
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, September 18, 1994                   TAG: 9409210003
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From staff and Associated Press reports
DATELINE: JOHNSON CITY, TENN.                                 LENGTH: Medium

VMI RALLIES BUT FALLS TO ETSU

Jeff Johnson caught three touchdown passes and had a school-record 16 receptions to lead East Tennessee State past VMI 31-21 on Saturday in Southern Conference football.

Despite the loss, the Keydets became the first team to score against the Buccaneers this season. East Tennessee State beat Catawba 42-0 and Morehead State 44-0 in its first two games.

Johnson scored for the Buccaneers (3-0 overall, 1-0 in the conference) off a 5-yard pass from Greg Ryan with 3 minutes, 51 seconds remaining in the first quarter, then caught a 75-yard bomb from Chris Beatty with 12:59 left in the half.

Johnson scored on another pass from Ryan, a 9-yarder, with 6:23 left in the game to seal the victory.

Johnson's 16 receptions broke the East Tennessee State record of 13, set by Hal Morrison in 1953.

``Jeff Johnson is a true All-American and he showed it today,'' said Mike Cavan, the Buccaneers' coach.

Al Lester's 40-yard pass to Timmy Williams put VMI (0-2,1-1) on the board with 13:33 left in the first quarter. East Tennessee State scored the next 24 points.

Lester scored on a 1-yard run with 8:40 left in the third period, then Thomas Haskins' 1-yard run with 9:47 left in the game pulled the Keydets to 24-21. Ryan's 9-yard scoring pass to Johnson in the fourth quarter sealed the victory.

``I thought we played very hard, we've just got to play for four quarters,'' said Bill Stewart, VMI's head coach. ``We're learning that. ... We didn't [play] nearly as good after that first big play we had.''

Haskins rushed 22 times for 98 yards to lead VMI.

by CNB