THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 1, 1995 TAG: 9509010645
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
This is how it's going to be for seventh-ranked Lake Taylor if the Titans hope to win the Eastern District championship.
Get off to a quick start. The Titans scored on their second possession in Thursday night's 21-7 victory over Salem.
Play tough defense. They held the Sun Devils without a first down in the first half.
Struggle in the second half when fatigue - mental and physical - starts to set in. The Titans have less depth than a wading pool; eight players started both ways and only five substitutes got in.
Recover in the fourth quarter; Lake Taylor outgained Salem 75 yards to minus-8 in the last 12 minutes.
``You go with what you've got,'' said senior quarterback and safety Mario Elliott, who scrambled for key first downs on the Titans' first two scoring drives and also threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kelly.
``We've been working hard, running sprints in practice. You suck it up or hit the road.''
Both teams were victims of the usual first-game mistakes. They combined for 11 fumbles and special teams play was spotty. Salem lost two fumbles on kickoff returns and Lake Taylor lost one.
The big play of the game was a 75-yard touchdown run on a draw play by Ronyell Whitaker that made it 13-0 midway through the second quarter. Whitaker broke linebacker Trevell Archie's tackle at the 26, faked out cornerback Dennis Freeman at the 35, picked up a block from tight end Darnell Whitaker on safety Jose Mojica near midfield and outraced the pursuit down the sideline.
``That's an effective play for us and it was just there,'' Whitaker said.
Whitaker led all rushers with 161 yards in 19 carries.
Lake Taylor made it 21-0 with just 1:06 left in the first half on Elliott's pass to Kelly. The four-play, 18-yard drive was set up Brian Locklear's fumble recovery. Kelly ran a quick out pattern and was open in the front right corner of the end zone. ``It was just a quick little pass and I waited for him to break,'' Elliott said.
Salem, playing with tailback Curtis Sanders and offensive line starters Josh Horner and Derrick Foreman, didn't cross midfield until 8:29 remained in the third quarter. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on fourth down against Elliott gave Salem possession at the Titan 40.
The Sun Devils' touchdown was set up after they tackled the punter, Elliott, when he tried to run after a high snap. Salem took over the Lake Taylor 15 and three plays later Freeman ran in from the 4. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
PAUL AIKEN/Staff
Lake Taylor quarterback Mario Elliott barely gets the pitch away
before being hit by Salem's Craig Vaughn. Elliott had one touchdown
pass.
by CNB