THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 24, 1994 TAG: 9409240402
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Gambling to win or lose on a two-point conversion, Churchland edged past arch-rival Western Branch, 29-28, in an overtime thriller at Churchland Friday night.
Everybody was standing in the standing-room-only audience as Churchland quarterback Mike Holland scored on the same option play he had run for a touchdown in the sudden-death session.
The teams had battled to a 21 tie in regulation with the No. 5 ranked Bruins (1-2) roaring back from a 21-7 halftime deficit.
In the overtime, with each team getting the ball on the opposing 10-yard line, Churchland (2-1) won the toss and elected to play defense first.
On a fourth-down play, Shyrone Stith burst up the middle from two yards out for the Western Branch touchdown.
Dan Dussia then kicked his fourth straight extra point.
On Churchland's first play Holland scampered to his right on the option, faked a pitch and ran untouched into the end zone.
The Churchland kicking team then raced out on the field, only to be called back by Truckers coach Ken Taylor. Taylor called a time out and instructed his team to run the same play that produced the touchdown.
``I told them, `block like it's the last play of your life,' '' he said. ``We put Demarte Franklin at tight end on the touchdown run and the extra point. And he gave us the blocking we really had to get.''
Holland said he had no thought of optioning the ball away. ``I told my guys to block for me and I would give them a score.''
Added Holland, a 5-9, 170-pound senior: ``Last year I turned my knee on the third play of the game against Western Branch and didn't play anymore. So this was my last shot at them and it really means a lot to me for us to win it.''
It was the first time Churchland, No. 6 ranked in the area, had beaten the Bruins since a 28-14 victory in 1984. ``It was a gutsy call by Ken Taylor to go for the two points,'' said Western Branch coach Lew Johnston. ``I thought he would kick and we would go on into another overtime.
``But we had the option defensed. We just didn't execute.
``That's two tough losses for us (last week the Bruins missed on a 2-point conversion and bowed to Norcom, 15-13). But we have a team that can still go 8-2.''
The option worked well for the Truckers with Holland scoring twice and rushing for 59 yards despite a pair of sacks. Churchland racked up most of its 275 yards rushing on pitchouts.
Alex Hawkins gained 106 yards on only eight carries, scoring once.
Malik Cook reeled off a 69-yard touchdown run on Western Branch's fifth play of the game. He gained 93 yards in six attempts. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by GARY C. KNAPP/
Churchland's Mike Holland, who made the winning score in OT, runs
for yardage as Western Branch's Russell Vrhovac closes in.
by CNB