DATE: Saturday, October 18, 1997            TAG: 9710180618

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   48 lines

LONG TD RUNS PUT CHURCHLAND IN LOGJAM ATOP EASTERN DISTRICT

Seventh-ranked Churchland used a pair of long touchdown runs by Chatame Ward and Brandon Hall to upset No. 2 Norcom 16-8 Friday night and create a five-team logjam at the top of the Eastern District.

Churchland, Norcom, Booker T. Washington, Lake Taylor and Norview are all 3-1 in the district. But in the jubilation and the mud at Churchland Stadium, Truckers coach Ken Taylor had no trouble picking a favorite from the bunch.

``We've beaten Norcom and Booker T. Washington in tough defensive games and should be the district favorite,'' Taylor said.

A game-long rain wreaked havoc for both offenses; Norcom completed only 3 of 20 passes and Churchland lost 5 fumbles.

The difference was Churchland's big plays. On the second play of the second half, Hall faked an inside handoff and burst 65 yards up the middle for the winning score.

``It was a straight option,'' Hall said. ``I saw the defensive end go outside, and I tucked it in.''

Hall had a 72-yard run last week against Maury but was caught from behind.

Norcom had plenty of opportunities to pull even but was 2 of 8 on fourth-down conversion attempts. Greyhound drives died at the Churchland 36, 14, 14, 38, 27 and 1.

The decisive series came midway through the third quarter. Norcom recovered a fumble by Hall at the Churchland 37 and, with the aid of a pass-interference penalty, drove to a first down at the 5.

Two runs and an incomplete pass moved the ball to the 1. On fourth down, quarterback Kevin Jones was stopped short on a sneak.

Churchland took over, and on the ensuing play, Ward went 73 yards on a spectacular quarterback sneak. He burst into the open, slowed at the 25 to let the defense go hydroplaning by, cut down the sideline, hurdled a defender at the Norcom 35, cut back across the middle and was finally dragged down at the 26.

Norcom never started from good field position again.

Churchland opened the scoring on a 47-yard run by Ward on an option pitch from Hall. Ward also ran in the two-point conversion.

Norcom countered with an 18-yard pass from Jones to Kevin Lathan. They also teamed up for the 2-point conversion pass. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

NHAT MEYER/The Virginian-Pilot

Norcom's Bryant Clemmons outruns Churchland's defense and turns the

corner during the third quarter Friday.

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