THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 10, 1995 TAG: 9510100392
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
Sixth-ranked Booker T. Washington stopped Granby and Anthony King when it absolutely had to Monday night and beat the Comets 17-12 at Harbor Park.
Granby faced fourth-and-7 at the Booker T. 11 with 20 seconds left.
King rolled right and hit tight end Anthony Allen running a short out route. But linebacker Demetrius Whitehurst knocked Allen out of bounds at the 6 to preserve the victory and give the Bookers a one-game lead over Norview in the Eastern District.
``I didn't know I had stopped him until the play was over and I looked at the (first down) stick,'' Whitehurst said. ``Then I started celebrating.''
The Bookers (2-0, 4-1) played a nearly flawless first half in running up a 17-0 lead. They controlled the ball behind the running of tailback Shawn Minter and held King to only 61 yards of total offense.
Minter gained 105 of his 133 yards in the first half. The big play was a 63-yard sweep that put the Bookers in front 10-0.
``I got outside and it was wide open,'' he said. ``I got a good block downfield (from Michael Wilson), cut in off that and was gone.''
King marched Granby to the Bookers 17 on the Comets' next possesion. But on fourth-and-4, he was pressured by defensive end Delvin Young and tackle Marlos Thomas.
King's pass over the middle was intercepted by Whitehurst, who returned it 71 yards to the Granby 24. Three plays later Dominic Perry hit the tight end, Thomas, for the touchdown.
Thomas, who is 6-3, released straight up field and beat 5-9 Mack Hall for the touchdown with 1:18 left in the half.
Booker T. coach Larry Stepney
said he warned the Bookers at halftime that Granby wouldn't quit.
Booker T. batted down five passes in the second half, but King kept coming.
Granby's first touchdown, a 14-yard pass from King to Joe Bryant, was set up by Allen's fumble recovery at the Booker T. 39.
King, who finished with 218 yards of total offense, struck again midway through the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-8 at the Booker T. 37, he stepped up in the poket to avoid a huge rush, spun away from a tackle and dashed down the right sideline for a touchdown.
``He's my player of the year,'' Stepney said of King. ``He carries that team.''
The Comets' defense then stopped Booker T. on three plays for the only time all night, forcing a punt. Granby regained possession at its 41 with 4:37 to play.
A facemask penalty moved the ball across midfield, and on fourth-and-13 at the Booker T. 46, King again escaped the rush and hit Hall for a 32-yard gain to the 14.
Three plays gained 3 yards, and with the clock running King's fourth-down magic finally failed.
The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, but rain forced a rare Monday game. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by HUY NGUYEN/
Granby's Anthony Allen, left, strips Kamal Gardner of Booker T.
Washington on Sunday.
by CNB