THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 25, 1994 TAG: 9409250208
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Norfolk State which had made big strides in its previous two games, took a step back Saturday night, falling to previously-winless Elizabeth City State, 27-26.
The Spartans (2-2) gave up 389 yards rushing to a Viking team that won one for coach George Moody on his 57th birthday.
``It's a step backward,'' said Norfolk State coach Darnell Moore. ``But then again, it may be a learning situation.
``Not for me, though. I can win and learn.''
The Spartans learned that they still need some help defensively. After shutting out Fayetteville for the final three quarters in a 42-14 win last week, Norfolk State couldn't stop a slew of Elizabeth City backs running misdirection plays.
``You have to be consistent,'' Moore said. ``On defense, we were consistently bad.''
The Spartans trailed, 14-0, at the half but scored 18 points in the first 11:32 of the third quarter to grab the lead.
The Spartan turnaround started with a cartwheel - by quarterback Aaron Sparrow.
With defensive end Marcus Barber bearing down on him, Sparrow stumbled and literally did a cartwheel near midfield. He landed and threw the ball to Darius Blount, standing at the one-yard line. That set up Norfolk State's first score, a one-yard run by Stanley Johnson.
``That was the most spectacular play I've ever seen in my life,'' Moody said.
Sparrow moved the Spartans 80 yards a few minutes later to close the Vikings lead to 14-12. Then George Bowser picked off a Kenny Crump pass and returned it 14 yards for Norfolk State's first lead, 18-14.
The Spartans seemed to be in control, but Elizabeth City couldn't be stopped. Crump scored from a yard out to make it 20-18 with 1:09 left in the third.
After an interception by Clifton Autry, Crump scored again, from nine yards out. The extra point made it 27-18 with 13:47 remaining.
Norfolk State answered through the air. Sparrow found James Roe over the middle for 34 yards, setting up another one-yard touchdown run by Johnson for the final margin.
Down a point after the 2-point conversion, Norfolk State seemed to have a final chance, but saw it slip away. On fourth and five from the Norfolk State 8, Elizabeth City's Abe Jones fumbled. Norfolk State's James Walton recovered, but lost the ball. Elizabeth City had another first down, with less than two minutes left.
``That was just one play,'' Moore said. ``You have to look at 50 or 60 others we didn't do anything on.''
The Spartans did plenty on offense. Sparrow, after throwing for a team-record 341 yards last week, had 335. But he was also intercepted three times.
Elizabeth City piled up 509 yards of offense, 252 in the first half.
But the score could have easily been 7-7 at the break instead of 14-0 in favor of the Vikings.
The key turnaround came late in the half, when Norfolk State, trailing, 7-0, picked up a Malcolm Mackey fumble at the Elizabeth City 48.
The Spartans quickly moved to the Viking 13, but the drive stalled at the five. Faced with 4th and 2, the Spartans managed just one yard and turned the ball over on downs.
Elizabeth City took over on its own four with 3:28 left. Staying on the ground, the Vikings moved the ball in ten-yard chunks.
Mackey then ran 36 yards on a counter play to the Norfolk State nine. Three plays later, Crump scored from the nine, and Elizabeth City went into halftime up, 14-0. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/Staff
Norfolk State's Stanley Johnson, center, takes the ball into
Elizabeth City State traffic in the Spartans' loss Saturday night.
by CNB