THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 14, 1995 TAG: 9510140425
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Top-ranked Deep Creek spent the first quarter admiring the decorations at the biggest party in school history.
But after falling behind No. 3 Indian River by two touchdowns, the Hornets gorged themselves at the turnover table and rolled to a 34-20 victory Friday night before an estimated crowd of 7,500 at Hornet Stadium.
Angelo Sykes and Deon Dyer each rushed for more than 140 yards and Arnie Powell threw a pair of touchdown passes to lead the Hornets to their 17th consecutive regular-season victory and sixth in a row this season.
Dyer, a 235-pound senior fullback and the school's all-time leading rusher, added another page to his remarkable career with a 99-yard touchdown run late in the first half.
Indian River trailed 13-12 when Deep Creek's Teray Frost outleaped Anthony Cason to make an interception at the Hornets' 1. That was the first of four Indian River turnovers that led to three Deep Creek touchdowns.
With everyone in the stadium knowing who would get the ball next, Dyer took an inside handoff, broke a pair of tackles and cut toward the left sideline.
He stepped through Cason's diving attempt at the 10 and, almost shockingly, was gone.
``I thought they'd be shooting the gaps so the most logical way was to take it outside,'' Dyer said. ``With our line that's possible. I'm just proud I made it all the way with nobody catching me or losing my breath.''
Joe Verdi's extra point made it 20-12 with 1:02 left in the half.
``Oh man,'' said Indian River linebacker Sam Hardy. ``I went inside and he went outside. I'm diving, but you can't arm tackle him. That big boy can run.''
Indian River gained a measure of revenge early in the third quarter when it stopped Dyer on fourth-and-goal at the one.
But the Braves gave it right back when quarterback James Boyd fumbled and Steve Verdi recovered for Deep Creek at the Braves 28. Four plays later Dyer hammered over from the one. Verdi's extra point made it 27-12.
Indian River (2-1, 5-1) responded by going exclusively to the shotgun. Boyd, who finished with 310 all-purpose yards, completed four consecutive passes in moving the Braves to the Deep Creek 2. Hardy plunged over for the touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter and Antwan Stukes ran in the extra points to make it 27-20.
The Braves stopped Deep Creek on three plays forcing a punt and Boyd went back to work. Four more completions gave Indian River a first down at the Deep Creek 20.
A running play lost four yards and on second down the snap soared over Boyd's head. He tried to pick it up, couldn't find the handle and Bryan Wingate recovered for the Hornets with 6:45 remaining.
Deep Creek then put together its best sustained drive of the night. The Hornets marched 56 yards in 10 plays, all on the ground, for the clinching touchdown. Sykes burst off the right side for 12 yards and the score with 1:40 left.
``Every week we've had tough people to play and I think we're battle hardened,'' Deep Creek coach Jerry Carter said. ``These kids know how to deal with pressure and unless we just fall apart we're going to be a force.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
LAWRENCE JACKSON
The Virginian-Pilot
Deep Creek's Teray Frost makes a catch in front of Indian River's
Michael Toliver in the first quarter at Deep Creek Stadium. Sparked
by Deon Dyer's 99-yard touchdown run, the top-ranked Hornets came
from two TDs back to defeat the Braves.
DEEP CREEK 34
INDIAN RIVER 20
by CNB