Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 9, 1993 TAG: 9310090228
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Led by the senior tandem of Rod Akers and Shannon Taylor, the Patriots whipped the Hilltoppers 24-7 in a non-district game at Victory Stadium.
Taylor, Timesland's sixth-leading passer, connected with Akers three times, twice for touchdowns.
"I'm a senior and I and the other seniors on the team wanted to come out and beat Glass and the other teams that we haven't beaten since the ninth grade," Taylor said.
"It's a big rivalry. In basketball, we'd go over there to play them and they'd still be playing football. That's tough to take."
Taylor spent most of the night under pressure but still completed 11 of 26 passes for 191 yards. He started the scoring two minutes into the second quarter with a 7-yard completion to slotback Adrian Moore. Akers' point-after kick was blocked.
Taylor found Akers open in the left corner of the end zone at the 3:26 mark to make it 12-0. PH went for two points, but Akers was stuffed on the run.
After the Hilltoppers (2-4) went three downs and out, the Patriots (3-2) took over on the Glass 44-yard line and scrambled into scoring range.
On the last play of the half, receiver Jamie Price went wide left and Taylor looked to throw. But the Hilltoppers' pressed and Taylor ran to the 2-yard line only to meet a brick wall - 6-foot-5, 342-pound lineman Chris McKenna.
"Our blocking wasn't crisp," Patriots coach Ed Scott said. "We couldn't get off the ball. We just didn't execute on offense.
"We had a great game last week with our backs blocking, but couldn't get it done tonight."
In the second half, PH went for a first downs three times on fourth down and were stopped on each try.
"Glass stunted us a lot, put a lot of pressure on us," Taylor said. "We were lucky the defense was there for us and had a good game on that end of the ball."
Scott wasn't overly pleased with the defense which allowed the Hilltoppers 135 yards rushing and 95 passing.
"Defensively, we had pretty good execution, but we can still play better football," Scott said. "Of course it's always nice to get a win, especially over Glass who we haven't beaten in awhile."
E.C. Glass scored on its first possession of the second half when junior Breon Crennel broke through the middle from 12 yards out.
PH responded by scoring 12 points in the final quarter, including the second Taylor-to-Akers throw at the 5:57 mark.
On the next possession, PH's Nick Saunders intercepted an Andre Kendrick pass and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown, aided by an Akers block. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB