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Stafford's Hall to be honored at Shepherd

From STAFF REPORTS

Date published: 10/28/2005

From STAFF REPORTS

Barry Hall of Falmouth will renew acquaintances with a former student while attending homecoming activities at Shepherd (W.Va.) University this weekend.

The ex-baseball and assistant football coach at Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas is one of approximately 20 alumni expected to be on hand from the 1955 Rams football team that posted an 8-0 record--the lone unbeaten team in school history.

"The Korean War had just ended and we had a lot of older guys on the team," recalled Hall, who contributed nearly 600 yards and six touchdowns as a reserve junior running back that season. "They taught us 'young punks' a lot about playing football. It brought us together as a team."

The Rams outscored their opponents 299-31 and posted four shutouts.

Quarterback John Shearer won NAIA All-America status and was drafted by the Baltimore Colts the same year Johnny Unitas turned pro. Starting running back George Hott would attend a Redskins tryout camp. And head coach Don Fuoss later served as quarterback coach at Purdue University and helped with Bob Griese's development.

Hall and Hott were to receive plaques along with other members of the squad at tonight's banquet ceremony, then serve as marshals for tomorrow's homecoming parade. Shearer was unable to attend the proceedings due to declining health.

Afterward, attention turns to the football field where the 9-0 Rams take on league rival West Liberty State College. Kickoff is at 1.

A member of the current Rams' undefeated team is junior linebacker Donte McKoy, whom Hall had in class while serving as a substitute teacher at Quantico High School. McKoy later transferred to North Stafford.

The Rappahannock Rugby Club is looking to extend its two-game winning streak and strengthen its grip on a playoff spot in tomorrow's home game against Western Suburbs.

Rappahannock (4-3) currently is in fourth place in the Potomac Rugby Union following impressive wins over the Washington Renegades (37-5) and Winchester Rugby (36-0).

The game is a reunion of sorts as several Rappahannock members previously played for Western Suburbs, which is based in Fairfax and currently tied for fifth place in the league standings.

The game at Falmouth Waterfront Park (on River Road) starts at 1 p.m. Admission is free.

Jawarren Cowles is positioning himself for another run at running-back MVP of the year after rushing for 232 yards and a pair of first-quarter touchdowns in the Richmond Ravens' 38-21 playoff victory over the Carolina Heat last weekend.

Tomorrow at City Stadium in Lynchburg, the Ravens (14-0) take on the Prince William Monarchs (12-1) in a repeat of last year's Mason-Dixon Football Conference title game that the Ravens won 25-22.

Besides Cowles, a graduate of Courtland High School, the Ravens' lineup includes longtime defensive standout McCartha 'Too Tall' Pleasants, a native of Bowling Green in Caroline County.

Saturday's activities include a league all-star game at 1 and the Ravens-Monarchs showdown at 7.

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Date published: 10/28/2005