Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 16, 1993 TAG: 9310160297
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
The Cougars scored early and often in handing Salem a 45-6 non-district defeat in what was one of the worst losses ever for a Willis White-coached team.
It took Pulaski County (6-0), the top-ranked Group AAA team in the state, five plays to score. By halftime, the Cougars led 28-0 before more than 12,000 spectators, believed to be the largest home crowd in the school's history.
Speedy Carl Lewis set the tone. After Salem's defense held for two plays, the senior tailback broke through the Spartans' line and scooted 60 yards to the Salem 7-yard line, where he was hauled down by Mike Murphy.
Brian Redd scored two plays later. By the end of the quarter, Lewis had rushed for 93 of the 117 yards he would gain for the game.
"I had a talk with the linemen and told them if they'd block, I'd do the rest myself," Lewis said.
When Salem started stopping Lewis, the Cougars turned to the crisscross play that was so effective when they beat Thomas Dale in the 1992 Group AAA Division 6 state championship game.
Eric Webb picked up 66 yards on eight carries from the crisscross and scored the next two touchdowns.
When Salem zeroed in on that play, quarterback Andre Eaves started running. He picked up 81 yards on four attempts.
"Our linemen blocked so well that the holes were big enough for [two-way tackle] Randy Dunnigan to run through," Eaves said.
By halftime, Pulaski County had run 29 plays for 255 yards. The Cougars finished with 430 yards on 48 carries.
"I knew they were good and quick," said White, whose Salem team has lost back-to-back games for the first time since the 1987 season. "They're very high in what we lack [quickness]. This is just not quick for us."
Pulaski County was taking no chances against the Spartans (4-2). Joel Hicks, the Cougars' coach, used an unbalanced line to give Salem a different look.
"They do such a good coaching job," Hicks said of White's staff. "They've seen us every game, so you have to have something they haven't seen."
Meanwhile, Pulaski County's defense was as impressive as its offense.
"This and the Heritage game [a 34-0 Cougars victory on Oct. 1] were the best we've played defensively," Hicks said.
Salem couldn't run on Pulaski County, so the Spartans had to throw. Quarterback Kevin Feazell completed 12 of 31 passes, but for only 83 yards. The Cougars took away Salem's primary receiver, Nathan Routt; he caught one pass for 12 yards, and that was late in the game.
Pulaski County still hasn't had a challenge through the first half of the season.
"I figured this would be a closer game," said Dunnigan, who said during the preseason that victories over E.C. Glass and Salem - the only teams to beat the Cougars a year ago - were musts.
"I was looking for 17-10 or a 10-7 game," Dunnigan said Friday. "Even after we were up 28-0 at the half, you just don't know what Salem can do."
The Spartans posed little threat after halftime. The Cougars forced Salem to punt, and Eaves guided a 69-yard drive in which he had the long run of 19 yards. Redd scored from the 1, and the conversion made it 35-0.
"I knew they wouldn't come back," Dunnigan said he realized at that point. "They started letting down. At least it seemed that way to me."
The Spartans scored with 1 minute, 58 seconds left when Chris Huff ran in from the 9-yard line to make it 38-6.
Just to show that everything was clicking for the Cougars, reserve C.A. Burkes, running his first play of the night, took a straight handoff and went 65 yards for a touchdown that only served to add more misery for Salem.
\ see microfilm for box score
by CNB