ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 1, 1996 TAG: 9612020123
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PEARISBURG
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
THE SPARTANS' didn't mind doing a lot of dirty work in their semifinal victory over Powell Valley.
The red and white jersies the Giles High football defense wore Saturday were pretty near laundry fresh when Powell Valley tailback Julius Jones disappeared around left end and scored from 77 yards away early in the first quarter.
That was the first play the two-time defending champion Vikings ran in their Group A Division 2 semifinal match with the Spartans and it made the host team look, well, defenseless.
Neither the misleading appearances nor the Spartans' pristine shirts lasted long. Giles' defenders got plenty dirty as they throttled the mighty Vikings the rest of the way in a mudfight of a 14-7 victory. Giles (13-0), beaten 28-6 by Powell Valley in the 1995 semifinals, won its 34th-straight home game and will play Powhatan 1:30 p.m. Dec.7 at Midlothian High School for the state championship. Powhatan beat Northumberland 22-14 in the other semifinal.
The rain was relentless and so was the Giles defense. Take away the one play by Jones and Powell Valley (9-4) was held to 70 yards, 52 of that on the ground, and three first downs. The Vikings managed a mere 36 yards in the second half, 18 rushing and 18 passing.
``That was probably the best game we've played together as a defense,'' said Giles cornerback Brian Lambert. ``After that one play, we did everything right.''
Which is hard to do, especially in view of the conditions.
``The conditions took away some of Giles' quickness on defense,'' Powell Valley coach Phil Robbins said. ``It took away some of the things we wanted to do on offense, too.''
Giles defenders jumped on a fumble (Zeb Bowden's recovery set up the first Giles touchdown) and broke up five passes. The special teams blocked a punt and came close to two more. The defense came up with a sack (by Shawn Snyder) and pressured Powell Valley quarterback Clay Prewitt numerous other times.
``Conditions like these favor the defense,'' Giles linebacker Emanuel Young said. ``For the offense, it just gets good and sloppy. On defense, that's what makes it fun.''
Nobody on the Giles side was having much fun as Jones rapidly made his way down a still-firm left sideline.
``That first play, I think we were just happy to be here,'' the Spartans' Matt Whitehead said. ``After that, we said, nobody is going to do that to this defense again.''
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON\Staff. Giles' Jeff Dickerson helped theby CNBSpartans get a handle on their 14-7 Group A semifinal victory.