THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 4, 1994 TAG: 9412040218
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Indian River was hoping that James Boyd - who has made jersey No. 5 a staple in the Braves' run through the playoffs - would come up with yet another big play.
And No. 5 again came through.
But this No. 5 was wearing the other team's colors.
George Washington-Danville's Jacob Scism booted a 34-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining as the Eagles beat the Braves, 13-10, in a Group AAA Division 6 state semifinal game at Great Bridge Middle School South.
GW-Danville (11-2) will host Annandale (13-0), a 37-0 winner over L.C. Bird, next Saturday in the Division 6 final.
Scism's kick, which had an extra 20 yards on it, carried a measure of redemption. Last year, he missed an extra point in an overtime loss to E.C. Glass, a setback that left the Eagles out of the playoffs.
``Jacob told me before the game, `If I have another chance, I won't miss,' '' said GW-Danville quarterback Nathan Poole.
Mobbed by Eagles fans who made the four-hour trip to Colon S. Hall Field, Scism, who also had a 35-yarder in the first quarter, said, ``That is probably the best I have ever kicked a ball.''
It ended what was becoming a storybook run by an Indian River team that barely made the playoffs.
The Braves (9-4) marched to an Eastern Region title behind Boyd, a sophomore quarterback playing out of position. A natural tailback, Boyd redefined Indian River's offense in the last three weeks, gaining 100 yards in all three playoff games.
This time he ran for a game-high 127 yards on 16 carries, including a 51-yarder in the first quarter that set up the Braves' only touchdown - Quintae McLean's 2-yard run.
For all of Boyd's offensive fireworks, it was his defensive effort that kept the Braves in this game.
A free safety, Boyd picked off one third-quarter pass, then stripped the ball from GW-Danville's Chanston Rodgers late in the fourth quarter at the Indian River 9 after Rodgers had picked up 16 yards and a first down on a pass.
From his back, Boyd reached out to recover the fumble.
``He wasn't holding the ball tight,'' Boyd said. ``I figured there was no reason just tackling him and giving them first-and-goal so I went for the strip.''
With the game tied at 10, the Braves took over with 3:24 left and moved 16 yards on Sam Hardy's run. But they stalled at their 33, and on fourth-and-2 Braves coach Bob Parker chose to punt.
``If I had it to do over, hindsight being what it is, we'd have gone for it,'' said Parker.
Jeremy Bridges' punt went only 16 yards and the Eagles started at the Braves' 49 with 1:19 left.
Five plays later - the two biggest being fullback dives by Travis Brooks for 13 and 12 yards - the Eagles set up for the winning kick.
The fullback dive stung the Braves all game.
``They owned the middle and got that at will,'' Parker said. ``We'd obviously worked at stopping it and knew it was a big play of theirs. We played every kid in the middle we could. I'll have to look at it on film and see what happened.''
Another play the Braves will review was McLean's fumble at the goal line late in the third quarter while trailing 10-7.
After Boyd's interception, the Braves marched 36 yards and had first-and-goal at the GW-Danville 4.
McLean was met at the goal line by Eagles linebacker Sam Levine, who put his helmet on the ball to cause the fumble. Levine fell on the ball, but it squirted out and ended up in the hands of Indian River's Chris Edmunds. Officials gave the ball to GW-Danville.
``They shouldn't have gotten it,'' Edmunds said. ``I had it in my hands, but they wouldn't give it to me.''
The Braves would eventually tie matters on a 30-yard field goal by Sophan Pith with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Indian River's defense, which made a habit of limiting teams to less than 100 yards rushing this season, was burned for 327 yards as Keith Terry, Theomone Brooks and Travis Brooks ran for 100, 94 and 87 yards, respectively.
``We ran for 300 yards? I don't believe it,'' said Poole, whose 13-yard pass to Tyrone Robertson was the Eagles' lone touchdown. ``It felt like they stopped us every time we had the ball.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/Staff
GW-Danville running back Keith Terry is sandwiched between Indian
River's Jeremy Bridges, No. 91, and Sam Hardy.
by CNB