim Carter
(5-9, 170), sophomore Tony Bland
(5-9, 180), Ricky Griffin (6-0, 190)
and senior Bart Revels (6-0 195)
have the inside track on the line
backer positions.
Senior Jamie Roberson (5-10,
225) IS a leader for one of the slots
on the line.
Overall, Robinson said his team
needs to remain healthy because
of a lack of depth — especially in
the offensive line.
“We will be small but quick.”
WILLIAMSTON
August
26 Mintao
September
2 at Ptrqulnuns
t Bertie
IS at Greene Central
23 at Nortkamirton East*
30 Ptymoetii*
October
7 at Edenten*
14 Hertford County*
21 Open
20 at Roanoke RapMi*
November
4 Roanoke*
Recortls Teams Would Like To Forget
Several area teams enter the
1988 high school football seasons
with some distinction — some
good distinction and come not-so-
good distinction.
Columbia, now dressing 14
players and taking a week-by
week look at the season, was run
ner-up in the 1-A classification
last year. The Tigers have an eight-
game at at-home winning streak
to protect.
Edenton has a consecutive
home-game winning streak of six
games, followed by Bath with five
consecutive home wins.
Aurora, when it had football
teams, lost 12 consecutive away
games. But that’s not as bad as
Parkton’s 23 consecutive away
games lost. Mattamuskeet’s Lak
ers have lost their last eight con-
secutive away games and
Belhaven’s John A. Wilkinson
High School’s Bulldogs have lost
seven straight away games.
Aurora also lost eight consecu
tive home games when it fielded
teams, but Charlotte’s Garinger
High School leads the list with 17-
straight losses at home. Matta-
muskeet is on the consecutive
home-loss list with six losses and
Creswell is on the list with five
consecutive losses at home.
Mattamuskeet is tenth on the
list of longest losing streaks with
12 straight losses.
From Page 12
michael Auditorium drew a re
cord number of fans.
The move to bigger and nicer
facilities is the most visible
change in the organization under
Adams’ leadership. That has been
easy compared with the difficulty
of changing the association’s
image.
Ther was — and still is, to some
degreee — a feeling among many
of the 330 member schools tat the
NCHSAA sits in Chapel Hill as
police, prosecutor, judge and jury.
Some coaches say Adams sits in
his office in Chaple Hill and dic
tates policy to the state.
.^dams said he could under
stand the feeling — to a point.
"I know when I was coaching. !
felt that the association was in
Chapel Hill waiting to pounce.
We’ve tried to let more people be
involved.
“Here is an organization that
provides state tournaments, helps
provide regular-season play and is
devoted to the betterment of boys'
and girls' athletic programs, and
people think of it as a policing
organization.
“There is always going to be that
feeling. I suppose, but we do lis
ten. Sometimes coaches have tun
nel vision, and if we don't imple
ment what they suggest, they be
lieve we didn't hear. But we have
21 sports and 332 schools. We
know that everyone isn't going to
be happy with every decision. "
Adams said committees, advis
ory councils and ad hoc groups
consisting of superintendents,
principals, coaches and athletic
directors have become more im
portant in the NCHSAA in recent
years.
Perhaps the biggest criticism of
the association is an outgrow'th of
Adams’ succes in attracting
corporate sponsors. Some
coaches wonder w'here all the
money goes.
“I might have the same problem
if I was coaching." Adams said. "I
would see all that money coming
in (the association took in $991,350
during the ‘87 season) and would
wonder where it all goes. But what
we take in goes right backout."
Best Wishes
For A Great
P88-’89 Football
Season,
S|HMf5 & T'teiiliteft
Washington Stfiiare Mall
946-2012