THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 18, 1994 TAG: 9409160210
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 47 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
It really hurts to lose when you've had such a big game. This past week, that was the fate of Aaron Murchison, Elizabeth City State University's bull of a running back.
Murchison scored three touchdowns and rushed for 159 yards on 21 carries, but the Vikings still fell to Fayetteville State, 28-26, last Saturday. Murchison was almost matched by the Broncos' Clifton Davis, who scored two touchdowns and rushed for 133 yards. The Broncos jumped out to a 21-0 lead before Murchison took the Vikings offense into his own hands.
In the second quarter, Elizabeth City put together a 63-yard drive, highlighted by Murchison, last year's CIAA All-Offensive Freshman. He had runs of 11 and nine yards, then scored on an 18-yard run, bulldozing two defenders to reach the end zone with 1:45 to play. The touchdown ended a 10 quarter scoring drought for the Vikings.
Rico Dawson missed the extra point kick, and the Fayetteville lead held at 21-6.
Fayetteville stumbled quickly on its first possession of the second half when the Vikings' Marcus Barber recovered a fumble at the Fayetteville 30.
On the next play, Murchison took a handoff, broke two tackles, and ran 30 yards for the touchdown.
Dawson ran in the two-point conversion on a fake kick when the Fayetteville defense failed to take the field in time for the play.
Less than six minutes later, Murchison scored again from six yards out. Dawson missed the extra point kick, but the Vikings had cut the Fayetteville lead to 28-20 with 6:40 to play in the third quarter.
The Vikings mounted a 60-yard scoring drive late in the fourth quarter. Backup quarterback Kenny Crump threw an eight-yard touchdown strike to Jimmie White with 3:54 to play in the game. The drive was aided by Murchison's 30-yard run.
The Vikings had a chance to tie the game on the two-point conversion attempt, but White couldn't handle Crump's pass, and Fayetteville kept the 28-26 lead.
Vikings coach George Moody said that his offense finally got untracked on Murchison's long touchdown run: ``They just hadn't had any success up to that point. That run was great. At the time we really needed it.''
Murchison said he saw plenty of big holes to run through all evening.
``The offensive line did a great job,'' he said. ``The offense in general was nervous to start the game. They (the Broncos) gave us some different looks from what we saw on the films.''
Murchison said that despite the loss, the Vikings learned from the game. ``It shows that if we don't give up we're never out of the game,'' he said.
``If we cut down turnovers we would have been on the right side of the score. It was a good learning experience.'' by CNB