THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408280249
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEVIN DOEPP, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
The Tidewater Sharks came into Saturday night's matchup with the Maryland Invaders hoping to let tailback James Rogers carry them on his shoulders.
But after a tough Invader defense shut him down to 16 yards, the Sharks had to go to Plan B. Let quarterback John Ealey throw.
Ealey connected with wide receiver Derrick Carroll on a 33-yard first-quarter touchdown that propelled the Sharks (2-0) to a 14-6 victory over the Invaders (0-2) before a crowd of 1,389 at the Center for Effective Learning.
``They (the Invaders) play the run real hard and that left Derrick one on one with the cornerback,'' said Ealey. ``I laid it out there and he did the rest.''
The game did have its sloppy moments. The Sharks had two unsportsmanlike penalties, while the Invaders were hit twice for illegal substitutions.
``We didn't have a very good week of practice and there were times when it showed,'' said coach Red Stickney. ``The guys played very hard and they fought to the end.
``It wasn't a pretty win, but I'll take it.''
The Invaders finally got on the scoreboard on their second play from scrimmage in the second half.
Tailback Anthony Pearson took a pitch to the left from quarterback Tony Lewis. Pearson then let loose with a 62-yard bomb to wide receiver LaTrele Watson.
Watson dodged two Sharks and went in for the score.
The Sharks would mount one final attack late in the fourth quarter.
The key play in the drive was an Ealey-to-Carroll 25-yard pass, giving the Sharks the ball at the Invaders' 18-yard line.
Four plays later, Rogers scampered in from the 4-yard line with 45 seconds to play.
The Invaders drove to the Sharks' 13-yard line in six plays from their own 31.
However, Lewis was sacked on the last play, preserving the Sharks' victory.
NOTES: Stickney's young grandson Brandon Sublett, who is the Sharks' ballboy, was run over by two players on the sidelines in the fourth quarter and suffered a broken left leg. ... The Sharks will take on the Peninsula Poseidons next week at Todd Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m. by CNB