Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 1, 1994 TAG: 9410220035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The arsenal was needed as the Patriots went by both air and ground to wear down Halifax 20-14 in a non-district high school football game at Victory Stadium Friday.
Officially, Kevin Washington scored the game-winning touchdown with 5 minutes, 45 seconds left. It was set up when Larry Jones, one of the state's fastest Group AAA hurdlers, sprinted 28 yards on an end reverse to the Comet 1.
Before that, PH had pulled to within two points as quarterback Donnie Smith hit Nick Saunders on a crossing pattern for a 26-yard touchdown pass. It was the first pass Saunders has caught this season.
As big as Saunders' catch was, he also had two interceptions in the fourth quarter to close down Halifax County's air game, in which Carlos Jackson amassed 255 yards.
It was the first victory for PH (3-1) over a Group AAA team. That's important since the Patriots face E.C. Glass, possibly the Northwest Region's best team, in their next game.
Smith also did well through the air. He passed for 161 yards and the Patriots, behind five different runners, rushed for 143 yards. It was the air game, though, that helped PH wipe out a 14-6 deficit.
``We thought we had the inside [rushing] game going,'' said PH coach Ed Scott. ``It didn't materialize. I had to give up on it. Donnie did a heck of a job [passing] and got good protection from the line.''
PH needed a boost. The Patriots were beset by all kinds of adversity late in the first half. It started when Monty Smith caught a 9-yard pass for a first down on PH's first scoring drive, but went down with a sprained ankle.
The Patriots scored anyway as Donnie Smith hooked up with Enoch Williams on a 15-yard touchdown pass. Since Monty Smith handles place-kicking duties, PH had to try for two. Donnie Smith's run failed and the Patriots still trailed 7-6.
With 1:58 left before the half, PH had Halifax County (3-2) pinned on its 24. Jackson was up to the task as he completed 4 of 6 passes, the last for 12 yards to Kevin Floyd, as the Comets scored with 19 seconds left to take a 14-6 lead.
The score left PH with a lot of second-half work to do.
``In the first half, we just didn't have any confidence,'' Donnie Smith said. ``At the half, coach [Scott] gave us a little speech and we picked up our game.''
``I was very upset at the half and the kids responded after I got on them pretty good,'' said Scott.
There's little doubt that the touchdown pass to Saunders was one of the turning points. The other was that the PH defense finally got a rush on Jackson and helped Saunders set up for his interceptions.
After the teams traded punts to start the third quarter, PH went on a 58-yard march that ended with Saunders' catch.
``He [Donnie Smith] hadn't gone to me all night, but I've run that pattern in practice,'' said Saunders of the catch.
``Coach Scott told me to take a three-step drop and look for him,'' Smith said. ``He was so wide open and I was afraid I wouldn't get the ball to him.''
The Comets came right back, going through the air as Jackson hit Floyd, his favorite target with seven catches for the game, four times. Then Saunders started picking them off. With Halifax on the Patriot 12 trying to go ahead again, Saunders stepped in front of Floyd in the end zone to end the threat.
Scott said Floyd was open all night on a weak-side pattern.
``That was not the fault of the defensive backs. The linebackers have to help on coverage. We had very poor coverage by the linebackers,'' the PH coach added.
For inspiration, Monty Smith hobbled back on the field and caught a 33-yard pass from Donnie Smith right after the interception. He was also back on defense, which is where he is most valuable.
After PH took the lead, Donnie Smith fumbled the ball on the Comet 5 as PH was about to score the clinching touchdown following a 50-yard punt return by Jamie Price. So Saunders intercepted Jackson again to clinch the victory.
``I was just trying to pick us up and make something happen in the second half,'' said Saunders of three fourth-quarter catches - two on defense and one on offense - that saved PH's hide.
see microfilm for box score
Memo: ***CORRECTION***