THE NEXT
Publication:
Published: 09/07/1990
Page: P1B
Headline: THE NEXT
Byline: DON HAGER
Craig Oxley fades to pass for the Nitro Wildcats.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees an outside linebacker
rushing toward him.
Oxley leaps into the air, slams a foot to the chest of the
oncoming tackler and decks him.
Landing on his feet, Oxley calmly finds his receiver and
completes the pass.
If that move were legal, Oxley could do it.
The Nitro junior quarterback is black belt in karate and jujitsu
. He was one of 12 Americans who represented the
team competition at the World Jujitsu Championships in
N.C., last week. The Americans won the silver medal in
a field of 15
nations. In individual competition, Oxley advanced to the title
match in his weight division, where he forfeited rather than fight
his instructor, Ernie Boggs of
"Everything I am in the sport I owe to Ernie Boggs,' Oxley
said.
He also owes a thanks to Nitro football coach Greg
Cyrus, who
let his quarterback skip last week's game against Hurricane to
compete in the tourney.
"I appreciate that more than anything,' said Oxley, who found
his own decision a difficult one.
"I didn't want to leave because I have a lot of responsibility
here,' said the 5-8, 155-pounder who also plays defensive back.
"But I couldn't pass up the chance to represent the
Cyrus knew last spring when Oxley tried out for the
that he might miss a game this season.
"There's a lot more to life than high school football,' the
coach said.
Oxley was replaced in the lineup by Shannon Thomas, who guided
the Wildcats to a 22-12 win over Hurricane after Oxley had led a
13-10 win over Winfield.
Tonight, the 2-0 Wildcats host 1-0 Capital, the Class AAA
defending state champion, at Underwood Field in Nitro.
Who will start at quarterback?
"I told them I would evaluate them in practice,' said Cyrus
. "Regardless of who starts, they'll play pretty
much an equal
amount of time.'
Oxley has been a football player since his midget league days
and took up karate seven years ago.
"I think karate is more my calling,' he said. "I excel more
in that, but I'll always love football.'
Right now, they go well together.
"Karate and jujitsu help my flexibility, agility, quickness and
speed,' Oxley said. "I've never had a pulled muscle in football
.'
Do thoughts of karate blows ever cross his mind in the midst of
a football game?
"No, in football I'm thinking football,' Oxley answered.
"But I do use some techniques in tackling when I'm playing on
defense. I know about leverage and it helps.'
In addition to the battle of unbeatens at Nitro,
other 7:30 p.
.m. games today include
AA defending champion East Bank (2-0) home to Williamson (1-1), St
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