White in position to help Northeast down Central

PERHAPS Daquan White should be thrown for a loop more often.

There he was, in Northeast High's locker room, shortly before yesterday's Thanksgiving morning meeting with the archest of rivals, Central, and offensive coordinator Mike McKay dropped a semi-bombshell.

"You're going to play some slot receiver today."

Say what?

"I mean, I've played it this year, but not too much lately," White said. "Didn't practice there at all this week. Coach McKay asked me, 'Are you ready?' I said I was. Two of our receivers, Chris Gary and Devon Dillard, were standing nearby. They went, 'Are you ready?!"

Looks like.

As Northeast triumphed, 27-20, before an ever-large crowd, thus avenging a setback in a first-round Public League playoff and raising its edge in the series to 60-50-10 (holiday totals murky; Central actually played Germantown on T-Day in 1939), the 6-2, 210-pound White, a senior, scored the first two touchdowns while providing a 13-0 lead.

The first was a 12-yard run out of the tailback position. The second was a 69-yarder out of - drum roll, please - the slotback position.

"Everybody ran deep except for me," White said. "I did about a 12-yard cross and then went down the sideline. That was a great feeling. My adrenaline was pumpin' strong, though my legs did feel a little weak."

White finished with five carries for 20 yards and two catches for 77, so it wasn't as if he made tremendous contributions overall. Had to love his timing, however.

This has mostly been the season from hell for the Vikings, who entered as the defending AAAA champ. Major injuries were joined by discipline problems and the squad was largely a revolving door.

"I don't really feel upset about what happened," said White, who lives on the 5100 block of Arbor Street, not far from C and Roosevelt Boulevard. "Considering everything that went on, I feel we did the best we could. It all ended on an up note, though I did get concerned when Central came back on us.

"From the day we lost to them in that playoff, we planned on destroying them this time. We didn't think it'd be close actually. On the practice field, around school, everybody was saying, 'Crush Central!' Yeah, everybody. Even nonfootball players.

"Then we had a funny thing with the team. We kept asking each other, 'Are you ready?' Then we'd all say back, 'Of course, I'm ready! What kind of question is that?!' "

With nine carries for 98 yards, Shimeek Carter wound up leading Northeast in rushing. Daquan Bohannan passed 6-for-8 for 136 yards, and his other TD went to Gary (2-49). The scores by Carter and Gary restored control after Central fought back within 13-12. Dillard added an interception.

For Central, Ryan Dydak passed 10-for-19 for 101 yards and one score to Eric Thomas, and added his own on a rush. Richard "Tre" Drayton, son of coach Rich Drayton, made four catches for 46 yards and ran for a 2-yard score. Walt Pegues (also 87 rushing yards) and Wesley De La Rosa made interceptions.

"This was all about getting revenge," White said.

And being prepared for a curveball. Even while wearing a football uniform.