THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510290184
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
The Hampton Roads Sharks had to return to the basics and their former starting quarterback to survive a season-finale scare from the Lynchburg Jaguars.
The Sharks started Kevin Johnson for Devonne Brown in the second half of a 0-0 tie, and the team responded for a 28-7 victory for the team's second straight Southern Division title in the Mason-Dixon Football League.
Hampton Roads (11-1 overall and 9-1 in the league) will now await its first-round opponent in the league playoffs - with the eventual champion likely receiving a bid to the American Football Association's Eastern Regional Bowl.
After three possessions readjusting to Johnson, the Sharks finally scored with 1:09 left in the third quarter on James Rogers 5-yard sweep to the left.
``I've been patient, but I brought (not starting) on myself for not making practices,'' Johnson said. ``But I feel like the offense responded to me coming in and I felt that from the first snap.
``Hopefully, it will carry over into the playoffs.''
Hampton Roads - ranked second in the AFA's Eastern Region poll - went up 14-0 on a fake field goal attempt five minutes into the fourth. Kahlib McCall was set up to kick from the 28, but took the snap directly and hit Michael Harvey in the left corner with a 22-yard touchdown pass. Tom Edwards added the second of his eventual four extra point conversions.
Lynchburg (4-4, 4-4) struck back on the ensuing kickoff with an 85-yard return by Rudy Barksdale.
But Johnson made it 21-7 on the following possession on a nifty keeper to the left corner from 8 yards out. Hampton Roads rounded out the scoring after recovering a fumble on the Jaguars 15 - with Johnson passing 9 yards to Charles Mott. by CNB