
DATE: Sunday, November 16, 1997             TAG: 9711140242

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 18   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MIKE COYLE, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   65 lines

UNBEATEN CRESTWOOD BOUNCES HICKORY IN TITLE GAME, 24-6

THIS YEAR'S Chesapeake middle school football championship game had a familiar look to it.

Crestwood's Clinton Deloatch, who played a key role in handing Hickory its only loss in the regular season, passed for one touchdown and ran for another as the Falcons finished an unbeaten season with a 24-6 win over Hickory in Wednesday's title game.

Deloatch, who completed 2 of 3 passes for 38 yards and ran for 28 yards on seven carries, had scored on an 86-yard on the final play of Crestwood's 6-0 win over Hickory in the regular-season game.

Going into the championship game, Falcon coach Brian Haughinberry was determined to continue what had worked for him all year.

``The running game has been the key to our success,'' he said. ``We've been able to pound up the middle with our big back, James Johnson. We can complement him with speed on the outside in Clinton. We needed to keep their defense on the field.''

For his part, Hickory coach Tim Sitterson was content to have the game in the hands of our defense.

``The only points scored on us all year were by Crestwood on the last play of the game,'' he said. ``Our middle linebacker, Ryan Gordon, comes up big every game. The rest of our linebackers, Craig Taylor, Robert Kerr and Joe Doyle, have also been a force.''

The game turned on Hickory's very first possession when a bad snap on a punt was recovered by the Falcons' Gabriel Hamilton on the Hawks' 12-yard line. Two plays later, Deloatch found the end zone on a 6-yard burst. Deloatch passed to Ian MacVey for the two-point conversion.

Hamilton came up big again in the second quarter when he caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Deloatch. Johnson added the conversion run to make it 16-0.

Throughout the first half, booming kicks by Crestwood's Chris Sanderling kept the Hawks (4-2) deep in their own territory. However, in the waning seconds of the half, Kerr (32 yards on 8 carries) and Doyle (30 yards on 7 carries) pounded the ball into scoring position. But Pierre Mitchell's interception at the goal line thwarted the drive.

In the second half, Crestwood (6-0) went to its power game as its big offensive line, led by center Donnell Walton, enabled the Falcons to put together an eight-minute scoring drive highlighted by Hamilton's 1-yard touchdown run behind a Walton block.

The Hawks finally managed a scoring drive late in the fourth quarter. Roy Dawson made a key 18-yard catch with Crestwood players hanging all over him to set up Derrick Sheddrick's 9-yard run in the last minute of play.

Haughinberry felt the early turnover and his offensive line were the keys to victory.

``As the game went on, we wore them down with our offensive line,'' he said.

Sitterson was quick to agree.

``You can't turn the ball over early to a good football,'' he said. ``That made all the difference.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by NHAT MEYER

Crestwood's Clinton Deloatch dives over Hickory's Derrick Sheddrick.

Deloatch passed for one TD and ran for one.

In winning the championship, Crestwood handed Hickory its only two

losses of the season. KEYWORDS: MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL