Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 6, 1993 TAG: 9311060156
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BUENA VISTA LENGTH: Medium
The Fighting Blues, who haven't been quite as overpowering the past couple of years, turned in their best performance of the season to whip Bath County 18-0 and clinch at least a tie for the league championship Friday night.
Both the Blues (8-1 overall, 4-0 in the district) and the Chargers (7-2, 3-1) have district games left next week, Parry McCluer with Glenvar and Bath County with James River. Nevertheless, both teamsare in the Group A Division 1 Region C playoffs and could conceivably meet again.
"I'm not looking forward to that at all," said Parry McCluer linebacker and fullback Craig Floyd. "They have a real potent offensive team."
Not so much Friday night. Parry McCluer limited the Chargers to 172 total yards, 151 of that coming on the ground, but the key was keeping the Bath County offense in mothballs and that's what the Blues did by holding onto the football like a miser clutching his paycheck.
Parry McCluer sealed the win with a drive that started at its 12 the first play of the fourth quarter and ended with Floyd slicing through for a 1-yard touchdown with 1 minute, 30 seconds left in the game.
"The best idea was to keep them off the field," Parry McCluer coach Bob Williams said. "But when they got [the football], they didn't want to give it back either."
Bath County only had four second-half first downs and was thwarted inside the Blues' 20 by a Floyd interception.
"That was our best game by far," Floyd said. "I'm real proud of the whole team. We moved the ball slowly but steadily. We made a few mental mistakes, but for the most part, we were very consistent offensively.
"This year, our defense has carried us, but tonight, the offense was a little better."
Led by Shaam Wheeler's 100 yards rushing, the Blues ran for 199 on the ground and recorded 14 first downs, seven in each half. They even got something out of the special teams when Chris Carter booted a 32-yard field goal with 5:51 remaining in the third quarter. Neither team punted.
The Chargers had their chances in the first half, but the Blues held fast when pressed.
Parry McCluer started the game doing just what it had intended - controlling the football for a lengthy period and keeping the potent Bath County single wing offense off the field.
Dispersing the ball among halfbacks Shaam and Jon Wheeler and fullback Floyd, Parry McCluer marched 73 yards in 14 no-nonsense plays. The last was a 14-yard stomp by Shaam Wheeler, who broke at least two tackles en route to the end zone. Jon Wheeler plunged in for the two-point conversion to make the score 8-0 with 4:58 left in the quarter.
Bath County then showed that it too could play ball control, proceeding from its 19 after the kickoff to inside the Parry McCluer 1 where it faced a fourth and goal. But a tremendous surge from the interior defensive line and linebackers hurled back Chargers running back Billy Thomas to end the threat.
"Our game is running the football," Chargers coach Steve Isaacs said. "If we can't convert fourth and short, then that says something about the other team."
Shortly thereafter, Parry McCluer quarterback Brian Sizemore attempted his first pass, but did not seem to have sound footing when he heaved the ball. The pass was short and Bill Liptrap picked it off.
Again, the Chargers moved deep into Blues territory and again theywere repulsed. A 21-yard pass from Thomas to Timmy Tuning gave Bath County a first and goal at the 2, but a holding call put them back 10 yards and the drive fizzled as time expired.
Thomas led Bath County with 54 yards rushing, but he reinjured his left knee playing defense in the fourth quarter and left the field with considerable assistance.
"I'm not optimistic," Isaacs said.
Despite that depressing development, Isaacs was undaunted.
"These guys [the Chargers] were 2-8 last year," he said. "Now, they're 7-2 and going to the playoffs. Somebody ought to pat those kids on the backs and tell them they've done a heck of a job." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB