ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 5, 1996 TAG: 9610070141
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ANGIE WATTS STAFF WRITER
Some things never change, at least where the Giles Spartans are concerned. It hasn't mattered where they've played or who the opponent has been - the results have been eerily similar.
For the sixth time in as many games this season, the Spartans cruised past their opponent. This time it was the Glenvar Highlanders who fell, 45-20.
``We know we've still got a long way to go this season, but so far we've played very well,'' said Steve Ragsdale, Giles' coach. ``I certainly can't complain, because tonight was no exception.''
It took the Spartans less than four minutes to put their first points on the board, when Chris Ratcliffe found Chris Hutchison wide open on a 45-yard pass play. Jeremy Saunders' point-after kick sailed wide right as Giles led 6-0.
Seven plays later, the Spartans extended their lead to 14-0 when Emanuel Young picked off a pass from Glenvar's Seth Noonkester and returned it 76 yards for his first of two touchdowns. Young plowed over Noonkester and Tyler Brown in the open field en route to the end zone. He finished the game with two interceptions returned for touchdowns and two fumble recoveries. The two-point conversion made it a 14-point game.
``We helped jump-start their game with some offensive interceptions that went for scores,'' said Brian Hooker, Glenvar's coach. ``You can't afford to make turnovers in any game, let alone turnovers that go for touchdowns.''
Giles completed its domination of the first quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run by Shaun Vaught. The junior fullback finished with 119 yards on 19 carries.
Vaught and Ratcliffe, who had 134 yards on 18 carries, accumulated 253 of the Spartans' 279 total yards.
``Giles just keeps coming after you,'' Hooker said. ``They are relentless on offense, and defensively they do a good job against both the run and the pass.''
The Highlanders put their first points on the board midway through the second quarter when Hunter Allen raced 26 yards up the middle for the score. Like his counterpart, Kevin Solesbee misfired his point-after kick wide right.
But any hope Glenvar fans had of a comeback was short-lived. Giles needed just eight plays to see paydirt, this time a 1-yard scamper by Vaught. Ratcliffe added the third of his four two-point conversion runs to make it a 30-6 lead.
If that didn't put the nail in the coffin, Young's second interception - this one for a 58-yard touchdown - three plays later did. Ratcliffe completed the conversion play with no time left in the half.
``Our offensive turnovers were really the story of the game,'' Hooker said. ``We hit well with them, but giving up the long play really hurt.''
The second half proved to be more of the same for Giles, which held the ball for all but five plays in the third quarter. Two of those five plays for Glenvar ended in fumbled snaps from center.
On their longest rive of the game, the Spartans used 12 plays and 7:22 on the clock before Ratcliffe walked it in from 1 yard out.
Glenvar added two meaningless touchdowns in the fourth quarter on 6-yard runs from Allen and Chris Carroll.
The Highlaners have a bye Oct. 11 before returning to action against Auburn. The Spartans will face their toughest opponent of the regular season Oct. 11 when they line up against Radford.
``Next week is going to be a tough ballgame, us and Radford,'' Ragsdale said. ``Certainly, to this point it will be the game for first place in the district.'' see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. ALAN KIM STAFF Shaun Vaught of Giles runs to theby CNB1-yard line during Friday night's game against Glenvar. Vaught
scored on the next play. color (ran in b&w in the Metro
edition.)
2. ALAN KIM STAFF Giles' Michael Perdue picks off a pass in front of
Glenvar's Kevin Solesbee during second-quarter action Friday night.
(did not run in Metro.) KEYWORDS: FOOTBALL