DATE: Sunday, November 23, 1997             TAG: 9711230173

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: COURTLAND                         LENGTH:   49 lines

INTERCEPTION SEALS SOUTHAMPTON'S FATE

Southampton's unexpected passing scheme led to an unfamiliar result Saturday.

The Indians reached Spotsylvania's 11-yard line with less than 1:30 left in the game, but quarterback Mitchell Pillsbury's second-down pass was tipped and intercepted at the 2 to seal a 14-7 defeat in the Region I, Division IV title game.

``Looking at that ball fall into his hands, my heart just dropped,'' said Southampton tight end Greg Scott, who was in the vicinity of David Anthes' interception, his second of the game.

The Indians (11-1), who have a philosophy of run, run and run some more, put the ball in the air 18 times Saturday. However, Pillsbury, under heavy pressure, threw a dozen errant passes, including three interceptions.

``We knew coming in we probably were going to have to throw the ball a little bit more,'' Southampton coach Littleton Parker said.

Much of the passing came in the second half, as the Indians trailed 7-0 at halftime and 14-0 late in the fourth quarter.

Pillsbury completed two passes to Scott and another one to Pervis Binns that set up Torrey Goodwyn's 1-yard run with 4:02 to cut the deficit to one touchdown.

Southampton then stopped the Knights on three plays and got the ball at the Spotsylvania 39 with 1:46 left. However, Binns' 28-yard run on second down was followed by a 1-yard loss on a running play and the interception.

Southampton's seven points were its lowest point total this season.

``In the first half, they had some opportunities, but we just shut them down,'' Spotsylvania coach Tim Coleman said.

The Indians had the ball in Spotsylvania territory on each of their first three drives but failed to convert on three fourth-down plays. The fourth possession ended on Anthes' first interception, at the Indians' 49.

Meanwhile, the Knights (8-4) scored on their first possession when quarterback Kyle Martin turned a possible coverage sack into a hefty run. Martin was flushed out of the pocket, headed to the left sideline, cut back inside and then outsprinted at least two defenders for a 74-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead.

With 9:47 left in the game, the Knights padded their cushion when Martin connected on a 17-yard scoring pass to Derek Baskerville. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot

Spotsylvania's Tommy Turner beats Southampton's Pervis Binns to the

ball for one of the Knights' three interceptions on Saturday.

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