Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411220053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AND STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: BOONE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Former George Wythe standout Geoff Goff kicked four field goals, including a 44-yarder in overtime, and tailback Thomas Haskins rushed for 245 yards and two touchdowns to give VMI its first victory of the season, 26-23 over Appalachian State in a Southern Conference game.
A game-ending interception by freshman Damon Pinero in the end zone ended VMI's losing streak at 15 games.
The Keydets (1-10) snapped an 18-game road losing skid dating to 1991, when they defeated Richmond. The win also marks the end of a 15-game Southern Conference road losing streak dating to 1990, when the Keydets beat East Tennessee State.
VMI's last three victories have come in overtime. The Keydets beat Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1992 and 1993 in overtime.
``I've been going home since Sept.13 and hugging my little boy, calling my mom and dad, and telling them to stay tough,'' VMI head coach Bill Stewart said. ``Because I'm pretty tough, or so they say back home. It's [the win] big, and I hope a lot more come.''
Appalachian State (8-3 overall, 6-2 Southern Conference) saw its hopes for a conference title, and possibly a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs, dashed. Marshall claimed the title and the league's automatic postseason berth.
``We're disappointed in not winning the Southern Conference,'' Appalachian State head coach Jerry Moore said. ``You always remember the championships you win, and you also remember the ones you lose. I really thought VMI played extremely well and had a good game plan both offensively and defensively.''
The Mountaineers tied the score with 33 seconds left on Scott Satterfield's 3-yard run. The subsequent extra point sent the game into overtime and set up Goff's heroics.
But Appalachian State reached the VMI 6-yard line on a pass from Setterfield to Don Blue before Pinero picked off a Setterfield pass two plays later to run out the clock.
Haskins ran the ball 32 times to have the fourth-highest rushing game in VMI history. The sophomore gained 245 of the Keydets' 267 rushing yards. Haskins, the conference's leading rusher, finished the season with 1,509 rushing yards. His 2,103 career rushing yards places him fifth on VMI's all-time list.
``I ought to be arrested for abuse,'' Stewart said of his tailback. ``He's only 5-8, 172 pounds, and I probably shouldn't run him as much as I do, but we kept giving it to him because he's the best we've got.''
Haskins scored on runs of 31 and 9 yards - the last one coming with four minutes, two seconds left to give VMI a 23-16 lead.
Goff kicked field goals of 26, 46, 44, and 44 yards to finish his career with 16 field goals. He is third among VMI kickers with 93 points and his 16 career field goals place him tied for fourth in VMI history. Goff and Haskins accounted for all of VMI's points.
``We're very fortunate and very lucky to have come out of this football game on top,'' Stewart said. ``Don't count out those VMI men. We're a long way from doing it on a regular basis, but we're [going] in the right direction.''
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.