Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Aug. 1, 2002, edition 1 / Page 14
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Vikings from page Bl 7 a.m. Once back at North Forsyth, the players had less than an hour to prepare for practice on the field. Some two hours later they emerged with a full day in on the field and showered. After lunch the players headed off to Bolton Pool for swimming. That activity lasted some two hours before it was time to head back to North to listen to a guest speaker. Their first official day then ended around 4 pm., when they final ly headed home. "It was a full day, but it was a fun day," Hall said. "I really like this because the kids really look forward to it. It generates excitement, and that's vit9 to having a successful program." Hall believes thai perhaps this will be the season when the Vikings finally come through with their breakout year. After pulling off several upset wins and finishing at .500 in Hall's first season, the Vikings have not finished with a winning record in the follow ing two seasons. Last year North was 3-7 overall and 2-3 in the Metro 4-A Conference. Not one to make excuses. Hall said much of it can be attributed to the constant turnover in his coaching staff. That again will be the case. Hall had to replace four coach es before the start of the 2002 season, and school administra tors are still looking to fill two slots. "The main thing you need on this level is continuity," said Hall, who was defensive coor dinator and assistant head coach al Carver before assum ing his current position. "We've had constant turnover, and it's hard to build when your personnel constantly changes." Nevertheless. Hall said he believes his 2002 team could pull off some surprises. "I think we have some tal ent and we have some kids who are working hard in this program," Hall said. "We still need the numbers, but I think ?that will eventually come if we can sustain some success." The Vikings will open their season on Aug. 30 against Carver. "We have to get ready in a hurry." said Hall, who helped lead the Yellowjackets to the state 3-A title and a 16-0 record in 1988. "But I think we'll be ready for the chal lenge." Photo hv Bruce Chapman Coach Darrell Hall is hoping the experience will equate to points on the scoreboard. Openings still available for Tiny Vikings SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE The Tiny Vikings football organization still has some vacan cies for football players and cheer leaders. The team is still accepting registration for Flag cheerleaders. p Jr. Pee Wee cheerleaders. Pee Wee cheerleaders. Pee Wee football players. Jr. Midget football play ers and cheerleaders, and Sr. Midget cheerleaders and football players. The organization is also offering physicals on Friday from 6-X p.m. in the gym at Mineral Springs Middle School. The cost ol the physicals is $10 nd must be paid in cash at the time the physi- - cal is given. Registration fees for football players and cheerleaders are $ 115. Q Brim from page Bl North Carolina before heading off to Greenville and East Car olina's camp. "I really wanted to get it over with and get it settled," said Brim, a 6-6, 315-pounder who will be making the transi tion from center to tackle this season. "I had gotten a lot of looks at the camps I attended, and they said they really want ed me. But East Carolina' was the first to come out and say they were offering me a schol arship." What really impressed Brim was that East Carolina had stated that it was going to sign only four offensive line men for the 2003 season. "They really wanted me and they went all out to get me to commit," he said. "And I really liked it down there. It's a program that's on the rise, and I think I'll be very com fortable." Getting comfortable wear ing the Yellowjackets' royal blue and gold also should come relatively easily. Brim attended elementary and mid dle school with many of the Yellowjackets' players before attending East Forsyth from his freshman year until mid way through his senior season. In fact. Brim's friendship wilh Isaiah Thomas goes all the way back to kindergarten. "We've known each other a long time," Brim said. "We were probably the biggest guys in our classes throughout elementary and middle s<hool." The two are now among the state's biggest offensive line prospects. The 6-4. 320 pound Thomas is ranked as the No. I lineman in North Caroli na and Brim is ranked as high as No. 3 in the state, according to recruiting analysts. This year they will line down beside each other at guard and tackle, respectively, for the Yellowjackets. "I think that's a real big o plus for the team," Brim said. "We know that the team is going to depend on us to anchor the line." The two also have been the anchors in the Yellowjackets' weight room. They have pushed each other hard in the off-season and have helped make the team perhaps its strongest across the board. A lot of it has to do with the friendly competition between the two. Thomas had considerably higher numbers when Brim first arrived. But since then Brim has narrowed the gap considerably. While Thomas' bench press has inched well past the 400-pound mark. Brim's max has jumped nearly 100 pounds and is now around the 375 mark. "Matt is such a hard work er." said Keith Wilkes. Carv er's head coach. "He has a great work ethic and he's determined to get better. You don't find many guys with the desire and determiiration that he has." Thomas agreed. "Matt has really pushed me and forced me to work harder." Thomas said. "Although 1 have the advantage in the bench press and squat (655 pounds). Matt steps up in the power clean (285) and hang clean (255)." Brim also steps up in the classroom. He has alrt^qdy qualified academically and carries a 3.6-plus grade-point average. He has also scored well above the necessary SAT score. And now that he has gotten the business of selecting a col lege out of the way. he said he can focus on learning Wilkes'' Wing-T offense and perhaps v lining down some on defense1 when the opportunity presents itself. "I'm hungry for a winning season." he said. "I think we have what it takes to get to the state championship game. Right now I just want to do everything that I can to help us get there." Press Box from page Bl boast one of the most tradition rich and the winningest football program among all historically black colleges and universities. In all-time battles, Tuskegee has produced a mark of 544-321-52, dating back to 1894. Tuskegee was named the Black College National Champion in 2000 and produced back-to-back Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Confer ence (SI AC I champions in 2000 and 2001. The Tigers enter the game having lost just once in their last 23 games. WSSU looks solid on paper, returning six All-Conference per formers from last season's team, which finished 8-3. WSSU will be looking to make its third con secutive appearance in the C1AA Championship Game, which will be played on Nov. 16 in Winston Salem. Tight end Arnell Wooten heads a list of eight Rams who were named to the pre-season All-CIA A Team, which was announced last Thursday at the CIAA Football Roundup, which was held on the campus of Vir ginia State. Linemen Aaron Fed erspeil and Marcus McNair of WSSU joined Wooten, along with quarterback Josh McGee and receiver Sherman Riggsbde. Place-kicker Ashton Oakley, defensive back Victor White and punt returner Brandon Hussey were also named to the team. Conference coaches also picked the Rams as the confer ence's top team. Virginia Union, the defending champion, was picked to finish behind the Rams, followed" by Bowie State. Fayet teville State. N.C. Central. Vir ginia State. Elizabeth City. John son C. Smith. Livingstone and newcomer St. Augustine's. Perhaps the biggest question around the CIAA is whether the rest of the league has finally caught up with Winston-Salem State and Virginia Union. Those two teams have together cap tured the last four conference titles. While the Rams' strengths are very considerable, so are the programs' losses. The most notable might be Andrew Faison. the former WSSU defensive coordinator who left to become the head coach at his alma mater. Virginia State. ? Add to that loss, three out* standing linebackers from the defensive unit along with the offensive line coach, the running backs coach and the top rusher 1 from last season (John Hollo man) and the Rams could be headed for some problems right out the gale. If the Rams struggle early, this could be the season wheit Blount's ability to coach and rally the program around him could be questioned. gjgBI ?^
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Aug. 1, 2002, edition 1
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