THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 26, 1994 TAG: 9411260184
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C01 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Hampton, which has lived by the late-game comeback all season, died by it Friday night.
Dee Harrell made a diving, 23-yard touchdown reception with three seconds remaining as Deep Creek rallied to pull out a 48-42 thriller in the Eastern Region Division 5 final Friday night at Western Branch High.
The 90 points scored smashed the record for most points in an Eastern Region playoff game. The old mark was 62, set when Western Branch defeated Lake Taylor, 42-20, in 1976.
``I really hope I never have to go through anything like this again,'' a Gatorade-soaked Deep Creek coach Jerry Carter said. ``I don't know if I can take it.''
The Hornets (12-0) will play Northwest Region champion E.C. Glass in Lynchburg next Saturday in the Division 5 state semifinal.
Hampton (11-1), which has used fourth-quarter or overtime heroics to pull out four games this season, appeared to have done it again when quarterback Ronald Curry hit Noell Rainey with a touchdown pass from eight yards out with 1:03 remaining to pull to within one at 41-40. Chris Ricks then ran in the two-point conversion to give the Crabbers a one-point lead.
Just 46 seconds remained when the Hornets got the ball back at their own 41, but Hornets quarterback Arnie Powell completed back-to-back passes to Jason Waters and Harrell to get Deep Creek to the Hampton 16.
The Crabbers then sacked Powell for a seven-yard loss, and Powell threw incomplete on the next play.
``We wanted to take one more crack at the end zone,'' Carter said. ``Then we were going to go for the field goal.''
On third-and-17, the Hornets' sophomore quarterback fired a strike into the end zone and a fully extended Harrell snatched it.
The ball appeared to pop loose as soon as Harrell hit the ground, but the officials ruled it a touchdown.
``Oh, yeah, it was a catch,'' Harrell said. ``No question about it. Touchdown.''
Powell through for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Curry, a freshman, threw for 222 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 77 yards.
Harrell also had a 50-yard run for a touchdown in the first half, one play after he and Torrey Wilson forced a Hampton fumble.
Deep Creek fullback Deon Dyer rushed for 80 yards and three touchdowns.
The lead changed hands several times in this see-saw affair. Hampton scored first on a 12-yard run by Ricks. Dyer answered for Deep Creek with a one-yard plunge. Harrell's 50-yard scoring run followed. Curry came right back with a one-yard dash for Hampton, but Waters blocked the conversion kick.
Carlos Ford put Hampton ahead again with a one-yard run, but Powell connected with Waters on a 59-yard touchdown bomb just before the half ended. Joe Verdi's conversion kick gave the Hornets a 21-20 lead at the half.
Dyer's seven-yard scoring run in the second half gave the Hornets a seven-point lead, but Curry hit Ahmad Hawkins with a 61-yard bomb to tie the game at 28.
Lawrence Claiborne then scampered 19 yards for a score to put Deep Creek ahead again. But back came Hampton, tying the game when Curry hit Rainey from eight yards out for a score.
Dyer gave Deep Creek the edge yet again with his third touchdown run. But Curry led the Crabbers on one of their patented fourth-quarter drives, this one a six-minute, 71-yard march that culminated on the touchdown pass to Rainey with 1:03 to play that looked like it might stand up for a Hampton victory. ILLUSTRATION: Staff color photo by PAUL AIKEN
Deep Creek quarterback Arnie Powell breaks through the Hampton
defensive line. Powell threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns in
Deep Creek's 48-42 win.
by CNB