THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 5, 1996 TAG: 9610050256
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 43 lines
All the elements were there for Lake Taylor to script some storybook stuff Friday night: a brand-new stadium, a bomb from quarterback Jim Mitchell to a wide-open Ronyell Whitaker on the first play, the ball on Whitaker's fingertips as 2,000 fans gasped with anticipation.
Unfortunately for the Titans, this wasn't a night for fairy tales. The ball slipped out of Whitaker's grasp, the Titans were unable to muster anything else resembling a scoring threat for nearly three quarters and Churchland slipped away with a 21-8 victory in the first game played on Lake Taylor's school grounds in 29 years.
The Truckers (4-1, 1-1 in the Eastern District) prevailed despite six turnovers, in part because the Titans answered with five giveaways of their own.
``We didn't execute very well,'' Lake Taylor coach Dan Newell said.
Neither team did. One seven-play sequence in the second quarter went: interception/four-yard loss/ interception/four-yard loss/ interception/fumble/interception.
But there was nothing suspect with the Truckers' defense, which harassed Mitchell into a 3-for-20, three-interception night and held Whitaker to 76 yards rushing. Lake Taylor (2-3, 0-2) didn't get a first down until the 6:58 mark of the third quarter.
``We talked about (stopping) Whitaker, but basically we just felt like we were physically better,'' Churchland coach Ken Taylor said.
The Truckers got 14 points in the second quarter on Marcus Doxie's 35-yard run and Chatame Ward's one-yard plunge, then added another TD in the fourth quarter when Tony Brown scored from nine yards out.
Lake Taylor's touchdown came on Chad Holland's 2-yard run with 2:35 remaining.
Before Friday, the Titans hadn't played at home since 1967, when they hosted Frederick Military Academy. The team formerly played its home games at Norview's Chittum Field. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Lake Taylor's Ronyell Whitaker is corralled by Donta Britt, right,
and Mike Allen of Churchland during the Truckers' 21-8 win. by CNB