Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 11, 1993 TAG: 9309110231
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
One drive, one point, one win. And after the game, one coach.
The William Fleming Colonels outlasted Roanoke Valley District rival PH 13-12, capturing the Mayor's Cup at Victory Stadium, and evening their season record at 1-1.
The Colonels relied on a punishing running game from tailback Eddie Jones (143 yards on 36 carries), two dramatic touchdown passes (21 and 14 yards, respectively) from quarterback Al Holland, Jr., and a passel of near-misses from the Patriots.
PH amassed more first downs (13-11) than the winners, as well as more rushing (150-141) and passing (96-73) yards. They also managed more fumbles, more dropped passes, and more botched extra points.
The Patriots failed to score on several ideal opportunities. In the opening quarter, PH had a first-and-goal on Fleming's 6-yard line and suffered a penalty followed by four incomplete passes. The Patriots also had three second-half drives stall inside Fleming's 25-yard line.
But PH quarterback Shannon Taylor kept the game exciting up until the final gun - and even after. Taylor, the all-state Group AAA quarterback last year as a junior was a woeful 1-for-9 for just 4 yards at halftime. At least three of Taylor's incompletions were delivered to his receivers' hands, however.
In the third quarter, Taylor began to improve on his statistics. He connected with speedy wide receiver Jamie Price for four completions, netting 67 yards. He also ran for a 16-yard touchdown, dodging or dragging virtually the entire Fleming defense.
After Holland's second touchdown pass with 5:12 to play enabled Fleming to regain the lead, Patrick Henry moved the ball from its own 39 to Fleming's 25 via a pass interference call and a couple of solid gainers.
But PH running back Ike Williams lost his second fumble of the game, and Fleming tried to run out the clock.
Three running plays gained five yards, and after a punt, PH got one more shot with 40 seconds to play. Taylor converted passes of 22 yards (to Price) and 16 yards (to Adrian Moore), to advance the ball to the Colonels' 22 with 10 seconds remaining.
On the game's final play, Taylor scrambled throughout the backfield, desperately seeking an open receiver, and finally decided to run after time had run out. He was ruled out of bounds on Fleming's 7-yard line.
"Lord, yes, I was worried," Fleming coach Sherley Stuart said. "I was worried [even] before the game."
Patriots coach Ed Scott suffered a dislocated elbow when Price was driven out of bounds and into the PH bench on a punt return near the end of the third quarter. Scott was given immediate medical attention from his trainer, but stayed on the sidelines until he was taken to the hospital after the game.
\ see microfilm for box score
by CNB