THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 10, 1995 TAG: 9512100193
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: TOM ROBINSON
DATELINE: MANASSAS, VA. LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
They put the hat on the wrong guy. The Superman hat. Somebody slipped it atop Indian River football coach Bob Parker in the giddy aftermath of the Braves' Division 6 state championship victory Saturday.
But ask anyone who played, or anyone who watched the Braves nip Hylton for their first state title. With apologies to the artful James Boyd, Indian River's real man of steel was Sam Hardy, the 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior, No. 34 with the scraggly black whiskers and, after the 13-12 triumph, the headful of confetti.
The tireless 19-year-old who runs, catches, tackles, intercepts, punts, bags groceries and changes diapers. Those first five chores he performed as a Brave for the final time. The latter two he'll continue to do in support of his wife and child, which is part of his unique tale that was told last week on these pages.
One of his busy lives will go on. But as a farewell to high school football, Hardy offered up a rousing effort, without which Indian River would not have captured its crown.
``Sam does that week in and week out. He makes the big play,'' Parker said at the end of the brisk, clear afternoon. ``Of all the kids on the team, he's the one I know we're not going to be able to replace.''
Prevailing without Hardy's production Saturday, particularly his five receptions for 122 yards and his back-breaking interception in the final 2 1/2 minutes, would have been daunting.
For the Braves, it was not a game for the video archives, other than for the fact that they won. They were penalized 10 times for 89 yards. Their punt team was burned for a 50-yard touchdown. Even with Boyd pushing the buttons at quarterback, their offense spent most of the afternoon sputtering, and Parker later conceded dissatisfaction with his play-calling.
Only their ability to contain Hylton's safe, up-the-gut attack sustained them. Still, it wasn't enough to prevent Indian River from trailing 12-7 as it started from its 9 with less than seven minutes left.
Fortunately for them, the Braves still had Hardy. They still had their ``waggle.'' And that made all the difference.
On Indian River's fourth play of the game, the waggle had worked for 54 yards. It's a little dump pass from Boyd to Hardy, who from his running-back slot ducks through the line and finds open turf in the flat or over the middle.
The 54-yarder set up Indian River's first touchdown. Hylton caught on, however, and kept a lid on it until that desperate fourth-quarter possession when Indian River, apparently reeling, stared down defeat.
On third-and-24 from the Braves' 15, amid much confusion on the Indian River sideline over which play to call, Boyd pursuaded Parker to go with the waggle. Hardy grabbed Boyd's toss and ran for 21 yards to set up a clutch fourth-down conversion pass from Boyd to Michael Joyner.
The next play was Boyd-to-Hardy. Waggle. Fourteen yards.
Two plays later, there it was again. Boyd play-faking and rolling out. Hardy getting lost in the line, then bolting free, somehow all alone. Hardy snaring the pass and sprinting 29 yards to the end zone, diving into the front corner with the winning touchdown.
Coupled with Hardy's five rushes, his five punts and his gritty labor at linebacker, including his late-game interception as the Bulldogs tried to rally, it capped a scrapbook kind of day for an underrated guy.
``I am underrated,'' Hardy said. ``But I'm there for the big plays.''
He flashed a big smile, then dashed once more to the end zone, joining the other new champions for a photo session with family and friends.
``Let Sam hold the trophy,'' somebody with a camera shouted. ``Let Sam hold it. He did all the work.'' by CNB