Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 19, 1994 TAG: 9411230044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
Still, the Spartans know not for certain.
Giles, which had overcome second-half deficits to prevail over the Bobcats in their past two meetings, staved off Radford's late comeback hopes to win17-14 in the first round of the Region C Division 2 playoffs.
The Spartans play the winner of today's George Wythe-Lebanon game next week for the region championship.
It was a game that had all the hallmarks of a championship: Giles (11-0), which won its 25th straight game, received multiple contributions from a collection of players who know what it takes to win a Group A state championship.
It took that kind of gumption to fend off Radford (8-3), which saw its season end despite a great surge that rallied them from a 17-0 fourth-quarter deficit.
``That was a gut-check,'' said Raypheal Milton, the Spartans' senior tailback and defensive back.
Radford's two fourth-quarter scores - a 2-yard run by Elmo Dunbar with 9 minutes, 19 seconds to play and a 6-yard pass from Foster Ridpath to Tremond Hale with 2:14 left - harkened back to another famous Radford comeback. In 1991,the Bobcats scored two touchdowns in the final 6 minutes of the Group AA Division 4 semifinals before losing to Jefferson Forest in sudden death.
``This group simply has great pride,'' said Radford coach Norman Lineburg.
There was no shortage of hubris on the other sideline. With Radford's defense keying on Milton, and limiting him to 43 yards on 22 carries, other Spartans sparkled. Chris Ratcliffe bolted 45 yards in the first quarter for Giles' first score and Maurice Milton, who led Giles with 79 rushing yards, kicked a 26-yard field goal with 9:55 in the first half to make it 11-0.
``For the first time this season, we're in a position where we can go to a lot of people other than Raypheal,'' said Ragsdale. ``With Raypheal, Maurice, Ratcliffe and [Reggie] Hoston, we feel we have a better attack.''
Radford missed a couple of chances early. Raypheal Milton fumbled the snap on the first play of the game, the Bobcats recovered, but failed to get points when Kirk Perrow's field goal try sailed wide left. The Bobcats also lost the ball on downs twice in the first half, the first time at midfield, setting up Ratcliffe's touchdown scamper.
``The last two times we played them, we were ahead 21-0 and 21-14,'' said Lineburg. ``We knew we could make a comeback like they had done against us.''
When Giles held Radford on its first possession of the second half then chewed up 7 minutes of thethird quarter on a 72-yard scoring drive, the Spartans appeared to have matters in hand.
Maurice Milton, who left the game in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle, dashed 10 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-0. A conversion pass failed.
``In the first half, maybe we got away from our offense,'' said Lineburg. ``We came out in the option, which maybe isn't our cup of tea. Once we settled down in the second half and ran our basic plays, we did better.''
That meant allowing quarterback Ridpath to throw more often. All four of his completions came in the second half, three on Radford's final scoring drive.
Led by the passing of Ridpath and the running of Jameel Hendrick, who had a 21-yard carry on the drive, the Bobcats put together a 76-yard scoring drive that ended with Tremond Hale making a juggling catch of a 6-yard Ridpath pass in the end zone.
Perrow's kick made it 17-14 with 2:14 to play.
Radford took three tries at an onside kick - one was nullified by a motion penalty, another was attempted before the ball was ruled ready to kick - before Giles' Brian Crawford recovered.
The outcome was not assured until Brandon Steele barreled 1 yard for a decisive first down with 1:13 remaining. Radford had used all its timeouts and could do nothing but watch Raypheal Milton kneel twice and run out the clock.
It was the final big play of the night for Steele, who is used mostly at linebacker and as a backup fullback. His clutch carry was just his second of the game. On defense, he had seven solo tackles. Milton had nine.
``As a coach, this is the type of game you don't sit down and analyze after it's over,'' said Ragsdale. ``You say, "Man, we came out on top, let's just go on to the next one. I'm just tickled to be on top.'''
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB