From left, Andre Elliott (number 56), Kareem Sparrow and Nick Bravo chase the opposing quarterback.
Where are you, Keith Layne?
And do you remember the day 25 years ago that you blocked two punts for Northampton in a football win against Arcadia?
Today is a warm, sunny October Friday. Tonight it will be cool, clear and crisp — high-school football weather. Except, with the pandemic, there is no high-school football.
So I’ve been reading some of the articles I wrote about Northampton High School’s march to the state championship game in the fall of 1995.
It was the last Eastern Shore public school to play for a state football championship. Covering the team was one of my fondest assignments.
The coach, Jimmy Conrow, had been one of my baseball coaches at the school years earlier. I’d love to know how many hours he spent as a football, basketball and baseball coach at the school. It’s far too many to count.
Conrow had so many talents, and one was his knack for earning the respect of high-school students while still being relatable and humorous around them. He was an exquisite example for young people, including for me.
In the fall of 1995, he was coaching some exquisite young people on the Northampton football team.
The Yellow Jackets defeated Franklin in the opener, 45-8. It knocked off a tough team from Seaford, Del., 16-0, in the second game.
In the third game — against a very tough Arcadia High squad led by legendary coach Bill Prince — Northampton showed how good it was at every position.
The aforementioned Layne, a burly and intelligent lineman, blocked two punts and was in on 12 tackles. Elusive Sam Ames ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns.
Milton Custis, a 6-foot-3, 275-pound fullback, had 93 yards rushing. Damian Nottingham had two interceptions and Terry Smith added one.
Nick Bravo, who would be named to the all-state team, was in on a whopping 17 tackles.
With three wins, Northampton hosted winless Lancaster the following week — in a driving rainstorm. Conrow called it “the worst conditions I’ve ever seen for a football game in my life, bar none.”
“It poured for three quarters. I could not see the quarterback from the sidelines,” he said.
Still, Northampton won, 26-12. Ames had 126 yards rushing and Custis added 105. Bravo and Andre Elliott anchored the defense. Nottingham added another interception.
The following week, the Yellow Jacket defense was back to its stingy ways, shutting out Essex High School, 32-0 — its sixth shutout in two years,
“The defensive unit is no doubt playing extremely well,” Conrow said.
Northampton spread the ball around against Essex — Nottingham and Jamell Satchell combined for 175 yards rushing and four touchdowns. David Stiles caught two passes for 66 yards and a score.
On defense, Lafont Jones was in on 10 tackles.
At 5-0, Northampton next would travel to Sussex Central, west of Hampton Roads, for a matchup against an old nemesis.
The Jackets had only defeated Sussex three previous times — 1971, 1977 and 1978.
A remarkable season was heading toward a stumbling block.
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