THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995 TAG: 9512030262
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
For Nansemond River, the Group AA, Division 4 state semifinal football game Saturday afternoon turned out to be a case of homefield disadvantage.
Sherando brought four busloads of supporters, lined the stands with nearly 20 signs and then controlled the ball all four quarters, getting 15 first downs, on its way to a 28-7 win.
Nansemond River, which will move to Group AAA and the Southeastern District next year, ends its season at 8-5, while Sherando (11-2) advances to its first state championship game next Saturday at Amherst County, a 34-8 winner over Grundy. ``We should have had more people,'' Warriors coach Jerry Varacallo said of the attendance, ``but we're used to that.''
Sherando, also nicknamed the Warriors, pounced on a flat Nansemond River defense early, scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter. Mark Pearson returned the opening kickoff 38 yards to the Nansemond River 47, and nine plays later, Brad Darr scored on a 3-yard run.
After a Nansemond River fumble, John Washington's 6-yard scamper gave Sherando a 12-0 lead following a failed two-point conversion attempt.
``We wanted to jump on them early and stay on them,'' Sherando quarterback Kelley Washington said. ``We worked our tails off and knew when we came in here that we had to execute and move the ball.''
Said Varacallo, ``One team showed up to play football and another team just showed up. We were the ones who just showed up.''
Nansemond River put together an 11-play, 65-yard drive to open the second quarter, capped by Johnta Knight's quarterback sneak, making it 12-7.
But Sherando answered with a 62-yard drive. Kelley Washington hit Bo Arthur for a 17-yard pass play and John Washington took a pitch over the right side for an 18-7 Sherando lead.
Nansemond River's late drive before halftime was stopped when Sherando sacked Knight three consecutive times near midfield.
``We could have come back, but we shot ourselves in the foot,'' said Nansemond River's Clarence Skinner, who had 77 yards on 17 carries. ``We just let our mistakes get us down and we beat ourselves.''
Sherando kept the ball most of the second half and held Nansemond River to just 23 yards rushing and one first down.
Nansemond River ran three plays before punting on their first drive of the third quarter. Sherando's Morgan Reams booted a 27-yard field goal before another Nansemond River punt.
``They did what we couldn't let them do,'' Varacallo said. ``They controlled the line of scrimmage and they executed. You can't let a team like that do that. They dominated.''
Sherando opened the fourth quarter with Darr's 2-yard run to go up 28-7. Pearson and John Washington then intercepted passes for Sherando.
Kelley Washington completed 5 of 8 passes for 78 yards, while Knight, replacing injured starting quarterback Vernon Woodson, was 4 of 13 for 69 yards. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
TAMARA VONINSKI/The Virginian-Pilot
Johnta Knight of Nansemond River, right, puts the choke hold on Mark
Peterson of Sherando during Saturday's playoff game.
by CNB