THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610200160
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 52 lines
The Hampton Roads Sharks claimed their third straight Mason-Dixon Football League Southern Division championship Saturday, but it wasn't pretty.
The Sharks (8-1 overall and 8-1 in the league) crushed the Washington Stars 36-0 at Kempsville, but there were three fights and numerous penalties. Coupled with passing game plans from both teams, the contest lasted just over three hours.
Washington fumbled nine times and lost four, while the Sharks coughed it up twice and lost one. There were two interceptions.
The Stars (3-8-1, 1-6-1) fielded only 22 players and one, Keemit Tyler, was ejected during a second-quarter shoving match that nearly emptied both benches.
Each team was called for 11 infractions, Washington's going for 81 yards in the wrong direction and Hampton Roads' for 105.
``This was a sloppy game,'' coach T.J. Morgan said. ``I knew it was going to be sloppy. But we're back on the winning track with one game and the playoffs remaining.''
The Sharks travel to Lynchburg next week for the season finale, before hosting a playoff semifinal.
The lopsided victory over Washington was a turn-around from their first meeting, where Hampton Roads squeaked by with a 34-30 win.
``They were throwing the ball well that game,'' Morgan said.
Not this time.
Mike Holland and William Woodard combined for only nine completions out of 31 attempts, most of which came under fierce pressure from the Sharks defensive line.
Despite it all, the Sharks managed to make the most of every situation - scoring off four of the Stars' five turnovers.
Keith Abston started the scoring on a 4-yard run after Tim McDonald had recovered a Washington fumble on the Stars 30. Abston scored again on a 7-yard dash after Tim Yannacone recovered a fumble on the Washington 7.
Late in the second quarter, Ruben Rodriguez intercepted a Washington pass and returned it for an apparent touchdown. But the Sharks were called for holding, causing the first fight to break out. When everything settled down and all the flags were figured out, the Sharks had the ball on the Washington 10 and Abston took it in from the 4 two plays later.
Paul Saunders, who had hit a 46-yard field goal earlier, hit a 33-yarder with 2:55 left in the first half - as the Sharks exploded for 20 second-quarter points and a 26-0 halftime lead.
Saunders connected from 29 yards with four seconds left in the third quarter to make it 29-0.
Kirt Brazelton recovered a fumbled punt reception at the Washington 34 to set up the final score - a 5-yard run by Keshaun Miller three plays into the drive. Steve Elliott converted the point after kick. by CNB