Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 26, 1995 TAG: 9511280014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
Following long-standing tradition, selected members of the Giles High football team convened at Aaron and Anthony Myers' house before Saturday's regional final against Lebanon.
At one point during the proceedings, Alex Webb, one of the Spartans' linemen, thought he smelled something burning. A second look confirmed that a minor blaze was under way. On his leg. Kevin Slusser, one of the running backs, was playing a fiery prank with a butane lighter.
``The pyromaniac,'' Webb said.
After the manner in which the Spartans went out and rolled Lebanon 35-14 for the Group A Division 2 Region C crown, most would agree that Giles needed no fire lit under it to achieve the desired objective.
``Revenge,'' Giles center Roger Simpkins said, echoing the thoughts of the multitide. ``We had a bad taste all year from Lebanon. We had the best practice we've had in two years this week.''
Lebanon beat Giles 25-18 for the regional title last year, severing a 25-game winning streak in the process. Lebanon also beat Giles two years prior under the same circumstances.
``Three years ago, I felt like they were just better than we were,'' Giles coach Steve Ragsdale said. ``Last year, I don't want to take anything away from them because they had a good football team and they played well, but I didn't feel like we played very well. ... We kind of self-destructed out there. This year, I told them that the least we wanted to do was play well.''
The Spartans (11-1) certainly did that, rumbling along behind 242 yards rushing and three touchdowns from tailback Reggie Hoston and 77 yards and two more touchdowns from Slusser.
The defense, meanwhile, held the Pioneers (10-2) to 206 total yards, 62 of those coming on a too-little-too-late scoring completion from shifty quarterback Ryan Cowden to end Travis Brightbill.
``We had a good season, but we got beat by a better team today,'' Lebanon coach John Adams said. ``No question about it, we took an old-fashioned Giles County whipping today.''
Giles advances to the state semifinals next Saturday and will play at defending state champion Powell Valley, which filleted Haysi 55-30 in the Region D championship.
The Spartans' victory was not without cost. Middle linebacker Brandon Steele, a 1994 All-Timesland selection and the emotional leader of the team, twisted a knee in the second half and left the field in obvious pain. Results on X-rays will not be available until Monday.
Giles scored the first two times it had the ball. A Chris Ratcliffe interception set the Spartans up at the Lebanon 33 and Slusser, the fullback, ran 1 yard for the score seven plays later. Jeremy Saunders came in to kick the first of five flawless conversions.
Slusser's 36-yard run set up the second TD, an 11-yard Hoston slam with 4:31 left in the first quarter. A subsequent 63-yard Lebanon march ended in a score when Cowden picked up a fumble and ran 14 yards with it with 10:43 left before halftime. Giles responded with a 19-yard Hoston run that punctuated a 75-yard drive to make it 21-7 at the break.
Two plays into the second half, Hoston broke loose for a 62-yard score.
``We couldn't stop them all day,'' Adams said.
There's a saying at Giles that until a ball carrier encounters the first tackler, he owes all his yardage to his blocking. After that, the runner is on his own and thus may claim some credit.
``Never mind,'' Hoston said. ``I'm giving it all to the line.''
``It isn't just the line,'' Webb said, advancing the familiar theme of Giles teamwork. ``Our backs run real hard, too.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.