THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 1, 1995 TAG: 9509280206
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 34 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Just a few years ago, the Perquimans County football team had no trouble scoring points. Forty and 50 point offensive outbursts were common. This year, however, the offense has sputtered. It could be seen in the Pirates' 14-8 loss to Weldon last week.
Weldon scored on its first possession of the first half and its first possession of the second half and held Perquimans to just 43 yards of total offense in the first half.
A soaking rain didn't help matters any for either team.
Weldon opened the game by marching 70 yards for a score. The big blow came on a first and 10 play from the Perquimans 49 when Weldon quarterback Cornelius Barber hit Robert Robinson with a 40-yard pass down to the Perquimans nine. It was Barber's only completion of the game. Three plays later, Undra Evans burst three yards for the touchdown with 7:59 to play in the first quarter. The extra point pass failed and the score remained 6-0.
The struggling Perquimans offense had three chances to score in the first half, but kicker Clint Eley missed field attempts of 36, 37, and 58 yards in the rain. The Pirates gained just 43 yards in the first half, all on the ground, as Weldon bunched the line to stop the run.
``Believe it or not, a lot of the seams and holes are there. We just have a motion timing problem we're working through right now,'' said first year head coach Andy Hunt. ``The seams are huge all over the place. We're running with our heads down and we don't hold the block. It was a simple matter of holding the block a second longer.''
After the Chargers stopped Perquimans on the first possession of the second half, Alvin Hamlin took the first play of scrimmage for Weldon and ran 40 yards down to the Perquimans 27. Two plays later, Evans followed with a 26-yard touchdown run up the middle. Evans also ran in the extra point to give Weldon a 14-0 lead.
The defense scored the first points for Perquimans. The Pirates backed Weldon up to its own nine. On a third and 15 play, David Lake knocked the ball away from Barber. The ball went out of the end zone for a safety with 1:24 to play in the third quarter.
Another defensive play by the Pirates led to the final score of the game. Evans fumbled on the damp field in Weldon territory. Brad Owens picked up the loose ball to give Perquimans the ball at the Chargers 9. On the next play, Travis Chapman ran nine yards for the touchdown with 9:49 to play. The extra point kick had a botched snap and Carson Stallings' extra point pass fell incomplete.
The Pirates had a possible scoring opportunity dashed late in the game. After a Weldon punt, the Pirates started a drive from their own 45. On the next play, Tykinsten Wood ripped off 25 yards down to the Weldon 30. But on the next play, quarterback A.J. Miller fumbled on an attempted handoff and Weldon's Kevin Avent recovered.
Hunt said the team is still tinkering with its offense.
``We're tinkering a little bit and it's showing on Friday nights,'' he said. ``We play the wishbone a lot. We need to try to find something to allow us to run the same plays but in a different set. It's like Air Force's `wingbone.' It's a painful growing stage.''
Despite losing the first conference game to a team they were counting on beating, Hunt still hopes the Pirates have enough for one of the four 1A playoff spots to come out of the Albemarle conference.
``It's something we planned on at the beginning of the year. We ought to be in one of those four playoff spots,'' he said. ``It doesn't help that this was a game we went into that we shoud win. That was a 'W' that we planned on happening. But I don't think it's going to be life threatening.'' by CNB