THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 26, 1995 TAG: 9511260202
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
By the time the Hampton Roads Sharks figured out what to do with the Richmond Ravens, it was almost too late.
In a Mason-Dixon League semifinal Saturday at the Center for Effective Learning Stadium, the Sharks fought back from a seven-point, third-quarter deficit and squeaked into next Saturday's league championship with a 20-13 victory.
Hampton Roads (13-1) will face the winner of the semifinal between Fredericksburg and Peninsula played late Saturday in Fredericksburg. The Sharks will either travel to Fredericksburg or host Peninsula in the title game.
Fredericksburg handed Hampton Roads its only loss this season.
The Mason-Dixon champion will play the winner of the Carolina League in an American Football Association East Region bowl game Dec. 9 at CEL, with the winner hosting the Columbus Battle Stars Dec. 17 at CEL in minor league football's version of the Super Bowl.
But for the Sharks, thinking of any of those games would be thinking too far into the future, because for three quarters, it didn't appear the team would get past Richmond (8-4).
Hampton Roads can be thankful its defensive unit put forth another of its typical bend-but-don't-break efforts - keeping the game close enough to allow the offense to make a comeback.
Richmond's game plan was to take away the Sharks running game by stacking its defensive unit at the line of scrimmage. For three quarters, the Ravens shot their linebackers into the gaps and caused all kinds of trouble in the Hampton Roads backfield.
But midway through the fourth quarter, all that changed.
``Our offensive line is a good bunch, but they'll scare the heck out of you,'' coach Red Stickney said. ``They finally started blocking and we switched to a counter trap to the weak side of a strong formation.''
With defensive lineman Darryl Nimmo running interference as a fullback, the changes enabled James Rogers to come through with another strong performance.
Rogers, who had cut the Richmond lead to 10-6 late in the third quarter with a 12-yard scoring run, went five yards with 6:26 left in the game to narrow Richmond's lead to 13-12. Kevin Johnson's extra point pass attempt for the lead fell short.
But the fact that the offense was now moving the ball fired up the defense even more and Richmond went three-and-out.
Rogers was sent back to field Michael Clem's punt - which the Richmond kicker boomed 41 yards. Rogers caught the ball on the dead run and followed Dexter Stephenson's lead down the right sideline to return the punt 78 yards for the go-ahead score.
Kevin Vines tacked on the extra point run.
``We've been working on that play, but it was supposed to be (Charles) Mott, our speedster, who runs them back,'' Stephenson said. ``Whatever side I go to, that's the way we run.''
Rogers led all rushers with 112 yards on 19 carries. Dean DevLin added 48 and Vines had 28. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
L. TODD SPENCER
James Rogers scores the first of his two touchdowns Saturday for the
Hampton Roads Sharks.
by CNB