Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 3, 1994 TAG: 9409070082
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
You'd have been right on one count.
"I wasn't even thinking about last year," he said. "This is a new season, new players."
Milton was, however, ready to play some football.
Going all the way for the first time in his career on both offense and defense, Milton had one of the most remarkable performances ever seen in these parts as he accounted for 352 yards total offense and had a hand in 20 points scored as the Spartans decked archrival Blacksburg 30-14 in the season opener for both teams Friday before a standing-room crowd.
A whole lot of mouths were agape after this one and that wasn't even counting some tired players.
"I hope I don't see many more better [individual] performances than that," Blacksburg coach David Crist said of Milton.
The Spartans senior tailback rushed 35 times for 248 yards and three touchdowns, completed six of 10 passes for 104 yards, and threw for a two-point conversion. Two passed got dropped that could have produced at least an additional 30 yards and another touchdown.
"Raypheal just loves to play football," Giles coach Steve Ragsdale. "You could see it in his eyes all week long how excited he was."
What does Milton think of all this? Exactly what a Giles tailback is taught to think.
"The offensive line was tremendous," he said. "They were outrageous. They were opening up the holes. They were giving me time to throw, so I could set my feet and look around."
After three first-half lead changes, Giles scored 17 unanswered points to win going away. Giles had 412 total yards including 49 rushing by fullback Maurice Milton and between 30 and 39 yards receiving each from Anthony Myers, Chris Huskey, and Chris Ratcliffe. Maurice Milton added a 2-yard TD run and a 25-yard field goal.
As slick as the Spartans were offensively, the defense takes a large share of the credit for this triumph. After allowing Blacksburg quarterback Greg Shockley to carve them up by going 7-for-8 passing for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, the Spartans held him to one completion in eight attempts for 10 yards and an interception the rest of the way.
"We weren't lining up right at first," said Giles linebacker Brandon Steele, who had six days of practice while mending from June knee surgery. "They were setting up in an unbalanced line and we weren't in position. Our defensive line started to put more pressure on him so he didn't have enough time to throw and the secondary just took over."
Blacksburg , which returns a substantial nucleus from a AA Division 4 semifinalist a year ago, certainly got off to a roaring start. Shockley (who also rushed for 44 yards) went 4-for-4 for 68 yards and a 21-yard score to Jim Reemsnyder the first time it had the ball. Giles answered immediately, going 74 yards in five plays, Raypheal Milton in from 8 out.
Raypheal added a 2-yard scoring run with 7:49 left in the half (Maurice's kick failed after a procedure penalty), but Blacksburg took a one-point lead less than two minutes later when Shockley passed 49 yards to tailback Tony Wheeler for the touch. Wheeler ran through at least two tackles en route.
It was all Giles after that.
"The kids played hard, awful hard," said Ragsdale, whose team has won 15-straight games, 20-straight in the regular season.
Giles did so after losing two starters, wingback Reggie Hoston and tackle David Greever in the first five plays of the game. Both have twisted knees that are expected to heal relatively quickly.
Reemsnyder, who would catch three passes for 58 yards, was caught on a wicked but legal blindside block on a second-half punt (both teams punted only once each), was taken from the field on a board and departed via ambulance. Crist said he had a suspected concussion was but was going to be released.
"That was an awfully good win for us," Ragsdale said. "I can't even put it into words."
Crist could.
"Raypheal should be the player of the week. He has my vote. I think he has the votes of all my players, too."
by CNB