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In
the early 1980s, Don Sharpe brought discipline and a winning
attitude to Woodham High School. After six years, his football teams
had won two state titles and left a legacy that has yet to be
repeated.
If
anyone lost equipment, he had a choice. A mile, or a lick. Because
the lick would be delivered by paddle, many Woodham Titan
football players chose to run a mile. Probably a wise decision.
Don
Sharpe didn't tolerate distractions. His coaching philosophy
centered on two things: organization and discipline. From the time
the Titans walked on the field to the time they walked off,
everything was choreographed. Nothing left to chance.
If
players had the flu, they didn't call the attendance office. They
phoned Coach Sharpe. Likewise, if they misbehaved in class, teachers
didn't notify the dean. They contacted the football coach.
This
was in the early 1980s, when a Prince or Sheena Easton cassette sold
for $5.99, when leg-warmers were fashionable and when high school
football ruled Northwest Florida.
To
this day, Sharpe's staff is convinced that Pine Forest rented a
house near its practice field so it could tape Woodham's workouts. A
coach swears he saw the camera tripod erected in the back yard.
If
that's true, it didn't help much. From 1982-84, Sharpe's Titans
were as feared as any area team in modern history. They won 28
consecutive regular-season games, three district championships and
two state titles.
Defending
Class 4A champ Pine Forest enters this season with 26 regular-season
wins. Pace has won 21 straight. But neither yet match Woodham's
domination.
The
Titans thrived on simplicity. In 1984, Sharpe once called the
same running play 16 straight times. In his words, they ran it until
the defense's noses bled. Why? Because it couldn't be stopped.
``They
lined up their offensive linemen shoe-to-shoe and tried to dominate
the line of scrimmage, which they did almost every game,'' said Tom
White, then the offensive line coach at Pensacola High.
``They
were as methodical as a team as I've ever seen around here.''
Their
success transformed the entire school. Before Sharpe's arrival,
Woodham was known for its partying.
Then
came Sharpe, a short guy with a loud voice and strict rules. Rumor
had it that he was an Alabama legend, leading Andalusia High to two
state titles and a state-record 58 consecutive regular season wins.
He
hadn't been at Woodham a year when he rounded up the team outside
the school's weight room.
``I
need a commitment,'' Sharpe said. ``Work hard, do everything I ask,
and I promise, one day you'll be state champions.''
``We
believed every word,'' 1984 graduate Chris Stinson said. ``All of
us. The whole program was like an academy. And once we started
winning, it spread throughout the entire school.
``All
of a sudden, it seemed like it was cool to be an athlete at
Woodham.''
Today,
Don Sharpe, 59, lives in Niceville and works in the oil business. He
hasn't coached football since he retired after the 1985 season. He
has attended only one high school game.
But
he still thinks about the glory days. Just the other day, he told a
friend that he ought to hire a ghost writer to record his memories.
The
rumors in 1980 had been true. Sharpe was indeed a legend. After
graduating cum laude from Troy State, he started a dynasty at
Andalusia, compiling an 80-8-2 record.
At
Woodham, he built a program based on discipline and hard work.
Football
became a year-round sport for the Titans. During the summer,
when practice was forbidden, they hit blocking dummies in the
locker-room showers. Occasionally, the linemen met at Joel Williams'
house and studied formations in the assistant coach's living room,
the defense marked by orange cones.
No
ride to practice?
No
excuse.
Sharpe
convinced the quarterback club to buy an old bus, which transported
about 30 students to and from school. Some nights, the trip took
longer than an hour. No one complained.
``That's
the only way I could've played,'' said Lonnie Gould, a 1984
graduate. ``It was only my mother in our house, and she had five
kids. No way she could've picked me up every day.''
On
the field, no detail was overlooked. When the Titans left the
locker room, their helmets had to be fastened. If one person forgot,
everyone ran. And heaven forbid someone lost equipment.
Linebacker
Greg Lucia lost a hip pad one night. The next day Sharpe gave him a
choice.
A
mile or a lick?
Lucia
chose the lick.
``And
for some reason I think Coach let out a little frustration on that
one,'' he said.
The
reins tightened on road trips. Every player loaded the bus with
itineraries. They were told where they would eat, what time, how
much it would cost.
If
a stay-over was necessary, Sharpe assigned roommates. Usually, if
you made so much as a long-distance phone call, you were sent home.
But there were exceptions.
During
a trip to Bradenton during the 1985 playoffs, Donald Whyner was
caught taking a bath after curfew. Problem was, Whyner couldn't hear
Sharpe knocking on the bathroom door. He was wearing headphones.
``So
I'm sitting in the tub, listening to the radio, drinking a Coke,
spitting sunflower seeds, and here comes Sharpe, busting through the
door, just going ballistic,'' said Whyner, who works at Jerry Pate
Turf. ``I had to get up, get dressed and run 20 laps around the
hotel, and this is the night before a playoff game.''
Sharpe
laughed when hearing that story.
``Donald
Whyner ... is that who that was?''
But
he doesn't apologize. Times are different now. He realizes that. But
discipline is what eventually triggered two state titles and all
those wins. It produced an attitude, one that demanded success.
``I
can't claim responsibility for all those things,'' Sharpe said.
``Sometimes I'm not sure why it all happened. We just had the right
mix, I guess. It was scary. We told them what they had to do and
they went out and killed themselves.
``It
became a thing to do for them, a way of pride, a way of life.''
Two
weeks ago, nine Titans gathered at Jeff DeWeese's house off
Creighton Road to watch a recording of the 1984 state title game
against Miami Southridge.
DeWeese
grinned as he watched himself intercept a second-half pass and
celebrate by waving his arms like a pelican as he ran to the
sideline.
Charlie
Krasnosky, the team's quarterback, pointed out that DeWeese hadn't
removed his helmet.
``No
way,'' DeWeese said.
Geoff
Fairchild laughed.
``But
didn't you just live for the day when you got those gray practice
shorts,'' the former kicker asked. ``I don't know why, but to me,
that meant you were officially on the team.''
DeWeese
turned and walked down the hall. Thirty seconds later he returned.
``You
mean these?'' he said, holding up the shorts as everyone laughed.
``What
are you talking about?'' Krasnosky said, lifting his maroon shirt to
reveal a white Woodham T-shirt that was about five sizes too small.
``I still wear this all the time.''
Sharpe
retired after Woodham lost to Bradenton in the 1985 finals. It was
time for a new challenge. He finished with 60 wins in six years.
Since then, Woodham has won only 49 games.
That
makes the former Titans feel even better. Makes them realize
that what they had was special. They don't plan on cheering against
Pine Forest this week.
But
if the Eagles match their regular-season streak, they insist it
won't tarnish their accomplishments. Or the legacy of the man who
started it.
``I
honestly feel like if I were not part of that football team, I
wouldn't be where I am today,'' said Bobby Taylor, a 1985 graduate
who is director of engineering at All Pro Sound.
``I
learned so much about life. We were one big family. A lot of the
coaches were like second dads to us. I'll remember that for
as long as I live.''
Don
Sharpe led the 1982 and 1984 Woodham High football teams to Class 4A
state football championships. From 1981-84, the Titans won 28
straight regular-season games.
The
Streak
The
Woodham High football team won 28 consecutive regular-season games
from 1981-84.
Here
is a rundown of the Titans' streak:
1981
1 -
Woodham 19, Escambia 12
1982
2 -
Woodham 34, Panama City Mosley 7
3 -
Woodham 28, Fort Walton Beach 6
4 -
Woodham 42, Washington 16
5 -
Woodham 28, Tate 0
6 -
Woodham 77, St. Martins (Miss.) 0
7 -
Woodham 48, Mobile Montgomery 13
8 -
Woodham 42, Tallahassee Godby 7
9 -
Woodham 49, Pine Forest 6
10
- Woodham 35, Escambia 0
1983
11
- Woodham 42, Tallahassee Leon 15
12
- Woodham 27, Fort Walton Beach 0
13
- Woodham 35, New Orleans Warner Easton 7
14
- Woodham 17, Panama City 13
15
- Woodham 59, Baton Rouge Belaire 13
16
- Woodham 20, Mobile Montgomery 0
17
- Woodham 35, Pine Forest 20
18
- Woodham 69, Washington 0
19
- Woodham 21, Tate 13
1984
20
- Woodham 17, Escambia 10
21
- Woodham 21, Fort Walton Beach 0
22
- Woodham 26, Mobile Blount 0
23
- Woodham 49, Panama City Mosley 0
24
- Woodham 30, Baton Rouge Belaire 3
25
- Woodham 28, Choctaw 6
26
- Woodham 20, Pine Forest 7
27
- Woodham 31, Washington 6
28
- Woodham 35, Tate 0
STREAK
BREAKER
Sept.
13, 1985 - Escambia 23, Woodham 21. Then-freshman Emmitt Smith, a
future Super Bowl MVP, ran for 236 yards and two touchdowns. Both
scores were set up by Woodham turnovers. The Titans
eventually lost in the state title game. A month later, Coach Don
Sharpe retired.
News
Journal file photo
In
1984, Woodham coach Don Sharpe and quarterback Charlie Krasnosky led
the Titans to an undefeated season and a state championship,
the school's second in three seasons.
Where
Are They Now?
Some
of the players from the 1982-84 Woodham football teams:
PLAYERS
Scott
Andress insurance business Atlanta
Johnny
Arnold Reichhold Chemicals Pensacola
Willie
Blankenship construction Pensacola
Alan
Blue construction McComb, Miss.
Larry
Brewer accountant Tampa
Mike
Bridges Southern Lawn Service Pensacola
Chris
Bromley hotel administration New Orleans
Scott
Bromley Vice President of Sqwincher Columbus, Miss.
Arvester
Burrell owns paving company Orlando
Jeff
DeWeese General Electric Pensacola
Rodney
Edmonds paint seller Pensacola
Geoff
Fairchild N/A Pensacola
Anthony
Fisher UWF maintenance Pensacola
Robert
Gaddy Thomas Home Corp. Pensacola
Lonnie
Gould International Paper Milton
Onesimus
Henry General Electric engineer Pensacola
Thomas
Henry homebuilder Pensacola
Curtis
Howard Watkins Motorlines Daphne, Ala.
Caesar
Jones police officer Picayune, Miss.
Carl
Jones Escambia County Sheriff's Office Pensacola
Mark
Kemp management consulting Pensacola
Charlie
Krasnosky civil engineer Pensacola
John
Laycock scientist Southern Calif.
Barry
Lett probation officer Pensacola
Greg
Lucia Goldring Distributing Pensacola
Mike
McCoy Network Telephone Pensacola
Wes
Meadows N/A Gulf Breeze
Mike
O'Daniel real estate appraiser Pensacola
Michael
Scott truck driver Pensacola
Vince
Sparks manager Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola
Ken
Squazzo autoglass repair business Orlando
Ronald
Stallworth Merrill Lynch Montgomery, Ala.
Essex
Steen National Linen Services Pensacola
Chris
Stinson Metalcraft Pensacola
Doug
Stinson Brownsville Welding Shop Pensacola
Bobby
Taylor All Pro Sound Pace
Randy
Ward Southern Lawn Service Pensacola
Kerry
Watkins N/A West Palm Beach
Donald
Whyner Jerry Pate Turf Pensacola
COACHES
Pierce
McIntosh high school principal Indianola, Miss.
Mike
O'Leary television marketing Orlando
Don
Sharpe oil business Niceville
Mack
Sturdivant retired Cantonment
Mike
Thorsen football coach Birmingham, Ala.
Joel
Williams football coach Gadsden, Ala.
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