Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 14, 1995 TAG: 9507140115
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium
Any doubts Virginia Tech had about offering James Kibble a football scholarship were put to rest Thursday night.
The Osbourn Park kicker had what he described as ``the greatest night of my life.''
The great night was capped by a 55-yard field goal, just 4 yards short the longest in state history, that helped lead the West past the East 23-14 in the Virginia High School Coaches Association all-star game.
Kibble also kicked field goals of 36 and 23 yards. A 52-yard attempt banged off the left upright, and on Kibble's fifth try, the East finally blocked one.
Watching all this was Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, here to see son Shane play as a West wide receiver. He was forbidden by NCAA rules from talking about Kibble, but the coach had a sparkle in his eyes.
``I was going to walk on at Tech, and the day after I visited, they offered me a scholarship,'' Kibble said. ``They said that they were going to give me a scholarship my second year.''
Sources who requested anonymity said Tech coaches were afraid Auburn University was about to offer Kibble a scholarship, and that caused them to cave in after his visit, when they realized what a prize he might be.
There is more, though. Kibble fools around with punting, though he didn't handle those duties for Osbourn Park in 1994. He did for the West and averaged 52.5 yards on two punts. That, combined with his five of his six kickoffs into the end zone, stifled the East's speedy Donald Bly on returns.
While Kibble was the outstanding player, Patrick Henry's Chris Combs probably had as much to do with the outcome as the kicker.
At the half, the West's offense had sputtered, and the East took a 14-13 lead at intermission when Handley's Brandon Partlow hit Bly with a short pass. Bly, who went to Western Branch, weaved and dodged his way down the field for a 74-yard touchdown.
In the second half, the West started passing to Combs. Two screens picked up a first down. The first one was on the drive that ended when Kibble's kick was blocked, but the second one opened a 62-yard touchdown drive that put the game out of reach.
Combs' third reception was on a drag play over the middle that resulted in an 8-yard touchdown. That and Kibble's second extra point gave the West a 23-14 lead with 5 minutes, 32 seconds left.
``I thought I might just be a blocker,'' said Combs, who has signed with Duke. ``I guess they were stopping things up the middle and we needed something to change up the offense.''
The West came up with five turnovers, and the East produced none. Pulaski County's Andre Eaves intercepted one pass, and William Fleming's John St.Clair, headed to Virginia, tipped a pass by Partlow on the East's first series in the second half that Annandale's Maurice Daniels picked off.
The West took a 9-7 lead when Liberty's Mike Padgett hit E.C. Glass' O.J. Jones in the flat. Jones got a block from Richlands' Earl Bowman and went 75 yards for a touchdown.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB