From The Portsmouth Daily Times, Friday 17 Nov 2000, pg. B1-B2
"Battling for State:
"PHS in 'Win in Advance' Mode
"By Adam VanKirk, Times Sports Writer
"The Portsmouth Trojans are in a 'win in advance' mode.
"After rolling through Jackson and Purcell Marian in the first two rounds of the Division III playoffs, could it be possible the Trojans feel they're becoming invincible?
"Not if you ask 12th-year Trojans coach Curt Clifford.
"'It's all short-term goals here,' Clifford said before practice Thursday. 'We tell out kids we've got a 48-minute season left. Because if we don't come out on the high end of the score after those 48 minutes, then the season will be over.'
"While Clifford said his team is taking its opponents on one-at-a-time, he also said the attitude of his club right now is 'win in advance'.
"'They're doing a good job staying focused on the task at hand,' Clifford said of his players. 'They couldn't even tell you who we would play if we do win Saturday.'
"While the Trojans may not know who they may play in future weeks, they certainly know who they will play Saturday night.
"Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, which made it to the state semifinals last year before falling to Columbus Watterson, will be the ones gunning for the Trojans and consecutive regional championships Saturday night at Richards Memorial Field in Hillsboro.
"And the Trojans do know that.
"'Our kids know what's in front of them,' Clifford said. '(Chaminade) was ranked number one at the beginning of the year. Someone said they were in the Top 25 of the USA Today, at one time, in the midwestern poll. So, they've got great athletes and coaches and it's going to be a tough row to hoe.'
"While the Trojans are unbeaten at 12-0 and the Eagles are 10-2 with losses to Cincinnati McNicholas and Vandalia Butler by a total of four points, they do have a common bond - Purcell Marian.
"While Chaminade-Julienne beat Purcell Marian by 25 during the regular season, Portsmouth beat the Cavaliers by 31 last week.
"But Clifford knows that means nothing and said the Eagles will force his team into some unusual situations.
"'Our defense is going to face something they have not seen,' Clifford said. 'They're going to make us play all over the football field and that's something we haven't seen all year.'
"A big part of what allows the Eagles, whose coach Jim Place could not be reached Thursday night, to spread the field is wide receiver Angelo Chattams.
"Chattams, 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, is committed to play at Ohio State and has accounted for 1,800 total yards for Chaminade-Julienne this season. He is the Eagles' leading receiver with 63 catches for 837 yards and has rushed for another 509 while handling the kicking duties.
"Chattams and the rest of the Eagles' offense, including quarterback Jeff Zzolman who has accounted for 1,700 yards of offense this year, have Clifford expecting at least four scores from his offense in order to win Saturday's championship.
"And he's expecting four scores from his offense after his defense allowed just six yards of offense last week against Purcell Marian.
"While Clifford is expecting his defense will face its biggest challenge of the season, the Trojans' offense will be going up against a Chaminade-Julienne team which has given up just 12 and 15 points this postseason.
"'We feel like if we're going to win this football game, we're going to have to score four times,' Clifford said. 'Can we score four times on their defense? I don't know.'
"While Clifford wants at least four touchdowns, the Trojans have plenty of weapons to accomplish that.
"Joseph Parker, who holds Portsmouth's single-season rushing record with 1,868 yards this season, and Jeremy Hamrick, who has rushed for 1,147 yards, head up and offense which hasn't scored less than four times all year.
"And despite the fact that the Trojans are averaging 46 points a game this season, Clifford contends Saturday's game will be a 'toss up'.
"'We told the kids it's going to boil down to who prepares better for the other team,' Clifford said.
"And what that boils down to is 'win in advance'."
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