Northeastern High School - Aerie Yearbook (Elizabeth City, NC)

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gm.: Mike Banks Eric Craft Anton Skinner Herman Shannon Ricky Banks Rocky Whitehurst Chris Morhard Kurt Phillips Bion Jolly Ronald Williams George Johnson Dudley White Above: James Tyler C803 lies injured from a blow that bruised his kidney and killed our champion- ship hopes. lose the unwanted weight that slowed them down. The outlook on the ,78 season seemed very optimistic, with the return of some class talent in the passing department and in the defensive backtield. With talented senior leadership, the Eagle squad eyed a division championship even before the first game. Injuries in key positions and the progress of the young offensive line con- cerned Head Coach Jerry McGee the most about the future ofhis powerhouse. The opening contest did nothing but prove what many believed that the Eagles would be title contenders as they battered Gates 33-0. Next, the Edenton rivalry flame rapidly ignited, but was just as quickly doused by a stingy defense and an over- powering offense. The Eagles' aerial and ground attack rolled along at will, and the unabashed defense held the Aces in a 38-0 romp. A victory is good news, but even better news hit the area during the following week. In their first poll of the year, the Greensboro Daily News rated the Eagles as the number one football team in North Carolina! Varsity Football-Sports 25

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9: 7 Ia I. I E , . 4 if ' fi' 'F Warren A1'mSIl0ng Donnell Gatling Eric McDanie1S Ted Fetner , ' 'f 14' .s.g.-.,- .. . E ' ' , lbvl . 'fz' 1' Yl V .Ii 35131 ' ,-I7 if 5- E ' 'V fzc- 3. 4:-QQ. Miles Brite James Dominick Dwayne Crank Mike Neal ia , . t 7 , a H , MW fi QQJLQ .1 .-12:5 ' 325:21 f5EEEf':W':':' ,'I11Si'A':lxm:':fV .. ' Q.: 11?1i22i,:s:3ss UIYSSCS Lamb Michael Parker Dallas Dunbar Clement Williams 31 'endif' SGW' M. .-i....mnu Above: All-Conference Anthony Hinton C621 leaps to block a pass. Above: COBCI1 MCGCC YCUS wamirlg to P121YefS- Coach Winslow ponders a player's error. James Tyler, Only Area And Only Repeat 4-A Player On News and Observer First Team 24 Sports- Varsity Football Frank Koch C741 lends assistance on the play. While students and fans of Eagle foot- ball enjoyed a summer vacation, the players sweated off holiday fat working out in the grueling August sun. Conditioning was the name of the game during the first couple of weeks and the two-a-day drills. Tired was the name of the game after these drills. While sipping on ice cold cups of Gatorade, the coaches claimed they liked the tremen- dous heat because it forced the players to

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Kenneth Meeking Bracey Robertson Pete Moncla Tom Sawyer Craig Crutchfield Anthony Hinton Q -abs 3' l Charles Brooks Oscar James Gaither Toxey Wilson Jones Allen Kramer Raymand Cole Above: Dudley White 1455 breaks off on a 43 yard touchdown run. Dudley churned more than 100 Yards in this 2O'5 Win Over Northern Nash- We Were it Even their slightly swollen heads did not hamper the Eagles, play against Ply- mouth. The only Viking points were cap- tured against the substitutes while the team's offense pounded away three touch- downs on the ground and two in the air, in their 33-16 breeze past Plymouth. The trip to Ahoskie proved only to be a joy ride. 26 Sports-Varsity Football Seeking vengeance for last year's upset, the Eagles scrapped for two offensive and one defensive touchdown to close the lid on the Cougars, 21-7. Finding daylight in the end zone five times, the football squad burned Perquimans 35-8, to finish their non-confer- ence season with a 5-O record. Still top-ranked in the state, the team's conference opener in Northern Nash was decided by big plays from scrimmage and tight defense as the Eagles knocked off the Knights 20-7. The inside track for the conference championship was the stakes when Rocky Mount came to town. Late in the fourth period, Eric McDaniels was dropped on the one-foot line on a conver- sion attempt after a diving touchdown recep- tion by James Tyler in their first loss, 19-21. Not only did the Eagles lose to the Gryphons, but they lost Tyler for the remainder of the season because ofa bruised kidney resulting from his brilliant touch-