Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 21, 1993 TAG: 9311210160
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-9 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Bourne, George Wythe High School's clever and shifty little wishbone quarterback, called his own play on first down. He broke up the middle, avoided a traffic jam at the line of scrimmage, skipped back to his right, then outlegged the last fading Lebanon defender for a 54-yard touchdown with 30 seconds left Saturday at Pendleton Field.
Randy Blevins' conversion kick was true, but it hardly was needed because Bourne's big-play magic had snapped a tie and delivered a 15-8 Maroons victory in the opening round of the Group A Division 2 Region C playoffs.
"We were going to run that play, and if it didn't work, get ready for overtime," said Bourne, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound senior who played quarterback and defensive back on this sunny but brisk afternoon. "The play looked like it was going to get stuffed, so I cut back across the field. I was determined that they weren't going to catch me."
George Wythe (11-0), visits Mountain Empire District kingpin Giles at 7:30 p.m. Friday for a game that will determine the regional title. The matchup will renew a rivalry that goes back to their days in the Group AA New River District. Giles, which routed Chilhowie 33-0 in its game Friday, also is undefeated.
The Hogoheegee District champions had to erase a seven-point second-quarter deficit, and most of their offense came on a couple of big plays. But it was the defense that won this game for George Wythe.
"We didn't move the ball at all after our scoring drive," said John "Doc" Adams, the Pioneers' coach. "We tried to run the option play, but they just took that away from us. They outquicked us just like they did before."
Adams was referring to the Maroons' 10-3 victory at Lebanon during the regular season.
George Wythe, led by linebacker Rodney Belcher, held the Pioneers (8-3) to 121 total yards, 39 of those coming in the second half. Lebanon had two first downs after intermission.
"The defense is the heart and soul of our team," Bourne said. "Our offense is good, but the defense kicks butt."
Lebanon struck first with a 62-yard drive that was given considerable assistance by two 15-yard penalties. The Pioneers scored on the first play of the second quarter, when quarterback Ryan Cowden lofted a 2-yard pass to 6-6 wide receiver Brian Sword, who snagged it like a man picking an apple. Cowden and Sword also connected on the subsequent two-point conversion.
The passing matchups between Sword and Wythe backs such as Bourne and Blevins - each giving away eight inches in height - seemed to favor Lebanon. But the Pioneers attempted only two more passes and both were incomplete.
"It seemed like every time we had the ball the wind was in our face," Adams said. "Besides, we don't throw that well anyway."
That took a lot of pressure off the Maroons' secondary and allowed it to play the run with more vigor.
"We were wondering after the last game why they didn't throw more," Bourne said. "Will wonders never cease?"
Bourne fumbled at the Lebanon 41 later in the period, and the Pioneers penetrated as far as the Wythe 43 before they were forced to punt. Two plays later, Blevins took an option pitch to the left, cut back across the field and scooted 60 yards for the touchdown. Bourne passed to Blevins for the conversion to tie it with 2:06 left before the break.
"I saw a hole and it just got bigger and bigger," Blevins said of the touchdown play. "I tried to take advantage of the situation."
Wythe only had six first downs, but the Maroons often hurt their own cause. An interception killed a promising drive at midfield, and a Blevins fumble gave Lebanon the ball at the Wythe 22 in the third quarter. After an offside penalty gave the Pioneers a first-and-five at the 17, they could not pick up the first down.
"We made a lot of mistakes," said Larry Russell, the Maroons' coach. "But we kept grinding and hoped something good would happen. I didn't want to go into overtime, though. You never know what's going to happen then."
by CNB