Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 23, 1995 TAG: 9509260114
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Medium
The first-year coach lost his opener to Heritage in overtime. But the Colonels bounced back with victories in the next two games.
So the month of September had been going pretty well. Until Friday.
E.C. Glass produced big plays one after another and Fleming seemed to be the helpless victim. The result was a 42-12 Hilltoppers victory at City Stadium.
E.C. Glass (4-0) scored on four of its six first-half possessions to forge a 28-0 lead and led 42-0 before Fleming scored two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter.
"When you play a tough team like this, you can't make those miscues and expect to win," Miller said.
The Colonels (2-2) committed only two turnovers but made several fundamental mistakes in experiencing its first rout of the season. The primary shortcoming was tackling.
On the Hilltoppers' first play from scrimmage, wide receiver A.T. Hunter caught a reverse pitchout from quarterback Andre Kendrick. Hunter made a couple of moves to elude Fleming defenders and headed up the middle toward the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown and a 6-0 lead.
Three possessions later, following an interception by Garnett McDaniel, Chris Matthews scored on a 12-yard touchdown run for a 12-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
After a Fleming punt, Glass got the ball back at its 34-yard line. Four plays later on first down from the Hilltoppers' 49, Kendrick hit the outside and then cut back for a 51-yard score and a 20-0 lead.
The one first-half highlight for Fleming was a fumble caused by Erick Jackson on a Colonels punt. Fleming managed to gain two first downs but later punted back to Glass, setting up the Hilltoppers' final touchdown.
By halftime, Glass had scored more touchdowns (four) than Fleming had accumulated in first downs (two). And the second half didn't get much better.
"The defense set the tone early," Glass coach Bo Henson said. "The offense was a little sluggish at first but we finally did what we had to do and that's put points on the board."
Glass began the third quarter on its 38 and scored on a 9-yard run by Matthews.
The senior tailback finished with 131 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns.
Fleming's two touchdowns came within a 49-second span of the final quarter.
With 5:16 left, Jackson scored on an 8-yard run on fourth-and-goal to put the Colonels on the board. Fleming then failed on a two-point conversion.
On the ensuing kickoff, Fleming recovered Glass' fumble at the Hilltoppers' 19. Lee Suggs, who was held to just 27 yards on 17 carries, scored on a 19-yard run for the game's final tally.
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB