Sports
,......
....,..,...
,vim
.........,.
\,.„...\,\,,„,.
.......
.......,
, ..........
....
,____,,
,....,.
_ g
_
or
Every
Jewish home needs
the Jewish News.
If you have family or friends who are marrying, consider
giving them a subscription to the Detroit Jewish News.
It's the community's "book of why." With it, they'll keep in
touch with Jewish life. Interesting articles about their heritage,
the holidays, current events and politics. Plus art, literature,
dance, kosher cooking...who's having a baby, who's
having a bar mitzvah and who's passed away.
Give your newlyweds...or any family and friends who
want to stay in touch, a useful way to do it. Give them
the Detroit Jewish News by calling (248) 354 6620 today.
-
I'd like to send a 52-week Jewish News gift subscription
Plus 5 free issues of Style Magazine
A $ 72 value ... just $48 ($65 out of state)
Please bill me
Payment Enclosed
Card No.
Exp. Dare
Visa
MasterCard
Signature (Required)
Your Name
Your Address
Your City
State
Zip
Phone
Gift Card Message:
Send the Gift Subscription to:
Name
Address
City
Phone
Mail to: The Detroit Jewish News
P.O. Box 2267, Southfield, MI 48037-2267
Phone: (248) 354-6620 • Fax: (248) 354-1210
Allow 2 - 3 weeks delivery of the Detroit Jewish News .
10/1
1999
310 Detroit Jewish News
State
Zip
DETROIT JEWLSH NEWS
'TN
WHOME98
He certainly wants to play now.
The speedy, 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is
healthy and playing well, although
North Farmington's record is 1-4.
Through five games he's rushed 79
times for 329 yards and three touch-
downs and ran a kickoff back for an
85-yard TD.
Weiss stressed running in his off-
season workouts in the hope of keep-
ing his legs in better shape. "I worked
(as a counselor trainee) at Camp
Tamarack over the summer, so I ran
mostly every morning up there, a
couple miles.
At the same time, Weiss also worked
on his attitude. "Last year, I wasn't real-
ly that into (football), because I was a
junior, and I was hanging out with peo-
ple maybe I shouldn't have been. But
this year I'm a senior and I want the
team to do well."
The Raiders' second-year coach,
Rich Burrell, says Weiss is "able to be
more focused, more positive" this
year, and provides some positive
leadership.
"He's still running hard, still mak-
ing things happen. There might not
be as many holes (opened by the
blockers) as we'd like to have, but he
seems to be able to control himself
better, not getting as frustrated."
Last year, Weiss says, "I talked a
lot, but this year I just sort of keep to
myself I say a few words to the team
when we need it. Other than that I'm
quiet."
Weiss said his introspection helps
him on the field. "It clears my mind.
I have more respect for the team and
for myself And physically I feel like I
can go.
He adds that his past injury prob-
lems "are still in the back of my head,
but it doesn't bother me."
Another change this season is the
addition of his brother Blair, a 5-foot-
11, 165-pound junior, who starts at
quarterback. Sharing the backfield
with his brother is fun, Todd says,
but it's also a responsibility.
"When someone's coming after
him I feel like I have to block,
because I don't want to go home and
deal with the parents yelling at me for
not blocking for him."
The younger Weiss didn't play
football last year and was expected to
play wide receiver this season. He
switched to quarterback during pre-
season practice.
Through five games, Blair has
completed 31 of 81 passes for 486
yards and six touchdowns and added
211 yards rushing on 51 carries.
,
"
He has athletic skills," Burrell
says. "He has lots of speed. He has a
good arm. He's doing great for only
having five games of experience" at
quarterback.
"He has a demeanor that a quar-
terback needs. He's cool and calm
and he's very competitive. Even
though he's inexperienced, those
things kind of make up for the inex-
perience. He's very teachable and he's
learning quickly."
The Raiders co-captains are also
Jewish. Senior Brian Lafer (6-0, 155)
starts at wide receiver and safety.
"He's the rock of our football team,"
Burrell says. "He's playing both ways
and a lot of times he's on special
teams as well. He's our go-to guy in
the passing game. At safety, he's call-
ing the defensive signals ... He has
),
excellent speed, good hands.
Lafer has 22 receptions, good for
343 yards and four TDs, plus a coun-
ty-leading five interceptions on
defense. A strong student, Lafer may
play Ivy League football next season.
North's other co-captain is senior
offensive tackle/defensive end/kicker
Zach Lessway (6-1, 215).
"It's awful tough to be able to
play both ways," Burrell explains.
"Zach handles our kicking duties,
too. He's really the workhorse of
our football team. We count on
him for a lot of things ... And he's
providing some great senior leader-
ship as captain."
Other North starters include
senior tight end/linebacker Ryan
Levis (5-11, 170), senior defensive
back Evan Leibhan (5-10, 140) and
senior defensive tackle Danny
Yashinsky (5-11, 165). Senior
David Bodzin (6-1, 170) is a
reserve safety.
North Farmington is off to a 1-4
start — still an improvement over last
year, when the Raiders' only victory
came by forfeit — and the team
hopes to "improve week-by-week"
this year, Burrell says.
After the season, Todd Weiss
hopes to win a college scholarship.
It's too early to know whether the
local Division I schools will remain
interested, but Burrell is confident
that Weiss "has alegitimate shot to
be a college football player at some
level." Receiving a football schol-
arship "would- mean a lot," Weiss
says. "It's beerf.a dream of mine for
a few years now and it would mean
a lot that I got to my goal and I did
what I wanted to do as a football
player." Fl