Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 5, 1994 TAG: 9411080024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
The Cougars' Roanoke Valley District showdown with Patrick Henry was more of a lowdown for the Patriots, who fell to Pulaski County 45-14.
Pulaski County showed it can play with anyone and controlled the entire game while clinching at least a tie for the RVD title. No matter what happens against Cave Spring in next week's regular-season finale, the Cougars have claimed the RVD's spot in the Group AAA Northwest Division 5 playoffs and likely will play E.C. Glass here in two weeks if Stonewall Jackson-Manassas wins its district title.
PH also has a shot to make the Division 6 playoffs as a wild card. The Patriots close against William Fleming next week, but might already have enough points to qualify after Cave Spring's 13-12 loss to Salem Friday.
It is the 10th time that Pulaski County has either shared or won the RVD title in coach Joel Hicks' 16-year tenure.
The game started on an ominous note when two-year Pulaski County center Reggie Page suffered what may be an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee on the kickoff. He will be examined today.
Page's injury failed to slow the Cougars, who scored in just six plays. Fullback Tim Davis ran on five of those plays, setting up the touchdown by returning the opening kickoff to the Patriots' 40-yard line, then scoring from 14 yards.
``We played real well. We were ready. We wanted to win the RVD championship at home. This was one of our most complete games offensively and defensively,'' Hicks said.
Davis' opening play was just a start for the Cougars (8-1 overall, 3-0 in the RVD).
Pulaski County rushed for 427 yards - Derrick Hunter had 127 yards while Eric Webb tacked on 114.
``The team never got down at any point,'' said Pulaski County quarterback Andre Eaves, who just picked a number and then usually got a big gainer.
``We wanted this game bad for the seniors. They'll never play Patrick Henry again.''
Patrick Henry (6-3, 2-1) got its own ominous start when quarterback Donnie Smith, the district's top passer, became ill before game time. Dennis Dunnaville started and Smith tried to play in the third quarter, but completed only one pass.
``They physically took it to us,'' PH coach Ed Scott said. ``We knew coming in we had to be tough on making tackles and we didn't do it.''
The Cougars built a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter on Shayne Graham's 27-yard field goal and a 42-yard run by Hunter on the second play of the second quarter.
Then, PH got its chance. Dunnaville started throwing and completed three consecutive passes before Dan Ankoma's 21-yard touchdown run cut the Pulaski County lead to 17-6 - the extra-point kick failed.
The Patriots' hopes rised when an assortment of penalties backed the Cougars to their own 27. A bad snap and a blocked punt left PH on the Pulaski County 25.
But any momentum was killed when the Cougars' Jamar McNair intercepted a Dunnaville pass in the flat. McNair could have returned it for a score but he fumbled the ball, picked it back up, then was ruled to have touched his knee to the ground at the Cougars' 15.
``We used a different formation for our linebackers,'' said Hicks, who switched defenses to stop Dunnaville's passing.
``For a sophomore [in a big game] and for no more experience than he's had, Dennis did a good job,'' Scott said. ``He just read the wrong person on the interception.''
It was 24-6 by the half after Pulaski County followed McNair's pick with an 85-yard scoring drive. Webb had the big gainer with a 26-yard run and Eaves scored from 14.
Webb was tremendous on the criss-cross play, a staple for the Cougars during their stretch of winning all but four games in the past two seasons.
``It worked as well as it's worked this year in the second half,'' Webb said. ``We worked all week on it. We blocked real well and things opened up.''
A bad snap on a PH punt set up Pulaski County for a score on its first possession of the second half. Davis scored from the 3. He also ran in from the 1 in the fourth quarter after Pulaski County had driven 61 yards, including an 18-yard pass from Eaves to Webb.
Is Pulaski County ready for a third consecutive trip to the state finals?
``We're approaching last year,'' said Webb, who missed the championship game with a broken jaw.
``This was as well as we played last year. We want to go back to the state,'' Eaves said.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB