THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 13, 1994 TAG: 9411130207
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICHARD GOODEN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
Rodney Granger connected with Floyd Lanier on a 49-yard pass to set up Robert Morgan's 2-yard touchdown run with 14 seconds remaining as Virginia State edged Winston-Salem State, 38-35, in the 47th annual Fish Bowl at Harbor Park on Saturday.
``My mind was on getting the ball in my hands, and it was the perfect pass,'' wide receiver Lanier said.
Virginia State quarterback Granger, a Portsmouth native, hurled the ball down the right sideline from the Trojan 49 with the intent to throw it out of bounds, but Lanier leaped and made the catch, then carried it to the Rams' 2.
``I was trying to throw it out of bounds,'' said Granger, who completed 19-of-30 passes for 265 yards with one touchdown and an interception. ``I don't know how he caught it.''
Virginia State (7-3) was forced to come from behind after Winston-Salem State (6-5) took a 35-31 lead on a 3-yard pass from freshman quarterback Travis Pender to wide receiver Oronde Gadsden. The Rams' score concluded a five-play, 35-yard drive made possible by defensive lineman Carlos Massey's 50-yard interception return.
Winston-Salem State tailback Richard Huntley rushed for 238 yards on 32 carries and scored three touchdowns. The all-time leading CIAA rusher earned another spot in the record books as he broke the conference's single season rushing record of 1,699 yards, finishing with 1,814..
But the Trojans' Morgan countered Huntley's performance with three touchdowns, including the game-winning score on the team's final drive. Morgan amassed 166 yards on 24 rushes. His 61-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave Virginia State a 31-28 advantage and was the second of four lead changes in the final quarter. by CNB