Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 20, 1993 TAG: 9311200222
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
With an offense as potent and well-mixed as holiday punch and a defense that packed a punch of its own, the Indians routed their fellow New River District member 34-12 in the first round of the Group AA Region IV Division 4 playoffs at Bill Brown Stadium.
The victory was Blacksburg's 22nd in a row over Carroll County dating to 1974. The Indians beat the Cavaliers in the playoffs for the second time in three years.
Junior quarterback Greg Shockley completed nine of 14 passes for 151 yards and Tony Wheeler rushed 12 times for 107 yards to lead Blacksburg (6-5), which advances to meet the winner of today's Lee-Grundy game.
The Indians scored on their first three possessions of the game and led 21-0 with 9 minutes, 17 seconds left in the first quarter.
"That's probably the best we've started a game all year," said Shockley, who is closing in on the 1,300-yard mark in passing. "We came out with our regular ball-control offense. The coaches did a great job of mixing up the plays."
Shockley completed seven of his first eight passes and had thrown for 110 yards by halftime. Wheeler, who ran for 103 yards in a victory at Carroll County on Nov. 5, again gave the Indians the running attack they've been seeking since Nick Burroughs was injured a month ago. He also intercepted a pass to stop a third-quarter drive by the Cavaliers.
"I waited all year for my chance to come, but Nick was such an excellent back," Wheeler said. "Now, I think I've proved myself."
On the Indians' first possession, Shockley hit Todd Perdue and Tim Brown for gains of 18 and 15 yards, respectively. Wheeler ran 27 yards to the 9-yard line. Three plays later, Terry Simpson went 4 yards off right tackle for the score.
The Blacksburg defense held Carroll to three plays, and the Indians went to work out of the no-huddle offense, traveling 51 yards in six plays and scoring on Wheeler's 10-yard run.
On the next Cavaliers series, linebacker Jay Safford stripped the ball from quarterback Jason Kilbourne and Perdue recovered at the Carroll 44. Shockley completed two passes for 25 yards, and Simpson's running moved the ball to the 4-yard line. From there, John Chapman danced into the end zone early in the second quarter.
Tim Schnecker's third point-after kick made it 21-0.
"The kids did a great job of executing," said Dave Crist, Blacksburg's head coach. "Everybody will think that the offense had a great game, and it did, but the defense got us the ball in good position."
Carroll County tailback Nicky Rodrigue, the New River District's s leading rusher, had 111 yards on 22 carries. He scored both Cavaliers touchdowns, including an 80-yard run in the second quarter.
Blacksburg went up 34-6 with two third-quarter touchdowns - a 10-yard keeper by Shockley and a 41-yard touchdown heave from Shocley to tight end Michael Donohue on a play that Shockley checked to at the line of scrimmage.
Carroll, 0-3 in the playoffs, got its final score on a 4-yard Rodrigue run in the fourth quarter.
Kilbourne completed six of 16 passes for 105 yards. Wideout Brian Hawks caught five passes for 84 yards.
"The kids didn't give up, but they could've," said Dave Haynie, whose Cavaliers finished 4-7.
by CNB