By By PETER WILLIAMS, Staff Writer
ROBERSONVILLE — Brian Paschal may have a date with Southeast Halifax this Friday, but there is a bigger date on his mind.
Dec. 8, 2007.
The numbers 12-8-07 are even featured on t-shirts the Redskins use in practice. It’s the date of the State 1-A football championship.
The former head coach at Washington High School is coming off his third straight 7-6 season with the Redskins and he’s ready to make a statement.
Paschal ready to lead Roanoke
By PETER WILLIAMS, Staff Writer
ROBERSONVILLE — Brian Paschal may have a date with Southeast Halifax this Friday, but there is a bigger date on his mind.
Dec. 8, 2007.
The numbers 12-8-07 are even featured on t-shirts the Redskins use in practice. It’s the date of the State 1-A football championship.
The former head coach at Washington High School is coming off his third straight 7-6 season with the Redskins and he’s ready to make a statement.
And this year may be the year. He has 12 seniors on the squad, the most he’s had as the coach in Roanoke.
Savion Hudson returns for his fourth varsity year. Hudson, a quarterback in his first two seasons, was voted preseason conference player of the year for 2007. Also back are Alonza Higgs, a quarterback, and Kenneth Hyman, a wingback and defensive back. About 30 Redskin players came out this year out of a school with just 160 male students.
Roanoke’s season opens Friday at Southeast Halifax. The Trojans finished last year with a 2-10 record, and were at the bottom of the 1-A Tar Roanoke conference with a record of 1-4. Paschal expects a lot more now that Richard Byrd has been named the coach for the Trojans.
Manteo and Plymouth are going to be the teams to watch this season.
Roanoke managed three wins in its last four games, but lost the finale to Manteo. As the season closed, Roanoke beat Northside 44-0, then traveled to Williamston to take a 36-20 win and defeated Mattamuskeet 52-28 on the road. The season ended with a 53-0 loss at Manteo.
The Manteo Redskins finished 2006 with a perfect 9-0 conference record and were 15-1 overall. The only game they lost was the state championship game against Elkin, where the Buckin’ Elks came away with a 28-7 win. The Elks would have had a perfect season if it were not for the fact that they had to forfeit their three opening games against North Wilkes, Forbush and Starmount. Those were games Elkin won on the field by a combined score of 147-18.
In the 14 games prior to the championship, Manteo coach Eddie Twyne’s team racked up nine shutouts. Until the final game, Manteo’s offense averaged 46 points a game and the defense held opponents to just four points.
Paschal enjoys coaching at the smaller school.