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The sideline is an unfamiliar and unkind place for Tom Sheehan, Matt Graviet, Mark Moore and Malik Lopez of Cape Henlopen High School's football team.

The same is true for Indian River's Shawn Watkins and Billy Reese.

Usually, the only times they can be found there are before the start of a game or in the closing minutes of a contest in which their teams have a huge lead. They are among a special breed of two-way players who spend an intense 48 minutes on the football field every Friday night.

And all take pride in their ability to be starters on both offense and defense.

"I don't even like coming off (the field) anymore," said Sheehan, who splits time at tight end and defensive end.

Playing both ways is a physically and mentally demanding assignment that requires one to be in prime physical condition, to master two sets of plays and to overcome adversity quickly on the field.

Pulling double duty for the Vikings this season are Sheehan, Graviet (C/DT), Moore (TE/FB/LB), Lopez (RB/DB) and Elijah Worthy (RB/DB).

"You've got to push yourself a little harder than the one-way guys," said Graviet, a First-Team All-State selection at center last season. "You can't afford to slack off."

The ideal situation for any high school football coach would be to have 22 separate starters, 11 on offense and 11 on defense. But precious few have that luxury, even at the state's larger schools.

"It's out of necessity," said Cape head coach Brian Donahue, who fielded a number of two-way players during his stint as an assistant coach at Salesianum High School in Wilmington.

Two-way players tend to have the most experience and the best leadership abilities, he added.

"The guys we have going both ways can handle it," he said.

But it also becomes a source of anxiety as the season progresses and the games become more important.

"You worry about the injury factor with guys going both ways," Donahue said, who noted fewer two-way players means greater depth. "In the second half of the season, people start getting worn down."

That's why players must arrive at preseason practice in top physical condition.

"They've got to be in good shape when they come in and play themselves into football shape," Donahue said.

All of Cape's two-way men take their jobs seriously and prefer being on the field the entire game as opposed to spending time on the sidelines.

"By this point in the season, you just get used to it," Moore said.

The task is even more demanding for Moore, who has seen playing time at three positions: fullback, tight end and linebacker. Some might find that workload overwhelming.

"I don't have to think about it that much anymore," he said. "When you practice it every day, it becomes second nature."

Cape has had so many blowout victories in the early stages of the 1998 season that the two-way players have gotten a few fourth quarter breathers. But that¹s not always looked upon as a benefit.

"I hate that," Lopez said. "We still have that desire to play hard."

Those are the words of a man dedicated to his craft.

"Not many people can do it. Not many people are dedicated to doing it," Lopez added.

Two-way players have an even larger role at Indian River, where a smaller turnout has forced as many as 10 starters to pull double duty.

One such player is Shawn Watkins, who starts at quarterback and linebacker.

"Definitely I think we take pride in it. We're out there the whole game," he said. "I didn't like it until the middle of last year."

For Watkins, double duty also proves mentally challenging. After a fumble or interception, he must put the mistake out of his mind and make the difficult transition to defense.

"You've got to get your mind focused, you can't dwell on something that happened," he said. "Sometimes, I can get pretty excited on the field."

Added teammate Billy Reese, himself a two-way player: "It's almost fun to watch Shawn after that."

Reese splits time at offensive and defensive tackle and would like to do the same if he decides to play football in college. He knows that¹s a long shot, however.

"I'm going to miss offense," he said, noting he would probably be a defensive player in college. "I'd like to go off to college and be able to play both ways."

The key for many Indian River players this year has been a rigid offseason weight training program that has given them more endurance on the field.

"It's a lot of conditioning. We haven't been tired this year," Reese said. "After the game you feel it, you feel it as soon as you get home and lay down."

Added Watkins: "That's the best feeling in the world."