Robert E. Lee Pipeline
Posted: December 26th, 2006, 7:40 pm
Cool update on Nicholson & Babington:
Leemen's two thoroughbreds run foes raggedhttp://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 40335/1006
By Chris Lassiter
Sports Writer
STAUNTON — One runs right at you. The other runs right past you.
A pair of Robert E. Lee football stars — who will just happen to attend the same college — proved themselves to be among the area's best this season.
Robert E. Lee's Shay Nicholson slips through the Fort Defiance defense during this season's game at Staunton.
Roane Babington, Lee's senior defensive end, is the City/County Defensive Player of the Year. Teammate Shay Nicholson, a 1,500-yard rusher this season, is the Offensive Player of the Year.
Both have verbally committed to Liberty. And both players are not too shabby, according to Lee coach David Tibbs.
Robert E. Lee's Roane Babington closes in on Spotswood quarterback Trey Jarrels.
Tibbs has coached seven scholarship-level players at defensive end, including former University of Virginia player Larry Simmons, former Virginia Military Institute standout Justin Huggard and current Norfolk State University defender J.R. Ware.
Of the seven, Tibbs gives a slight nod to Babington in terms of intensity.
"Roane has a pretty high-rev motor," Tibbs said. "He stays in gear all the time. You don't have to tell him that the weight room's open. He's there."
When Nicholson wasn't playing on defense, he got to observe Babington.
"Man, Roane had a crazy year," Nicholson said. "If he got near the quarterback, he was going down. For a defensive end, man, he's everywhere."
Babington's true contributions can't just be measured in stats. The senior end changed the way offenses prepared for Lee's defense.
"He's a Division I-caliber player," Tibbs said. "He's big, strong and fast. People don't run at him. They run away from him."
The thick, muscular Babington is a man's man, but he was as giddy as a kid on Christmas when he found out he made all-state.
"It felt good," said Babington, flashing a smile. "I ran up to my uncle, and he and I just sat there and laughed for a while."
The senior was a key contributor to Lee's offense, but he's going to college for defense.
"It's the only time I get to hit somebody," Babington said, "and get told 'Good job!' for doing it."
As the Valley District's leading returning rusher, Nicholson was warned by Tibbs that he'd have a bull's-eye on his back. However, opponents quickly learned that you can't hit what you can't catch.
Nicholson has a football body, but he's so fast that he was a state medalist in the 100-meter dash.
"He's got a fullback's body with sprinter speed," Tibbs said. "He'll run past you, over you or around you. He's got some gifts that not too many people have."
One of Nicholson's best friends, former teammate Vincent Bady, gave him the nickname "Horse."
Babington explained the moniker.
"We call him 'Horse' because of the way he runs," Babington said. "I feel sorry for the first person to hit Shay. He doesn't want to quit."
Nicholson loves his nickname.
"A horse is big, fast, strong and elegant," Nicholson said, laughing. "Everybody loves horses."
His favorite touchdown of the season was his last score, a 60-yard run in a playoff loss to Rockbridge County.
For the season, Nicholson averaged an amazing 8.1 yards per carry. However, Tibbs was more impressed with a different number — Nicholson's 4.0 GPA for the first nine weeks.
Because of their efforts, both in the classroom and on the field, both Nicholson and Babington earned college scholarships.
While Tibbs is happy, he knows that Babington and Nicholson were part of a truly special senior class. Not only did the two stars shine on the field, they set standards for the football program at Lee.
Tibbs said Nicholson allowed himself to be used as a decoy for the team's benefit, and Babington's work ethic has left an imprint on the younger players in the program.
"You just want stuff like that to bleed through your program and stain it," Tibbs said. "We're going to miss 'em."
