RECEIVER GOING TO POCA


Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 06/12/1996
Page: 04B
Headline: RECEIVER GOING TO POCA
Byline: TOM ALUISE

Jason Redman, a standout track athlete and all-state football player
at Nitro High, will be a Poca Dot next season.

Redman's family is moving to the Poca area, said Jason's father,
Vernon Redman.

Jason will be a senior at Poca.

"We're just going to try a different situation and see what happens,'
said the elder Redman, the longtime football coach at the former
Andrew Jackson Junior High, now AJ Middle School.

Jason, a 6-foot, 170-pound wide receiver, was a first-team Class AAA
all-stater in football as a junior. He caught 46 passes for 934 yards
and five touchdowns in Nitro's pass-happy offense. The Wildcats
finished at 4-6.

After the season, Nitro Coach Greg Cyrus resigned to take over as
commissioner of the Mountain State Athletic Conference. Wildcat
assistant coach Robert Burdette succeeded Cyrus.

Redman might move to running back for Coach Bob Lemley at Poca. The
Dots were 11-2 this season, losing to Bluefield in the AA playoff
semifinals. Poca's other loss came to Nitro in the regular season
finale.

"He was a running back for me out here (AJ),' Vernon Redman said.
"He's a natural running back.'

Redman possesses both size and speed. He is the MSAC Gold Division's
defending champ in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 meters.

At the state track meet last month, Redman finished second in the 800
(1:56.90) and fifth in the 400 (50.70).

In addition to football and track, Redman hopes to play basketball at
Poca. He was among Nitro's leading rebounders off the bench this
season and averaged around seven points per game.

The Wildcats posted a 13-9 record.