Olympic winners Merritt, Holmes at Price stadium

NORFOLK

Olympians LaShawn Merritt and April Holmes were honorary captains for Saturday's Norfolk State homecoming game against Florida A&M at Price Stadium.

Merritt took gold in Beijing in the 400 meters and the 1,600 relay, and NSU graduate Holmes won the T44 (below knee amputee) 100 in the Paralympic Games in September.

Merritt is no stranger to NSU games and regularly uses the track around Price Stadium to work out. After Saturday's coin toss he walked around the Spartan sidelines, greeting the players with high fives.

"I grew up in Portsmouth," he said. "All my life I've been coming to Norfolk State games. I was in the band in high school and I came to a band camp here. I love music and I love the football. I didn't want to go here because it was so close to home."

Merritt wore his g old medal for the pre-game activities and morning homecoming parade, but while walking around the stadium a gold necklace of the Olympic rings dangled form his neck. On the back his name is engraved along with his winning time of 43.75.

Merritt is planning to race an NFL player during SuperBowl week, possibly Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Johnson. Johnson has been clocked at 4.54 in the 40.

It's no good, or is it?

Pete Adrian said he believed the 33-yard field goal attempted by Justin Castellat in the second quarter was incorrectly called wide left. The kick would have given the Spartans a 17-7 second-quarter lead with 4:15 left before halftime.

"The film will show that that was a good field goal," said Adrian, who plans to send the tape into the MEAC for review. "It had such a hook on it; I don't know what those guys are looking at. He hit it hard; it went up and through."

Castellat took a helmet to his right thigh. Hickory High graduate Ryan Estep kicked the final extra point. Castellat anticipates returning for next Saturday's game at Howard.

Good to be home

Florida A&M doesn't play at Hampton this fall, so this marks former Pirates coach Joe Taylor's homecoming. Taylor spent 16 years coaching the Pirates before taking over the Rattlers this season. Several area high school coaches and friends greeted him after the game.

"I don't have to come back to miss this place," Taylor said.