THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 3, 1995 TAG: 9509030194
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
The Hampton Roads Sharks almost failed their first test Saturday at Todd Stadium.
And while the grade might not be as good as they'd hoped for, the Sharks passed the exam with a 33-27 overtime victory over the Peninsula Poseidons.
For two quarters, the Sharks apparently didn't understand the questions, falling behind their biggest Mason-Dixon League rival, 20-6.
In fact, it wasn't until the fourth quarter that Hampton Roads seemed to grasp the subject matter.
Down 27-13, Hampton Roads (4-0 overall, 2-0 in the Mason-Dixon) made a remarkable comeback that forced the overtime - where James Rogers barreled in from 17 yards out for the winning score.
Hampton Roads got a pair of touchdowns from Kevin Vines with less than nine minutes to go that knotted the contest at 27-27. With 8:44 left, Vines went in from the 11 to close the gap to 27-19. After holding Peninsula (2-2, 0-2) on three plays, Hampton Roads took over from the Peninsula 30 and scored on Vines' 8-yard run seven plays later.
Then, with defensive lineman Darryl Nimmo running interference as a fullback, Rogers added the had-to-have 2-point conversion.
The Sharks then dodged a bullet two series later when the Poseidons intercepted a Kevin Johnson pass and took over at their own 43 with 2:27 left.
With 12 seconds left, Brian Reeves attempted a 43-yard field goal that just missed wide left. He had hit on 42- and 46-yard attempts earlier.
In the overtime, the Sharks won the toss and got a 27-yard kickoff return from Charles Mott that set up Hampton Roads at its own 46.
The Sharks didn't take long to pass this test, marching the distance in three plays - getting a 20-yard run from Rogers, followed by a 17-yarder from Vines that left Rogers with his dash for the score and the victory.
``That a big enough turnaround for you?'' coach Red Stickney asked, wiping sweat off his brow. ``We did the same thing last year, falling behind by 14. I think the guys come out too fired up and they don't concentrate.
``We didn't make mistakes in the second half and we had talked about pride, and whether or not we were just going to sit down and give it to them or get hungry and come back.''
As questions went, that one was the easiest, according to Rogers.
``This was an important game,'' the Sharks leading rusher said. ``This was bragging rights.
``We came out very flat. But in the second half, we came out to play like we knew we could.''
Rogers led all rushers with 87 yards and threw a 33-yard halfback option pass to Mott early in the second quarter. Vines tacked on 80 yards. by CNB