Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 29, 1994 TAG: 9410310061
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MIKE ASHLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Everything went right for Pulaski County in its 49-0 homecoming victory over the Crimson Wave at Kenneth Dobson Stadium. The Cougars (7-1) rushed for 280 yards and built a 28-0 halftime lead. Then, just for good measure, Ronald Branch returned the second-half kickoff 60 yards for a score.
``Everybody gets to play and go to the dance happy,'' Pulaski County coach Joel Hicks said. ``That's the way it's supposed to go at homecoming, I guess.''
Petersburg (3-5) won the coin toss, but elected to start on defense. The Cougars scored on their first two offensive possessions, then added a touchdown without a possession on a botched Petersburg punt.
``We're a very young team,'' Petersburg coach and former Virginia Tech receiver Tony McKee said. ``We're going to make mistakes. We're learning. Tonight we learned you can't make this many mistakes against a good team.''
Derrick Hunter gained all of Pulaski County's 61 yards in five first-drive plays. He scored on a 34-yard run less than three minutes into the game.
Petersburg was three-plays-and-out, then a short punt gave the Cougars the ball at the Crimson Wave 43-yard line. Jawan Clark ripped off a 30-yard run, then homecoming king Tim Davis scored from 7 yards and the rout was on.
The next Crimson Wave punt attempt was snapped over Anthony Pope's head and Pulaski County's Mike Rupe wrestled the ball away from Pope in the end zone for the score.
``The ball just went over his head and when [Pope] dived on it, he missed it,'' Rupe said. ``I just dived on it.''
Rupe also played a key role on a pass defense that allowed the Crimson Wave only 10 pass completions in 24 attempts.
``We figured they'd come out and do nothing but pass,'' Rupe said. ``We were ready for them.''
Pope, who completed 9 of 23 passes for 108 yards, got the Petersburg passing game cranked up in the second quarter, moving the Wave 64 yards to the Pulaski 19 before the drive stalled with a Rupe sack for a 6-yard loss on third down and a pass incompletion on fourth down caused by pressure from Rupe.
Another Petersburg threat ended with one second left before the half when Andre Eaves intercepted a pass in the end zone.
``We had some opportunities,`` McKee said. ``You've got to take advantage when you get those chances. If you don't, a team like Pulaski County will come right back at you.''
The Cougars cleared the bench in the second half and the Pulaski County substitutes chewed up nearly nine minutes on a fourth quarter, 73-yard drive before Petersburg got the ball back with just 1:15 remaining.
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB