Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Jan. 19, 2006, edition 1 / Page 18
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2C €)€)0 SPORTS/Ole CtarUtU Thursday, January 19, 2006 Seatde final road Obstacle to Super Bowl Continued from page 1C chore ” Beskles overcoming a team that (ffoved to be the best in the NFC this season, in order to advance to Detroit, the Panthers also will have to accomplish something that has never been done before - win its fifth consecutive road played game, dating back to that magical 2003 season. After last Sunday's 29-21 NFC Divisional Playoff victo ry at Chicago last week, the Panthers tied the Dallas Cowboys (1975-1981) with their fourth consecutive road playoff win. Hence, in addition to facing a powerful offensive team that boasts the league’s Most Valuable Player (Shaim Alexander), the Panthers also must out-duel histcay The Panthers can take scdace in knowing they are being led by a man who knows how to get things done on the road In six playoff games under Fox, Carolina is 5-1, with four of those victo ries coming on the opponents’ stadium. ‘T think it’s just a mind-set,” Fox said of winning on the J.C. Smith on roll despite obstacles Continued from page 1C loss to Vu*ginia Union with a pair of wins, helped turn the season around by bringing the team closer. “Everybody’s starting to buy into what coach Joyner is preaching to us,” said guard Prince Parker, who scored 14 points Joyner and hauled down 10 rebounds against Bowie. “We’ve got to trust each other, play as a team. All for one, one for all.” Smith, ranked No. 15 in the nation, were picked to win the Western Division in a preseason poll of CIAA coaches, but there have been challenges. During the holi day break, three players left the team, which redistrib uted playing time. Now the Bulls go at least nine deep, which keeps everyone happy “I think right now, we’re overachieving,” Joyner said. ‘We’re only a 10-man squad, we’re small compared to some teams we’re playing against. I think in many ways we’re overachieving and overcoming, so that’s what it’s aU about.” What the Bulls haven’t lost is its starting lineup. Forward John Fulton is still Smith’s top player, center Charles (Hark is the league’s best inside scor^ and the three-guard tandem of Parker, Jerome Givens and Maurice Hooper aU can push the baU and play defense. We feel like we can play with anybody in the country, home or away” Parker said. We just strap it on and go to work and work on execut ing.” road. “I think we have a close team, a very together team, and they know that that’s aU they have when they go on the road” Besides facing an anticipat ed crowd of more than 67,000 at Qwest Field, the Panthers also have a huge task because they are entering the game without running back DeShaun Foster, who broke his ankle in Chicago, Nick (joings, who usuaUy gets most of his action on special teams, wiU replace Foster in the starting lineup. Things could be worse Goings fiUed in last season when Foster and Stephen Davis went down and rushed for 821 yards and six touch Goings downs, while tying the team’s single-season record with four consecu tive 100-yard games. ‘Hhere’s no doubt (Goings’ track record puts the team at ease),” Fox said. “He has the confidence of his coaches and his team. I think that’s the key We had a couple of guys in fiunt of him. Those couple of guys got hurt a year ago, and those couple of guys have gotten hurt this year. We’ve been down this road before.” And on the road before. West Charlotte a force in prep wrestling Continued from page 1C teered his services tfor three years before taking over fuU- time in 2093. We’ve done it through a lot of hard work, and our guys have done a great job recruit ing (feUow West CTiarlotte students). We don’t have mid dle-school wrestling pro grams in the inner city so that hurts. And since (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools) cancelled the late buses (last fall in a fiiel-sav- ing measure), the m^ority of the inner-city kids were left without rides. So we take them home, and they use their own money to catch the bus. Thoee things have been a big obstacle to us, but we weren’t going to let that hold us back.” The schedule gets a little tricky for Howard, who works full-time in Concord at Philip Morris. Assistant coach Ivan Neely a former wrestler at Appalachian State, works at Bank of America as a busi ness tech analyst and hustles to practices and games with the perseverance of a marathoner The two coaches’ dedication to the program has been infectious. ‘We’re going to work hard er, we’re going to practice harder than anyone else,’” said Brian Richardson, a senior with a 26-6 record at 189 pounds. “Before, we had to make ourselves known. Now, people know who we are, and we want to keep it that way Our motto is; ‘You train, you win, enough said.’” Richardson’s twin brother, Brandon, has a 27-4 record at 215 pounds. The twins are team captains, along with fel low seniors Daron Boyd (24-8 at 152 pounds) and Mordecai Scott (23-4 at 171 pounds), “The big thing is us being a majority Afiican-American team,” said Scott, whose brother, Isaiah, also is among the team leaders. “Wrestling’s not really big in our conmiunity But what we’re doing now shows we can actually do this. People know now that when you wrestle West Charlotte, you’re going to get a fight,” That competition goes beyond the mat. According to Lee, the team has an overall GPA of 3.1, Mordecai Scott has a 5.0 grade-point average on a weighted scale, followed by brother Isaiah at 4.25 Brian Richardson has a 3.8, while Brandon Richardson and teammate Kris Brevard have averages of 3.75. “It’s a great rags-to-riches story” Howard said. “Not that we’re rich now, but we’ve come a long way with this program. “A very long way” NATIONAL SIGNING DAY FEB. 1 For Golden Bulls, football signees more likely to trickle in By Hertxjrt L. White herb.whacip- tktfharbftUrpiist^tm Successful recruiting in Division II football isn't measured in February It’s more like May and July At Johnson C. Smith, the Golden Bulls will have a few signees - mostly transfers fixau Division I-AA schools - on Feb 1, when high school athletes can sign national letters of intent, head coach Dar>i McNeill said “It’s a big deal because people want to know that you’re out there doing something,” he said. “Of course, we want to put some names out there, but what you won't ever see is a big conglomerate of 15 to 20 to 30 names of people that we have signed.” The process has already started. McNeill declined to identify transfers who are already in class, but said theyll upgrade the talent pool Cxtming off a second strai^t 0-10 season, the Bulls have needs everywhere, starting with the defense. Starting linebackers Chris Nelscm and Jarrell Goodwin are graduating or undecided about playing a fifth season of eligibility Seifety is another need area, with George Pope graduating. Of course, in Divisifsi n. offensive and defensive line is always a priority “We’ve addressed linebacker, comerback and running back (with athletes) that have done well at the I-AA schoc^ they've transferred fixan,” McNeill said ‘HTie thing is we’ve got to ccai- centrate on linemen, those linebackers.” Thatll take time and luck. Division I-A programs usually get the cream of tl^ high schoc^ cn^. but others fall to the lower divisions because of academics cr changes in recruiting requirements. That's when patience - and relationships with other coaches - beccanes impeatant. “It's fiustrating at times, but the thing you have to do is establish relationships with Division I-A and Division I-AA pro grams where you have a feel for who they’re grang after, who’s having grade proUems, those t>pes of things,” McNeill said. On offense, McNeill wants to add depth at tailback, where Andre N\TIliams was named to the (HAA all-foeshman team and receiver, as well as the line Another priority is finding another receive to pair with tap wideout Marquis Belkxi (North Mecklenburg High) “We have to get better in the tailback positiani,” McNeill said “We have to have a guy who can take it to the house. We feel Hkp we have to take some pressure off Marquis with another big-time receive, someone that can really (eliminate) the dou ble-coverage fw him.” Even if it takes waiting until July ^ PRO RACING aiOAY & SATURDAY AMATEUR RACING SUNDAY PHOTO/CURTIS WILSON West Charlotte High senior Brian Richardson, who wrestles at 189 pounds, has a 26-6 record. His twin brother, Brandon, is 27-4 at 215 pounds. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 19, 2006, edition 1
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