THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 5, 1994 TAG: 9411050949
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
For the past several weeks, the matchup of Peninsula District powers Hampton and Phoebus appeared to be a victim of too much hype.
As it turned out, the hype didn't do it justice.
Freshman quarterback Ronald Curry hit Noell Rainey on a two-point conversion pass in overtime as the Crabbers stunned the Phantoms, 22-21, before about 9,000 fans at sold-out Darling Stadium.
It was another in a series of fantastic finishes for the Crabbers (9-0), who can win the Peninsula District title outright with a victory next week over Gloucester.
In their season opener, the Crabbers rallied to beat Kecoughtan in overtime. They scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes to earn a one-point victory over Tabb. And they produced two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to overtake Ferguson.
Friday, all they had to do was overcome a 14-0 first-half deficit, stop a Phantom fourth-quarter drive on fourth-and-4 from the Crabber 5, hold their breath while a 42-yard Phoebus field-goal attempt at the end of regulation fell short, then rally again after Antwan Womack's 10-yard touchdown run to open the overtime had given the Phantoms a seven-point lead.
``We're kind of like a cat with nine lives that's already used up about 10 of them,'' Hampton coach Mike Smith said.
``I didn't think we had another one of these in us.''
With Curry calling the signals, though, anything is possible. On second-and-8 on Hampton's overtime drive, Curry faked a pitch right, then whirled 360 degrees and sprinted for the left corner of the end zone. He appeared to get his foot inside the goal, but officials marked him inches short.
Undaunted, Curry snuck in on the next play to pull the Crabbers to within one.
Hampton called timeout and Smith said he let his players decide whether to go for the tie or the win.
``That's right, coach gave us the call,'' Rainey said. ``We said let's go for it.''
Then, in a sequence similar to the famous Joe Montana-to-Dwight Clark connection in the San Francisco 49ers' victory over Dallas in the 1982 NFC Championship game, Curry rolled left and threw in into the back of the end zone just as he was about to be hit, then watched as Rainey outleaped a defender, extended both arms above his head and snatched victory from the Phantoms (9-1).
``It's not the first time we've done this, and it probably won't be the last,'' Curry said.
It was only the second completion of the day for Curry, who came into the game having thrown for more than 1,000 yards.
The loss, Phoebus' fourth in a row to the Crabbers, wiped out a scintillating performance by Womack, the Peninsula District's leading rusher and scorer who slashed and darted for 140 yards and two touchdowns and appeared to get stronger each time he touched the ball.
Christopher Ricks led Hampton with 115 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown. by CNB