
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 16, 1995                   TAG: 9511160039
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PULASKI CO. RUN OFF ROAD IN PLAYOFFS

A PAIR OF FORFEITS by E.C. Glass give the Cougars a home game Saturday in the Nortwest Region Division 5 football playoffs.

The scouting reports had been prepared, the films watched and the players lectured. The Pulaski County High School football bus was gassed up and pointed toward Stafford and a Friday night Group AAA Division 5 Northwest Region engagement with Brooke Point.

Further, work furloughs presumably had been sought and granted to many members of the Cougars' substantial entourage of followers.

Better start unpacking those pompoms. You folks are staying home Friday night.

Heritage's gain was the bitter loss of North Stafford. Heritage was told Wednesday by the Virginia High School League that it had won the Western District title because E.C. Glass must forfeit its last two games for using an ineligible player.

In the ensuing shake-up, Heritage, which had put away its uniforms, sneaked into the playoffs and North Stafford was knocked out.

There was plenty of residual impact. Instead of traveling to Brooke Point, Pulaski County will entertain Heritage on Saturday at a time to be determined today. Pulaski County would rather play in the afternoon, Heritage at night. In the other half of the bracket, E.C. Glass will go to Brooke Point, probably for a Monday night game.

The seedings also have been rearranged. Glass, 10-0 and the top seed before the forfeits, is 8-2 and the fourth seed. Heritage is seeded third - ahead of Glass - despite a 6-4 record because it is the district champion. Pulaski County (7-3) is seeded second and Brooke Point (7-3) first.

The Cougars beat Heritage 23-6 early in the season, ``But that is a very deceptive score,'' said Joel Hicks, Pulaski County's coach.

Heritage was down 3-0 and inside the Cougars' 10-yard line when Page Hill recovered a fumble for Pulaski County and returned it 97 yards for a score. Another Cougars touchdown resulted from a botched Pioneers punt.

``Heritage is very much improved since we've seen them,'' Hicks said.

by CNB