THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996 TAG: 9609210545
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 56 lines
Freshman quarterback Chatame Ward led Churchland in a second-half game of keep-away Friday night as the No. 10 Truckers upset No. 4 Western Branch, 28-21, at Churchland.
Ward scored two second-half touchdowns and ran for 204 yards on 32 carries for the Truckers (3-0), who held the ball for more than 19 of the 24-minute second half.
``It was there for the taking,'' Ward said. ``They couldn't stop us.''
But while the Bruins rarely had the ball, they failed to take care of it the few times they did.
A fumbled punt set up Ward's first second-half touchdown, and a David Johnson interception foiled Western Branch's final scoring bid. The Truckers ran out the final 6:48.
The only consolation for the Bruins (1-2) is that they likely won't have to worry about crunching power-ratings numbers and sweating out playoff possibilities toward the end of the season.
With two losses already in the ultra-competitive Division 5, the Bruins' playoff hopes probably died Friday night.
``That's not even an issue right now,'' Western Branch coach Lew Johnston said. ``We've just got to get refocused so we don't play so lousy next week.''
Ward, who split time with fellow freshman Brandon Hall in the first two games, played all but one series Friday.
With Hall hampered by a knee injury, and despite carrying only 162-pounds on his 6-0 frame, the freshman quarterback was able to play workhorse Friday by slithering through the Bruins' front and allowing defenders to tag the ``1'' or the ``5'' on his jersey, but never the whole ``15.''
``Two hundred and four yards? You're lying!'' Ward said when told of his night's totals.
Ward gained 136 yards in the second half, after the Bruins finally stiffened against the fullback dive. That play produced two Marcus Doxie touchdowns in the first half.
The Bruins also scored twice in the first half, as Darren Walton twice defeated man-to-man coverage by Jamin Elliot to haul in 19- and 25-yard touchdown passes from Johnson.
The Bruins also got a 88-yard kickoff return for a score late in the third quarter from Jason Parker.
But Western Branch would get only one more chance to score Friday thanks to Ward, who always seemed to be able to get 5 yards when the Truckers needed 4.
The performance was so sublime that it almost unnerved Churchland head coach Ken Taylor who, fearful that his young star might get a big head, initially declined to make Ward available for postgame comments.
``But, coach,'' a reporter insisted, ``we have the kid running for 204 yards.''
``Chatame! Get over here!'' ILLUSTRATION: MIKE HEFFNER\The Virginian-Pilot
Jason Parker of Western Branch evades Churchland's Derrick Williams
en route to an 88-yard, third-quarter touchdown. by CNB