ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 23, 1996 TAG: 9611260031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
SALEM BEATS Staunton River at its own game, running up a 27-3 victory.
Salem High came up with a flawless defensive game plan to stop Staunton River in its high-stepping tracks Friday night.
Golden Eagles coach Bob Gray described it like this: ``They kept the ball. They wouldn't give it back.''
Good as they were as defensive players, Staunton River stallions Jarrett Ferguson and Kevin Martin were a whole lot scarier to the Spartans as running backs. The Spartans decided it was best to keep them on defense as long as possible.
Salem ate the clock and made a big play here and there to beat the Golden Eagles 27-3 for the Group AA Division 4 Region III title on a chilly night at Salem Stadium.
Salem will add the regional trophy to the case alongside those it earned in 1989, '90, '91 and '92. It will travel to Grundy for a state semifinal game at 1:30 p.m. Nov.30. Grundy knocked off Abingdon 42-8 in a Division 4 Region IV game.
The game unfolded just as Spartans coach Willis White and his aides had envisioned.
``Our game plan on offense was to keep the football and run the clock, and on defense, to try not to give up the big play,'' Willis said.
Ferguson and Martin had run wild all year, but the Spartans limited them to a combined 135 yards, 69 by Martin and 66 by Ferguson. Martin was carried from the field late in the fourth quarter with an injured hamstring. Gray said the senior slasher would be examined later.
Martin netted three yards on six hauls after halftime. Ferguson had 31 of his rushing yards after the break. He also added three catches for 55 yards.
``We respected their backs, they're two of the best in the state,'' Salem defensive end Seth Williams said. ``Everybody for us played his gap. We knew if we played our technique, they couldn't hurt us.''
Salem defenders sacked Staunton River quarterback Danny Thomas thrice, the most important of these being the stop Williams and linebacker Jeff Akers made on him on a fourth-and-goal from the 5 with Salem leading 20-3. It was the first time Staunton River has been held without a touchdown this year.
Six Salem running backs accounted for 307 rushing yards. The leader was Brandon Poff, whose 91-yard scoring run with 52 seconds left in the third was the major portion of his 122 yards.
``The line opened up the hole for me and I didn't have to make a cut,'' he said.
Dennis Haley, a rangy freshman, added 60 yards on 12 carries and Chris Stuart and Matt Anderson combined for 96 yards. Anderson scored twice, both times in the second half. Stuart notched Salem's first touchdown with 7:29 left in the first quarter. Bret Gresham added the first of three conversion kicks.
``We'd watched a lot of film and saw that No.21 [noseguard Omar James] was very fast,'' Salem offensive lineman Pierce Weikle said. ``We knew if we could double-team him and drive him into the ground, that we could get penetration elsewhere.''
Staunton River concluded the best season its ever had at 10-2. Staunton River never had played a postseason game before this year.
``We've been on a great roll,'' Gray said.
All Staunton River could manage in scoring was a 25-yard field goal by Kevin Jenkins on its second possession. Staunton River had advanced from its 26. Martin had three carries for 24 yards and Ferguson four for 22 on the drive that stalled when Ferguson was held to five yards on third-and-10 and Gray settled for the field goal.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN\Staff. Brandon Poff (right) of Salem takesby CNBoff on a 91-yard touchdown run in the second half on Friday night. KEYWORDS: 2DA FOOTBALL