THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 1, 1996 TAG: 9609010276
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 73 lines
Welcome to the Virginia State Bowl . . . oops, make that the Labor Day Classic.
One big play 68 seconds into the second half was the turning point in the fifth consecutive Norfolk State season-opening loss to the Trojans Saturday night at Foreman Field.
Telley Priester's blocked punt with 13:52 left in the third quarter set up David Anthony's 3-yard touchdown run to break a 7-7 tie as the Trojans, ranked 10th in Division II, defeated Norfolk State 24-15 in the sixth annual classic at Foreman Field.
``We couldn't afford for any big plays and a big play happened,'' Norfolk State sophomore safety Robert Weaver said.
The Spartans began the half with the ball at its own 20. Three plays later, Priester went seemingly untouched into punter Robert Morris and blocked the punt that he also recovered at the 3.
``He's the all-time punt blocker in South Carolina high schools,'' Virginia State coach Lou Anderson said of the Hampton, S.C., native. ``He had 20.''
Anthony then converted the gift into a 3-yard stroll on the next play to give the Trojans the lead for good, 14-7.
``Out of 20 days of practicing, we practiced punting on 18 of them,'' said Spartans coach Darnell Moore, now 0-3 vs. Virginia State. ``Someone came in on the outside - an obvious mistake.''
Up until that play, Norfolk State's defense had stayed away from making costly mistakes.
The Spartans were penalized four times in the first half for 36 yards, but six times for 74 yards after halftime.
``This is the one we wanted to win,'' Norfolk State senior defensive lineman John Green said. ``We did what we could but we fell short.''
As was the case last year, Norfolk State got on the scoreboard first.
John Quinerly, finishing with 119 yards on 24 carries, opened the scoring with a 2-yard run on a pass from Morris with 8:22 left in the second quarter for a 7-0 lead.
With Damon McNair replacing Rodney Granger at quarterback, Virginia State struck back on the next possession.
Facing a bllitz on third and 10 from Norfolk State's 37, McNair threw a screen pass to Samuel Harrell, who raced 63 yards to tie the score at 7.
Granger, a graduate of Norcom High, suffered a shoulder bruise on a pass attempt late in the first half. He was intercepted on the play by lineman Robert Rushing.
McNair was 4-of-12 for 103 yards.
``When I was in there, we stuck with the game plan, executed and came out with the win,'' the junior backup from Tallwood High said.
Tony Lanier, Virginia State's leading receiver from last season, missed the game with a sprained ankle.
However, the Trojans' third marquee name on offense - running back Robert Morgan - made up for his fellow senior's absence. Morgan ran for 107 yards on 21 carries.
Trailing 24-7 in the fourth quarter, Norfolk State's Darius Blount scored on a 6-yard pass from Morris for a 24-13 score. Morris then hit Quinerly on a two-point play to cut the deficit to nine points with 4:32 left in the game. However, the Spartans were unable to drive the ball in its last possession.
Morris was 16 for 35 for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
NOTE: Olympic silver medalist Tim Montgomery was honored at halftime. Montgomery, a junior who was part of the United States' 4x100 relay team, was one of two silver medalists for the Spartans. Chandra Sturrup, representing the Bahamas, won a silver medal in the 4x100 relay in the Atlanta games. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Norfolk State's John Quinerly is collared by Virginia State's
Herbert Howard during the second quarter of Saturday night's Labor
Day Classic. Quinerly, who finished with 119 yards on 24 carries,
later scored for the Spartans on 2-yard pass play from quarterback
Robert Morris. by CNB