Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 27, 1994 TAG: 9411290049
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1PORTS EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEBANON LENGTH: Medium
But on a gray and breezy afternoon in the mountains, the Spartans became uncharacteristically careless. Two turnovers and a load of a Lebanon running backs were a fatal combination as the Pioneers prevailed 28-16 in the Group A Division 2 Region C championship game.
And so the state's longest winning streak evaporated at 25 games and the fallen Spartans were denied a shot at their second consecutive state championship.
The Pioneers (12-0) will be home for next weekend's semifinal against Powell Valley, which wasted Haysi 38-0 in the Region D title match Saturday.
``I don't want to take anything away from Lebanon, because it did an excellent job,'' said Steve Ragsdale, Giles' coach. ``But when you don't play as well as you could play, that disappoints you.''
The game turned for the Spartans (11-1) on two plays that bookended halftime. The first was after Lebanon had finessed 69 yards in 12 well-crafted plays for a touchdown and two-point conversion that tied the score at 8.
Giles got a good kickoff return from Chris Ratcliffe and had a first down at its 46 with a little more than 30 seconds to play. Showing the trademark go-for-the-throat instincts for which they are known, the Spartans, perhaps hoping to catch the Pioneers asleep, sought another score.
Raypheal Milton, Giles' splendid single-wing tailback who finished his last game with 192 yards total offense, looked down the right sideline for a receiver. Milton heaved a pass off his back foot. The delivery was short and cornerback Kelvin Coleman stepped in to make the interception. Coleman looked as if he was finished a couple of times, but he broke free and raced down the sideline for a 62-yard scoring return.
``After I made my cut, I got some good blocking,'' Coleman said. ``But I still didn't think I had a chance.''
The ensuing conversion kick by Michael Cross never went higher than one of his blocker's backside, but the mood shift going into the break was apparent.
Giles, though, could look forward to the second-half kickoff. Ratcliffe made another nice return, but as he was being wrapped up, somebody jerked the ball out of his hands and the Pioneers took possession at the Spartans' 32.
Fourteen yards were eaten up in four carries by 6-foot-3, 211-pound running back Nathan McGlothlin, who had overcome hamstring injuries to rush for 1,456 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. The big plays of the short march belonged to the quarterback, Ryan Cowden.
The shifty junior, who scrambled all day to avoid the pass rush and buy time, did it twice, hitting Gordon Holmes for a first down on third-and-eight, then rolling to his left before reversing his field to zip a 7-yard touchdown pass to Travis Brightbill.
``They had a good rush all day,'' Cowden said. ``They put some stunts on and they kept getting guys through.''
Giles responded with a 3-yard Milton run for six with 1 minute, 27 seconds left in the quarter. Milton then drilled a conversion pass to Mart Farrier to make the score 20-16.
Giles stopped Lebanon cold on its next possession and after a short punt, the Spartans were in business at their 48. On first down, Milton hit Anthony Myers for a 24-yard gain, but the play was negated by an ineligible man downfield.
The only problem was that the ineligible man, wearing jersey No. 64, was fullback Brandon Steele.
``I guess it was because he was wearing a lineman's number,'' Ragsdale said. ``He carried out his fake and he was a little downfield.''
Milton did have a subsequent 14-yard completion to Myers, but the advance fizzled at the Pioneers' 31 when Brightbill batted down Milton's fourth-down attempt, also intended for Myers.
Lebanon killed a lot of clock after that, McGlothlin carrying seven consecutive times, once for 21 yards on third down, and finally 30 more for the touchdown with 5:10 remaining.
Giles had one last chance with a hurry-up drive orchestrated by Milton, who completed five of eight passes for 51 yards. His last heave, toward Myers on fourth down from the Pioneers' 17, was off the mark, though.
McGlothlin had the last five of his 34 hauls for 180 yards to put away the game.
``I was really tired in the first half and had to have some oxygen,'' McGlothlin said. ``After that, I had to suck it up and go. Nobody has hit me as hard as they did all year.''
Giles led in the first half when fullback Maurice Milton bolted up the middle for a 48-yard score on Giles' fourth play of the game.
Maurice Milton later re-injured a twisted ankle trying to make a first down on fourth-and-one from the Pioneers' 7.
After an exchange of punts, Lebanon tied the score on a 9-yard pass from Cowden to Tommy Johnson, who caught the ball in the right side of the end zone after Brightbill tipped it.
``I'd like to tell you about that play,'' Cowden said. ``But I don't remember a thing about it.''
No matter. Pioneers everywhere will be recalling the end of Giles' great streak for a long time to come.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB