THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 23, 1995 TAG: 9509230428
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Fourth-ranked Western Branch throttled Churchland's ``Super Truck'' offense in the second half and the Bruins rolled over the sixth-ranked Truckers, 38-13, Friday night in an early-season showdown of Southeastern District contenders.
Churchland (2-1 overall and in the district) entered the game leading South Hampton Roads teams in rushing and total offense. But the combination of a driving rain and a fired-up Bruins defense held the Truckers to 50 yards and no points in the second half.
``We figured the rain would effect their pitchouts so we keyed on the dive in the second half,'' Western Branch linebacker Malik Cook said.
Cook doubles as the tailback in Western Branch's Wing-T and it was his 3-yard run with 16 seconds left in the first half that gave the Bruins a 16-13 lead.
Western Branch (3-0, 2-1) used all its timeouts during the drive that began at the Bruins 20. But rather than call a pass which would have given quarterback Daryl Walton the option to throw the ball away and stop the clock, coach Lew Johnston opted for the run.
``They were so concerned about our buck sweep that it put the defensive end in a bad spot,'' Johnston said. ``It was time to run Malik inside. J.D. Smith got a kickout block on the end and Malik did the rest.''
It was all Western Branch from there.
The Bruins defense kept getting the ball back and Shyrone Stith ran wild. Stith carried 19 times for 190 yards and had touchdown runs of 25, 2 and 28 yards. He also caught three passes for 35 yards.
Stith's 43-yard run on the Bruins' first possession of the second half set the rout in motion. Four plays later, Walton, oblivious to the rain, hit Idris Sherard over the middle for a 33-yard gain to the 2 and Stith punched in the touchdown that made it 24-13.
Churchland couldn't move on its next series and Western Branch took over at its 41. The Bruins drove 59 yards in six plays to make it 31-13. The big play was a 33-yard sweep by Stith. Walton, who completed 10 of 16 passes for 154 yards, hit Sherard on a crossing pattern in the back of the end zone for the touchdown.
The Bruins quickly got the ball back at the Churchland 27 following a fumble. But the Truckers stopped Cook on fourth-and-goal at the 1.
Churchland couldn't move and the Bruins took over at the Truckers 28 after a punt. On the next play Stith burst up the middle, picked up a block and dashed into the end zone for his third score. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Lawrence Jackson, Staff
Western Branch running back Shyrone Stith scored three TDs and
rushed for 190 yards on 19 carries.
by CNB