Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 5, 1993 TAG: 9312050141
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAYSI LENGTH: Medium
What dominated this memorable Group A Division 2 semifinal football game Saturday was torrents of rain, tons of mud and old-school knock you-on-your-duff defense.
Giles can play defense?
You bet. That's why the Spartans beat high-powered Haysi 8-0 and will play host to Lunenburg Central at 1:30 p.m. next Saturday for the state championship.
"I have never in my life played in anything like that," said Giles end Patrick Steele, the executor of three huge second-half plays as the Spartans were hanging on to their tenuous and slippery advantage.
"It was like playing in mud pie five inches thick," Steele said. "You couldn't walk. You couldn't see with the mud in your eyes. Those kind of games, you win on guts alone."
Which pretty much summed up the soggy situation.
"I don't know how it gets any tougher than that," said Giles coach Steve Ragsdale, who has a chance to coach a second undefeated state champion. "I've never been prouder of a team."
Twice in the fourth quarter, Giles had to hold on to fourth-down plays inside its 20-yard line. Victory was not secured until Steele made a clutch third-down 19-yard catch from the Giles 19 - the Spartans' only completion - from ailing tailback Raypheal Milton, and Peter Janney followed that with a 44-yard skating run to put the Spartans out of danger.
"Man, those plays were huge," Ragsdale said.
Take those two away and Giles gains 16 yards in the second half after opening with 118 rushing yards in the first half.
"We just left it up to the defense, and the defense came through," said fullback Maurice Milton, Raypheal's twin.
Maurice Milton did his part with a 57-yard touchdown run on Giles' third offensive play. Milton executed a deft fake handoff in Giles' single-wing backfield, then broke up the middle and outran the defense in a race to see who would avoid slipping and falling into the muck first.
"I had to maneuver to get into the hole, but once I got into it, I just ran," Milton said. "I looked behind me for flags. It looked like it was going to be that kind of day."
It was one of few lapses for Haysi (12-1), which was bidding to get past this round unbeaten for the second time in three years. Lebanon beat the Tigers 25-15 in 1991 semifinals.
"We've played some pretty tough defense this year," Haysi coach James Colley said. "We did it by getting to the ball and making the tackle. Missed that one, though."
Milton lined up for the point-after kick, but the Tigers jumped offsides. Giles then went for two points with Janney rounding right end for the conversion.
Maurice Milton finished with 105 yards on a career-high 23 carries, but he was essentially held in check after his touchdown play. Giles had 178 yards on the ground, 84 by Janney.
"Not making excuses, but it was practically impossible to do anything out there in terms of getting footing and holding onto the football," Ragsdale said. "Then they knew when Raypheal wasn't in there, we weren't going to pass so they could just tee off."
Raypheal Milton reinjured an ankle this past week in practice and was in for seven plays Saturday.
Haysi's aerial attack, a key component of its offense, had other problems, mainly related to the weather. Haysi quarterback Jason Compton, who had passed for more than 1,400 yards and 27 touchdowns, was limited to five completions in 13 attempts for 49 yards. His favorite receiver, split end Kenny Hill caught four passes for 42 yards, 33 of that in the second half.
"The weather was a big factor in our favor," said Giles defensive back Marty Smith, who broke up a pass in the end zone and had an interception. "We had to give Hill plenty of room, and he was wide open a couple of times, but the quarterback overthrew him because the ball was wet."
When Haysi needed a completion most, it couldn't get it. After blocking a Steele punt in the fourth quarter, the Tigers moved from the Giles 41 to the 13 where they faced fourth and 13. Compton searched in vain for an open receiver - Giles was in man-to-man coverage - and finally was sacked by Steele.
"I just put a bull rush on the halfback, jumped over him,and wrapped up the quarterback," Steele said.
A series later, Haysi advanced to the Giles 20, where it had fourth and 15. Again, Steele sacked Compton.
"I have to give that one to the secondary," Steele said.
Giles had to give it to the defense.
"We've talked all week about pulling out every drop of energy you got," said Brandon Steele, Patrick's brother and one of the linebackers. "It was a fight." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB