Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 19, 1993 TAG: 9309200271
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FERRUM LENGTH: Medium
Determined to take longtime coach Hank Norton out a winner, the Ferrum Panthers knocked off their second nationally ranked opponent in two games Saturday, whipping Cortland (N.Y.) State 21-10 in front of 4,320 approving spectators at Adams Stadium.
"That's two we hadn't figured on - two of 'em in the top 10 in two polls to start with in Division III. So we'll take it," said Norton, 65, who is working his 34th and final season at Ferrum.
The Red Dragons (1-2), who were ranked 15th in Sports Illustrated's preseason poll, were nothing more than a small speed bump on Norton's so-long ride.
The Panthers (2-0) got two touchdown passes from quarterback Millard Vining, then rode a suffocating defense that intercepted three passes and limited the northern visitors to 168 total yards.
"We know how big this year is with Coach Norton going out and everything," said Ferrum junior defensive back Terrance Harrelson, who had one of the Panthers' three interceptions.
"So far, so good," Harrelson said. "Who knows? Maybe we'll do so good that [Norton] will stick around a couple more years.
"Hey, we're going all the way. That's our plan. We're trying to go to Salem [site of the Division III national championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl] this year."
Don't count these underdogs out. They're on a mission.
"We're hoping for an unbeaten season for [Norton]," Vining said. "It's nice going out with a legend."
There's a long way to go yet, and the schedule doesn't get easier. Next week, the Panthers go to NAIA member Lees-McRae (N.C.) College.
"They had Gardner-Webb, the NAIA national runner-up last year, down 29-20 with two minutes to go, so, . . ." Norton warned.
Cortland, which beat Ferrum 21-10 in New York last season, led only once Saturday, going up 3-0 on Brian Anthony's 42-yard field goal with 5:42 left in the first quarter.
The rest of the game was Ferrum's. Except for Vining's lost fumble in the end zone that handed Cortland a touchdown with 63 seconds left in the first half, the Panthers dominated every phase.
Aided by a pass interference call that kept the drive alive, Ferrum went ahead 7-3 on Vining's 6-yard slant pass to senior James Williams.
Ferrum struck again 3 1/2 minutes later. After senior linebacker Matt Lawson blocked a Cortland punt, the Panthers went 39 yards in four plays, scoring on Vining's rollout 9-yard shovel pass to junior back Ray Brawley.
Vining's costly fumble on a mishandled snap that ended up being cradled for a touchdown by Cortland linebacker Sam Owens proved to be only a tease for the visitors.
The Ferrum defense had a hammerlock on the Cortland offense in the second half. The Red Dragons certainly weren't breathing fire, gaining only 66 total yards in the final 30 minutes.
"Our defense won the game for us," Norton said. "It came down to which defense can stop who."
The Panthers' defense hadn't forgotten how Cortland had shoved the ball down its throat late in last year's game, driving 99 yards to score and sew up the win.
"That was in the back of my mind the whole time. We remembered, believe me," said Ferrum senior linebacker Jim Kitts, who had a team-high 13 tackles, including two for loss, and an interception.
Junior Eric Bates, who had 92 of Ferrum's 206 yards rushing, wrapped up the scoring with 2:33 left, leaving four would-be tacklers in his wake on a 21-yard burst.
Vining, who completed seven of 19 passes for 96 yards, said there's more impetus driving this club besides the fact it's Norton's last season. He said the Panthers want to prove last season's 4-5 record was an aberration and regain the program's respect on the national level.
"We want to prove the doubters wrong," he said. "Two top-20 teams. We beat 'em. We pretty much did whatever we wanted to against 'em.
"We'll accept the underdog role. It's not true. We can beat anybody."
\ see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB