Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 18, 1993 TAG: 9309180245
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
Giles didn't need a lot of yardage to rout visiting Narrows 43-15 in a Mountain Empire District game Friday night that renewed an old rivalry.
The Spartans (3-0 overall, 2-0 in the district) took full advantage of five turnovers, including four interceptions - two of which were returned for touchdowns and another that set up a score.
Narrows (1-1 overall, 0-1 in the district) was left to ponder how it could have turned the highly unusual feat of holding Giles' single-wing offense to a mere 45 yards on the ground and still be creamed so thoroughly on the scoreboard.
Nobody would have dreamed it, especially Narrows coach Don Lowe.
"You would have had to have been sick," he said.
Giles turned it into a runaway with 28 second-half points, all coming off its defensive heroics.
With the score 15-9 midway through the third quarter, the Spartans' Bucky Burton snatched a Jeff White pass and rolled 23 yards to the Narrows 5-yard line. On the next play, Giles tailback Raypheal Mitlon, stymied all night at the line of scrimmage by a swarming Green Wave defense, slashed in for the touchdown. He then threw to Patrick Steele for two points to make it 23-9.
Narrows was making progress downfield after the kickoff when White threw another interception, this one by sophomore linebacker Brandon Steele, who returned it 57 yards for a touchdown.
"I knew they were going to throw it to Whitey [Blankenship, the Narrows halfback] because I saw him sprint out of the backfield and throw up his hands," Steele said. "I guess they never saw me."
Steele broke into the clear and made the most of his speed, even though he appeared to slow near the goal line.
"That's where running hills this week helped me," he said. "We did about 10 of them."
A shanked punt set up a score on the next series. Milton hit Brian Crawford for 24 yards, and two plays later Maurice Milton, Raypheal's twin, bulled over from the 2.
Another Narrows turnover, this one a Blankenship fumble on the ensuing kickoff, set the stage for reserve Kevin Slusser to score from the 20 on a first-down run.
Narrows' Gary Lowery scored a touchdown to add some respectability to the score with 1 minute, 23 seconds left.
Paced by Blankenship, who had 74 yards on 16 carries, Narrows gained 160 yards on the ground. Despite the interceptions, White threw for 59 yards.
Other Narrows accomplishments included Adam Lowe's 26-yard field goal just before halftime and Brett Mosley's 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
"The difference in the game was turnovers," Don Lowe said. "They didn't [Milton actually threw one interception], and we did. And when we did, we did it big."
Peter Janney had a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter for Giles. Janney was one of four players to snag interceptions for the Spartans. Marty Smith had the other.
"Reggie Hoston threw me a good block or I probably wouldn't have made it in," Janney said of his return.
Raypheal Milton gained only 21 yards on 12 carries, but he did complete six of 10 passes for 149 yards, including the opening touchdown. That was a 19-yarder to Patrick Steele, who caught the ball between two defenders in the end zone.
Nobody for Giles could get over how effective the Green Wave had been against the run.
"They were slanting on the line and they were quick and they were just running us down from behind," Patrick Steele said.
Conveniently, Giles played good defense, too.
"I don't remember when we've ever had four interceptions in a game," Giles coach Steve Ragsdale said. "The score doesn't give you any idea what a tough football game that was." \
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB