Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 15, 1994 TAG: 9411010010
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
The Spartans collectively are as stubborn and ornery as an old billy goat with an advanced case of indigestion.
They showed Radford that side of their personality in a 36-21 victory Friday night that in all probability determined the first Three Rivers District championship.
Radford had the state's top-ranked Group A team by the scruff of the neck in the first half, leading 21-14. The Bobcats' Foster Ridpath had made three great plays as Radford scored the last two touchdowns of the second quarter: a 17-yard bullet of a pass to brawny tight end Chuck Hubbard and (while playing halfback on defense) a 27-yard interception return for a score and the subsequent two-point conversion run.
It was the first time Giles had trailed at the break this year. But it was all Spartans after that, as they scored 22 points, crunched Radford defensively and ball-controlled the Bobcats right into oblivion.
Giles won its 20th consecutive game.
``We didn't stop them at all in the second half,'' said Norman Lineburg, Radford's coach. ``They were like a different team.''
A little halftime oratory from Steve Ragsdale, the Giles coach, got the Spartans started.
``It was a fiery speech,'' said Brandon Steele, an offensive guard and middle linebacker. ``He asked us, `Who has the guts, us or them?'''
That's a question for others to decide, but this much is sure: Giles (6-0 overall, 3-0 in the district) made the plays. Of Radford's 104 rushing yards, only 15 came after the break. Ridpath's passing produced 42 of a total of 98 yards and two interceptions. Hubbard caught all three of Ridpath's second-half completions and finished with four receptions for 58 yards.
Other receivers for the Bobcats (4-2, 0-1) had less distinguished nights. At least five balls were dropped, costing the team as many first downs and maybe more.
``Everybody talks about the Giles offense, but they play great defense,'' Lineburg said. ``They play hard.''
The Giles offense didn't suffer by comparison. The Spartans chewed up 351 yards on the ground, 236 of those coming on 26 carries by Raypheal Milton. He scored four touchdowns and three two-point conversions.
Milton had 125 yards in the first half.
One Milton scoring run covered 45 yards and another late in the fourth quarter went for 43 and put the game away. Fullback Maurice Milton, Raypheal's brother, had the TD, an 11-yarder in the third quarter, and concluded with 59 rushing yards.
``Absolutely a splendid tailback,'' Lineburg said of Milton. ``He's got it all.''
What Milton didn't have as much of against Radford was passing accuracy. Aside from the two interceptions, he had other problems and completed three of nine for 33 yards.
``Give Radford the credit,'' Ragsdale said. ``They covered our receivers well and had a good pass rush on. It wasn't easy to complete a pass against them.''
Actually, nothing came easy against the Bobcats (4-2, 0-1), who attacked ferociously on both sides of the ball all night.
Radford led twice. The first time, with 3 minutes, 16 seconds left in the first quarter, Eddie Waldron exploited a tardy whistle to sprint 19 yards and Kirk Perrow kicked the extra point to make it 7-6. The Bobcats again led after Ridpath's interception return with 6:11 left before the break. But again, as last year when the Bobcats blew a 21-point halftime lead and lost to the Spartans, they couldn't make it stand up.
That says something about Giles.
``We get down and we get a little closer,'' tackle Alex Webb said.
``They're as good a team as I've seen in a long time,'' Lineburg said. ``They're well coached, they don't make mistakes, and they have great talent.''
\ see microfilm for box score
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.