THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 30, 1994 TAG: 9410300211
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Some time midway through the third quarter, probably about the time winless Johnson C. Smith scored its third straight touchdown to take a 24-18 lead, there was a collective awakening on the Norfolk State sideline.
``We sat there like, `What in the world is going on here?' '' said offensive tackle Jonathan Mason. ``This (Johnson C. Smith) is an oh-and-everything team. We got together and decided to play.''
The result was a harder-than-it-should-have been 34-30 victory in front of 4,236 Saturday at the aptly-named Bullpit.
All week long, Norfolk State coach Darnell Moore had preached the importance of not taking Johnson C. Smith lightly.
So what did the Spartans do?
``We took them lightly,'' Moore said. ``No doubt in my mind.''
Norfolk State (5-3 overall, 5-3 in the CIAA) jumped up 18-6 early in the second quarter, then hit the snooze button on a sunny, pleasant afternoon.
The Spartans didn't awaken until a 32-yard pass from Robert Johnson to Brandon Armstrong with 7:23 left in the third quarter gave Johnson C. Smith (0-8, 0-6) a 24-18 lead.
Norfolk State responded with a 13-play, 80-yard drive and a two-point conversion to take a 26-24 lead with 3:38 left.
Then Norfolk State's DeShawn Anderson blocked a punt at the Johnson C. Smith 10, setting up another score that made it 34-24.
Still, Norfolk State had a late scare, as a wide-open Reggie Lawrence caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from Johnson with 1:37 left. An onside kick attempt by the Golden Bulls failed, and Norfolk State ran out the clock.
``It was ugly, but it counts,'' offensive tackle Chris Patterson said.
The game pitted the CIAA's two worst defenses. Johnson C. Smith also has the conference's lowest-rated offense, but took advantage of a struggling Spartan defense and piled up 284 yards rushing and 484 total.
Norfolk State, as it has all season, did most of its damage in the air. Quarterback Aaron Sparrow threw for 313 yards and five touchdowns on 24-of-36 passing. James Roe hauled in six catches for 178 yards.
Sparrow completed his first eight passes, three for touchdowns. But his next two were picked off, both on first-and-10 plays deep in Spartan territory.
``I was too relaxed,'' Sparrow said. ``That hurt me.''
The Golden Bulls, on the other hand, began getting excited. They didn't score after either of Sparrow's interceptions, but starting rolling in the third quarter, scoring on a 79-yard drive ending with Armstrong's touchdown catch.
Conditions seemed ripe for an upset. The Golden Bulls were playing their final game of the season in their quirky stadium, a place carved out of the side of a hill overlooking downtown Charlotte, with a field best described as a lumpy mattress.
But when they had to, the Spartans pulled together.
The key plays came when the defense stopped the Golden Bulls without a first down twice late in the third quarter.
``We wanted it,'' Sparrow said. ``It was a long enough ride back to Norfolk. We didn't want to make it a 12-hour ride.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Norfolk State's James Roe caught six of Aaron Sparrow's 24
completions for 178 yards Saturday.
by CNB