ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, November 3, 1996 TAG: 9611050048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KEITH POMPEY STAFF WRITER
It turns out that North Cross had the perfect game plan for stopping Roanoke Catholic and running back P.J. Moyer.
The Raiders' defense didn't stack 10 men on the line of scrimmage.
Instead, North Cross' best defense turned out to be its offense in defeating archrival Catholic 22-19 in a Virginia Independent Conference game Saturday at Victory Stadium.
``Our offensive line has been real strong,'' said Jim Muscaro, the Raiders' coach. ``We thought we could control the ball against a weaker Catholic defensive line."
That they did.
North Cross (5-3 overall, 3-1 conference) had control of the ball for most of the game, rushing the ball 70 out of 72 plays for 298 yards and recording 20 first downs.
Raiders tailback Carter Lee carried the ball 38 times for a game-high 125 yards. But teammate Jason Ward did the most damage. The 5-9, 178-pounder rushed for 94 yards and two touchdowns - his last one came with 72 seconds remaining.
Meanwhile, Catholic (5-5, 2-2) couldn't take advantage of several mistakes and was penalized six times for 65 yards. To make matters worse, Moyer, the second-leading rusher in Timesland history, wasn't a factor. The senior had 95 yards rushing and one costly fumble. Teammate Glenn Radcliffe picked up the slack, rushing four times for 118 yards and two scores.
Despite several mistakes, Catholic stayed in the game.
After deflecting a punt, the Celtics marched 45 yards for the first score of the game. Aki Al-Zubaidi's 4-yard quarterback keeper gave Catholic a 7-0 lead with 4:02 left in the first quarter.
The score was tied at 7-7 after Ward took it in from 1-yard out before the half.
Catholic went ahead 13-7, when Radcliffe scampered 75 yards on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter.
North Cross answered back. Lee's 2-yard touchdown run capped a 19-play, 88-yard drive late in the third. Joe Thielecke's extra point made it 14-13 Raiders.
Three minutes later, Radcliffe scored his touchdown. That 43-yarder made it 19-14 Celtics.
But North Cross went ahead for good with 72 seconds left. Ward dragged three Celtics 19 yards for the score. His two-point conversion run made it 22-19.
Catholic had one last chance. But Al-Zubaidi's 26-yard run was cut short at the North Cross 27-yard line.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY Staff. P.J. Moyer (22) of Roanoke Catholicby CNBlooks for running room with North Cross' Hunter Smith in pursuit.