Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 20, 1993 TAG: 9311200244
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Cardwell rushed for 249 yards and four touchdowns, and Smith added three touchdowns for North Cross (11-0 overall, 5-0 in the Virginia Independent Conference).
"They had the best 1-2 combination in the backfield that we've seen," said Gary Brock, Huguenot's coach. "They had a few more athletes than we did."
"It was really a question of speed vs. power," said Jim Muscaro, the North Cross coach. "Our speed overcame them at all positions."
"These are great kids," he added. "They responded well and pushed hard. They never gave up the whole season."
The Raiders scored on their first two possessions. Five minutes into the first quarter, Cardwell scrambled in from 6 yards. He added a two-point conversion run to make it 8-0.
Four minutes later, the 6-foot, 173-pound senior found an opening, broke two tackles and scored on a 32-yard run.
"I knew that our line had been doing a great job all year. I just did what I'm supposed to do," said Cardwell, who also made several key tackles.
Huguenot (11-2 overall, 5-1 in the Virginia Commonwealth Conference) scored two minutes into the second half on a 1-yard Marlowe Guy keeper. Heath Horton ran for the two-point conversion to make it 16-8 North Cross.
Horton, who rushed for 161 yards and five touchdowns in the Rebels' semifinal victory over Quantico, was held to 59 yards rushing on six carries Friday, all in the first half. Horton, 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, caught three passes for 73 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown from Guy in the third quarter.
"Historically, big backs haven't done well against our defense. We've never really been able to figure it out," said Muscaro, who also won a state basketball title this year.
Cardwell scored his third touchdown on a 2-yard run with seven minutes left in the first half. On Huguenot's next possession, Guy threw a pass right into the arms of North Cross quarterback-defensive back Hal Johnson.
Johnson's 37-yard pass to Smith put the Raiders up 28-8.
"This is the best feeling," said Johnson, a junior who completed 13 of 21 passes for 173 yards and no interceptions.
Johnson said he still dwelled on last year's state championship game, which North Cross lost 6-0 to Lynchburg Christian.
"It's been in the back of our minds all year and a big reason for our success this year," Johnson said. "We worked hard to make sure it didn't happen again."
Cardwell, who finished his senior season with 1,592 yards rushing, agreed.
"That loss last year really motivated us to come out and play hard and not get in that same situation," he said.
The Raiders made sure of that early. They held a 34-8 advantage by halftime, prompting Brock to make an "appeal to pride."
"I told them I knew they were a good team to have made it this far," Brock said. "It was a great experience for the kids and the program."
"[North Cross was] a good team. We were arm-tackling, but a lot was due to them. Their offensive line came off hard and low. I tip my hat to Jim and his entire group."
The Raiders finished with 494 yards of total offense - 321 rushing and 173 passing. Cardwell led the receivers with five catches for 64 yards. Smith, playing with an injured left ankle that has slowed him all season, caught three for 53.
"[The ankle] hurt a couple of times, but I knew it was the last game and I had to play," Smith said. " . . . This is the best feeling in the world."
The Rebels added a touchdown with 53 seconds left in the game. Guy found Spencer Hayes in the end zone for a 15-yard score.
Guy completed 17 of 29 passes for 209 yards.
by CNB