Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 6, 1993 TAG: 9311060171
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HILLSVILLE LENGTH: Medium
More importantly, Wheeler scored twice and Simpson's running set up another touchdown. Those scores powered Blacksburg past Carroll County 21-8 in the regular-season high school football finale for both teams.
The win clinched the New River District title and a Region IV Division 4 playoff berth for the Indians (5-5 overall, 3-0 district). They will open at home in two weeks against an opponent to be deterimined.
The Cavaliers (1-2, 4-6) could have created a three-way tie (along with Blacksburg and Radford) for the district title with a victory. Instead, they are now a longshot to make the Division 4 playoffs. It was the Cavaliers' 21st straight loss to Blacksburg, a streak that dates back to 1974 and includes a playoff defeat in 1990.
The Indians set the tone early, running exclusively on their opening 10-play, 72-yard march.
Wheeler carried the ball nine times for 74 yards - his yardage was more than the length of the drive because of penalties. Wheeler dove over from the 2, giving Blacksburg a 7-0 lead.
"We started of running the ball," Wheeler said. "The longer we kept running it, the better we kept getting at it."
Blacksburg ran the ball well the rest of the half but didn't score again until it got some help from its defense.
On the opening play of the second half, Tony Walker intercepted a Jason Kilbourne pass, setting up the Indians at the Carroll County 37.
After a pass play moved the ball to the 30, Wheeler and Simpson took turns moving the ball. Wheeler finished things, taking a pitch and following lineman Bobby Collins around the end on fourth-and-one at the 5.
After the second touchdown, Simpson took over most of the running chores for the Indians. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound back wore down the Cavaliers by battering the inside of the defensive line.
"We ran a lot of traps and dives for me," said Simpson, who gained 93 of his 125 yards in the second half.
Simpson's runs also moved the Indians into possion for their final score, a 31-yard scoring pass from Greg Shockley to Todd Perdue.
"Our defense was pretty much on the field most of the game," Carroll County coach Dave Haynie said. "I thought they kind of wore us down."
The bright spot for the Cavaliers came in the fourth quarter when running back Nicky Rodrigue, playing with a broken left hand, burst up the middle for 21 yards. The carry gave him 1,021 for the season, making him just the third 1,000-yard rusher in school history. The others are Kim Gillespie in 1979 and Tim Moreland in 1977. \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB