Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9410110077
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JIMMY ROBERTSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FERRUM LENGTH: Medium
Westminster (Pa.) won the toss and deferred to the second half, but Ferrum decided to kick off to open the game and then had to kick off again to start the second half.
And while the decision didn't make a difference in the outcome of the game, it symbolized what type of day it would be as the Titans crushed the Panthers 37-6 in a non-conference college football game at Adams Field.
If anything, the decision helped because on Westminster's first play, Andy Blatt, the school's second all-time leading rusher who finished with 124 yards rushing on 24 carries, fumbled and the Panthers' Kevin Slough recovered it at the Westminster 32.
But as was the case all day long, Ferrum could not capitalize. The Panthers (1-4) drove to the 16 yard line, but quarterback Millard Vining was sacked on third down and David Waddell's 42-yard field goal attempt was partially blocked.
``We knew that three points was not going to beat them or even seven,'' Ferrum coach Dave Davis said. ``We wanted to come up with something just to get our feet on the ground and we couldn't do it.''
And Westminster (4-1) went right to work. The Titans drove 73 yards in five plays before Sean O'Shea hit Eric Szepietowski for a 40-yard touchdown with nine minutes, 54 seconds left in the first quarter.
William Woods made the extra point to give Westminster, a powerhouse in NAIA Division II, a 7-0 lead.
Ferrum's problems continued on the ensuing kickoff. Mike Souma, a former William Fleming standout, fumbled the ball after a jolting hit by a Titan defender and Eric Kifer returned it 35-yards for Westminster's second touchdown in nine seconds.
``I don't think that was the turning point of the game,'' Davis said. ``I don't think there was any turning point unless it was when the person scheduled this game four years ago.''
The real problem for the Panthers was an anemic offense, particularly in the first half. Ferrum managed only two first downs and 53 yards of total offense compared to eight first downs and 178 yards of total offense for the Titans.
``We just did not execute and blast off the ball,'' said Souma. ``We had a good game plan with a good mix of run and pass, but we just could not get it going.''
Despite several chances in the first half, the Titans didn't put the Panthers away. Late in the first quarter, Westminster drove to the Ferrum 4-yard line, but had to settle for a 30-yard field goal by Woods after O'Shea was sacked on third-and-goal. Late in the second quarter, the Titans drove 56 yards to the Ferrum 10, but again had to settle for a Woods field goal, this time from 27 yards.
Ferrum's only touchdown came in the third quarter. The Panthers drove 72 yards in three plays with Vining hitting Souma, a wide receiver from Franklin County, on a 40-yard pass for the score.
``The coaches saw their linebackers moving close to the line and that left the middle open,'' Souma said. ``Millard made a good throw and I was untouched.''
The two-point conversion attempt failed and Ferrum trailed 23-6. But the Titans answered with a nine-play, 47-yard drive that ended with O'Shea hitting Jaron Hilovsky with an 11-yard touchdown pass. O'Shea completed 11 of 17 passes for 160 yards.
by CNB