ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 5, 1996 TAG: 9610070150
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG
SOURCE: KEITH POMPEY STAFF WRITER
The Patrick Henry High School football team came, saw and ruined E.C. Glass' homecoming.
The Patriots defeated the Hilltoppers 18-13 on Friday night at City Stadium.
``This is a special victory,'' said Patrick Henry linebacker Paul Veras. ``We came in here and beat them during their homecoming.''
The Patriots didn't have to look much further than Veras to find the defensive star in their victory. His interception with 44 seconds to play ended Glass' final threat, and Veras also recovered a fumble to set up the go-ahead touchdown.
``I was hyped up out there,'' he said. ``I just wanted to make things happen.''
That he did.
Eight plays after the senior recovered the Hilltoppers' fumble, running back Shaun Akers' 1-yard run gave PH (4-1) the decisive points.
``It felt good to score that touchdown,'' said Akers,who rushed for a game-high 119 yards and two scores. ``I wasn't going to let them stop me from getting into the end zone. I saw a big hole and I had to get in there.
``I wanted to win this game bad. This is the first time we've beaten them since I started playing varsity three years ago.''
For a while, it looked as if the Patriots might let this win slip away. It seemed every time they would get in scoring position, a penalty or a mistake would stop them.
In the first half, PH's defense controlled the tempo of the game, but the offense wasn't able to move the ball.
In the second half, the defense couldn't stop Glass' rushing attack.
``There were a couple of times where we didn't make the tackle,'' said Ed Scott, the Patriots' coach.
Most of that difficulty was because of the fine running of the Hilltoppers' Radin Vereen and Garrett McDaniel.
Vereen carried five times for 68 yards and scored two touchdowns - one on a kickoff return - and McDaniel ran for a team-high 113 yards. Early in the game, however, the Glass backs were shut down and the game had all the earmarks of a defensive struggle.
Each team went three-and-out on its first possession, and neither team's quarterback completed a pass in the opening quarter. But PH took advantage of a missed opportunity by the Hilltoppers (4-1) in the second period.
After Glass receiver Brian Horsley dropped a fourth-down pass in the end zone, the Patriots' offense came alive. Eight plays later, Akers' 20-yard touchdown run capped a 65-yard drive. PH missed the extra-point kick, settling for a 6-0 lead with 11:55 left in the first half.
Vereen tied the score 18 seconds later when the 5-foot-17, 170-pound speedster reached the end zone after returning the ensuing kickoff 87 yards.
After both teams failed to move the ball on their next possessions, the Patriots put more points on the board.
Wide receiver Thomas Hill caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dennis Dunnaville with 33 seconds to go in the half, giving PH a 12-6 lead.
In the second half, the Hilltoppers' offense, limited to three first downs through two quarters - awakened.
Vereen's 9-yard touchdown run capped a 12-play, 88-yard drive, and Kyle Sellers' extra-point kick gave Glass a 13-12 lead with 11:53 to go in the game.
The Patriots responded when Akers scored from 1 yard with less than a minute to play.
The Hilltoppers had a chance to win it, but Veras picked off a pass at the PH 30-yard line and the Patriots ran out the clock.
``We always knew we were going to win, even when they were driving,'' Veras said. ``We wanted to prove to people that we were the best out there.''
see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 75 linesby CNB