THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 3, 1995 TAG: 9509030198
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
Norfolk State spoke in the preseason of a better defense and a more proficient running game.
In Saturday night's opener against Virginia State, the Spartans proved it wasn't all just talk.
But the passing game everybody else in the CIAA raved about was AWOL.
The result: Virginia State won the Labor Day Classic at Foreman Field for a fourth consecutive year, 41-22.
Aaron Sparrow, last year's CIAA offensive player of the year, struggled throughout, completing just 12-of-34 passes for 257 yards while giving up four interceptions.
``I couldn't get anything going,'' said Sparrow, a fifth-year senior who threw for 3,212 yards last season. ``I didn't feel like myself tonight.''
Part of the reason for Sparrow's off night came in the form of 6-foot-8 defensive end Kelvin Kinney, who seemed to spend the evening in Norfolk State's backfield.
``He was in my face all night,'' Sparrow said. ``I'm telling you, he reminded me of (former Virginia standout and current New England Patriot) Chris Slade.''
Ironically, Kinney wears the same number as Slade - 85. Tough kid, too. He played with 10 stitches over his right eye, the result of a fingernail to his eyelid in practice.
The Spartans actually jumped to a 16-0 lead before things began to fall apart. And that lead came in the most unusual way.
Reggie Bureau blocked a punt by Virginia State's Jovelle Tillman out of the Trojans' end zone for a safety, and a 2-0 lead, with 7:21 left in the first quarter.
Just over four minutes later, Trojans quarterback Rodney Granger, under a heavy rush, threw the ball away from his end zone. An intentional-grounding penalty resulted in another safety.
Bureau then returned the free kick 72 yards up the left side for a 10-0 advantage.
On its fifth possession, the Spartans offense finally cashed in as Sparrow hit James Roe on a quick slant, and Roe outran the defense 67 yards for a 16-0 lead.
But Virginia State put together back-to-back drives of 61 and 49 yards with Bo Morgan and Buck Bagby scoring on 1-yard dives.
Norfolk State answered when Sparrow threaded double coverage up the right side. Roe did the rest, outracing the defense the remainder of the 85 yards for a 22-14 lead.
The Spartans, however, botched their third consecutive extra-point effort. Nate Plattler's point-after attempt was short on the first, Sparrow's pass to Ronald Boone was low on the second, and a scrambling Sparrow was stopped on the third.
They wouldn't get another opportunity.
The Trojans cut the deficit to 22-20 with 34 seconds remaining in the half when Rodney Granger hit Tillman on an 18-yard post pattern. But Virginia State's two-point conversion run failed.
The second half was all Virginia State as a tired Norfolk State defense developed holes.
The Trojans running attack hit high gear, and Samuel Harrell scored on a 15-yard counter trap for a 27-22 lead midway through the third quarter.
Morgan scored his second touchdown on a 22-yard, second-effort run with 8:37 remaining, and Harrell added his second on a 1-yard plunge with 3:17 to go.
The Spartans in an effort to give their tiring defense a rest, went to a ball-control running attack late in the third quarter. John Quinerly rushed 16 times for 76 yards on the night. The Spartans only averaged 51 yards per game rushing a year ago.
But Norfolk State reached the Trojans 8, 3 and 16 yard-lines in the second half with nothing to show.
``I know Norfolk State is supposed to be tough,'' said Trojans head coach Lou Anderson. ``They're ranked No. 11 in one (Division II) poll, and the best we're ranked is 19th. To come back like this proves we're pretty good, too.''
If there was a key to the Trojans' offensive success, it was their ability to mix up play-calling. A few times in the second half, Virginia State went to a five-receiver set and it paid royal dividends, most notably in the fourth quarter when they escaped from second-and-17 from their own 2 with back-to-back passes to Gary Warren and Darren Thornton for 12 and 19 yards.
``We use that usually in our two-minute offense,'' said Granger, who completed 15-of-28 passes for 212 yards. ``But it came in handy in a different situation tonight.''
Norfolk State hosts Bowie State at Indian River High next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
PAUL AIKEN/Staff
Virginia State tailback Robert Morgan III is swarmed by Norfolk
State defenders LaRon White, John Green, Sunnil Motley and Jacento
Scott, clockwise from bottom left. Virginia State wore down the
tiring Norfolk State defense in the second half.
by CNB