ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 8, 1996 TAG: 9609090133
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: STATE
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
Mike Cook passed for two fourth-quarter touchdowns as William and Mary broke a 9-9 tie and upset Rhode Island 23-16 in a Yankee Conference football game in South Kingstown, R.I.
Alvin Porch led William and Mary's rushing attack with 124 yards on 32 carries. Cook completed 10 of 17 passes for 94 yards.
Rhode Island quarterback Chris Hixson completed 17 of 27 throws for 135 yards. The Rams were ranked No.22 in Division 1-AA.
Cook's 4-yard pass to Tim Leedy gave the Tribe (1-1, 1-0) a 16-9 lead with 12:39 remaining. On the third play of Rhode Island's ensuing drive, Tribe cornerback Mike Beverly intercepted Hixson and returned the ball to the Rhode Island 27. Cook completed a 19-yard pass to Josh Whipple to give William and Mary a 23-9 lead with 9:31 remaining.
The Rams (1-1, 0-1) drove to the Tribe 8-yard line on their next drive, but Hixson was sacked and fumbled away the ball.
After a blocked punt by Rhode Island and fumbles by both teams, Hixson made a 1-yard touchdown pass to Butler that brought the Rams within a touchdown with 32 seconds remaining. But William and Mary ran out the clock.
William and Mary had taken a 7-0 lead Sean McDermott returned a blocked punt 12 yards for a touchdown, then extended its lead to 9-0 when a snap to Rhode Island punter Jason Christopher sailed out of the end zone.
Rhode Island's first points came on a 9-yard touchdown run by James Jenkins. Walker's extra point missed and the Rams trailed 9-6.
Walker's 34-yard field goal tied the score 9-9 at half time.
In other state games:
Richmond 13, Colgate 0: Shawn Barber had 13 tackles, and the Spiders' defense forced five turnovers to extend the Red Raiders' losing streak to 13 games with a victory in Richmond.
Barber, a linebacker, had seven solo tackles and mercilessly pursued Colgate quarterback Mark Lindell the entire game. Lindell was 14-of-43 for 217 yards with two interceptions. He was sacked twice and hit nearly every time he dropped back to pass.
The Spiders (1-0) scored on field goals of 34 and 24 yards by Andrew Slater, and a 2-yard TD run by Minoso Rodgers. Each was set up by a turnover. Two Colgate (0-1) drives ended with fumbles.
Rodgers led the Richmond offense with 83 yards on 27 carries. The Spiders gained 205 yards on the ground and 41 through the air. Quarterback Joe Elrod rushed for 72 yards on 19 carries and was 5-for-9 for 35 yards passing.
Corey Hill was Lindell's favorite target, grabbing six passes for 110 yards.
Colgate was 0-11 last season, the first time the Red Raiders were winless in 106 seasons.
The last time Richmond shut out an opponent was 1983, when the Spiders beat James Madison 32-0.
James Madison 30, Shippensburg 0: In Harrisonburg, D'artagnan Townes ran for two touchdowns in the second half as the Dukes wore down pesky Shippensburg in their season opener.
Division II Shippensburg held the Dukes scoreless in the first half. Shippensburg can award only 12 scholarships in football, 51 fewer than James Madison.
James Madison scored with 10:10 left in the third quarter when quarterback Willie Gonzalez hit Macey Brooks on a 50-yard touchdown pass. Gonzalez, who transferred from Georgia Tech last year, completed 25 of 35 passes for 244 yards.
John Coursey kicked a 37-yard field goal with 2:27 left in the quarter. Eight seconds later, Shippensburg kick returner Rodney Hart fumbled the kickoff at his own 4, and linebacker Marcus Ordonez carried it in to give the Dukes a 17-0 lead.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 linesby CNB