Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510230052
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FERRUM LENGTH: Medium
Ferrum decided to bring in another tight end and run the ball more, and Methodist decided to throw deep to get back into the game.
Ferrum made the right choice. All Methodist's passing did was give the Panthers extra possessions and their fifth straight victory, 20-13.
After gaining just 43 yards on the ground in the first half, Ferrum's rushing combination of David Anthony and Buster Coombs racked up 172 in the final 30 minutes. Four Anthony runs on the first drive of the second half, and a 26-yard touchdown scamper by Coombs gave the Panthers a 17-6 lead that the Monarchs couldn't overcome.
The whole scheme was built around the two runners and the insertion of an extra tight end, Magna Vista High School alumnus Brad Jones, on the weak side.
"That gave us a big lift in our ability to run the football," Ferrum coach Dave Davis said, crediting his offensive coaches. "It was a great adjustment."
Coombs finished with 101 yards on 15 carries, and Anthony gained 95 on 21 carries.
Anthony, a Staunton River High School graduate, also felt he and the offensive line deserved some of the credit as well. "They ran me first to get 'em soft," he said. "After hitting them hard, we kept hitting. They backed off a little bit."
At the same time, Methodist (4-3) was trying to back the Panthers (6-2) off the line by throwing the ball deep. But all that did was put the Monarchs' backs closer against the wall.
Ferrum intercepted freshman quarterback Brian Turner on three consecutive drives (and three of four Methodist plays) in the second half. Nate Daniels grabbed a 37-yard bomb in the third quarter. On the next Methodist offensive play, Jon Hannah snared a 40-yard heave. And two Monarch plays later, J.C. Harmon got in on the act.
"We knew they were going to come after it," said Harmon, a graduate of Graham High School. "They sort of had to the way we were getting to their quarterback."
The Monarchs had six turnovers on the day. After seeing Methodist lose the ball by throwing so much, Davis said, "I was hoping they were going to keep doing it."
Ferrum helped itself by making a tackle for a loss on almost every drive. Excluding penalties, the Monarchs had at least one play for lost yardage on seven possessions. "That's been our nemesis," said Methodist coach Jim Sypult.
Still, the Monarchs tested the Panthers. A 38-yard touchdown pass from Turner to Jesse Iverson with 2:05 to play got them within seven. "If not for the blown coverage on that last play, I'd say in the second half, the defense played well," Davis said.
That wasn't the only time the Monarchs caught the Panthers napping. After kicking a first-quarter field goal, Methodist's Tony Bugeja popped an on-side kick straight down the middle of the field for the kickoff. Ferrum didn't have anybody there to get it, and the Monarchs recovered easily.
"We saw on the film that they were taking off early," Sypult said.
Davis said his defensive coordinator, David Harper, had been riding him to try the play all season. "Jim had more courage than I did and he did it."
The game was marked by staggering numbers of injured players on both sides. Coombs was filling in for Wilbur Christy, whose leg is injured. Davis added that of the front seven defensive players, only two came into the game healthy - Kareem Woods and Carroll County High School alumnus Shane Allen.
Allen may have broken his leg against the Monarchs, too. "We only have so much we can do when we don't have anybody that can play," Davis said. "We need an open date. If I could purchase one, I would."
Then he laughed. "I ain't playing 10 games ever again." Ferrum is in the midst of its first-ever 10 game schedule.
Methodist was without regular starting quarterback Brian Goff, who has a twisted right knee.
Ferrum actually got senior Millard Vining, who is nursing an injured right leg, back for the game. He ran the offense on the first series, which ended with Anthony's touchdown run.
However, Vining was in just to be able to play in his final home game and allow Davis to see how healthy he is. Davis estimated that he should start next week at Frostburg State.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB