Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9409300013
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Andra Beasley, the go-to guy in the Blue Demons offense, was the other guy in the attack last week in a game at Lord Botetourt.
But just when the Cavaliers thought it was safe to start keying on somebody else, Beasley, the terrible swift sword, was unsheathed anew.
Beasley required only 12 carries to negotiate 202 yards and three touchdowns as the Demons ripped the Cavs, 47-25.
Of that, 144 of the yards and two of the touchdowns came after intermission on only four carries, two of which resulted in scoring runs of 78 and 41 yards.
``At halftime, I didn't think that I would be getting the ball that much more, because they had been keying on me in the first half,'' he said.
Keying on Beasley?
``We knew they would,'' Christiansburg coach Mike Cole said. ``Everybody does. So we tried out some other things. We went to the fullback. That was open. We threw the ball more. That was open, too.''
Christiansburg fullback Misha Alexander ended with 109 yards in 11 carries, including a 33-yarder for a score. He also caught a 16-yard scoring heave from Stone.
Alexander later allowed that he really didn't have to work that hard.
Stone made no such claims after going 5-for-8 for 120 yards, but perhaps he could have.
Even Beasley, who is not the blustery sort, indicated he'd had more difficult evenings.
``The times I got the ball in the second half were pretty wide open, because they'd stopped keying on me,'' he said.
Of course, when a fellow ceases to be the focus of the offense (Christiansburg runs the wing-T), a more mundane fate awaits him. Beasley, the thoroughbred ball hauler, was obliged to throw some blocks.
``It's not as much fun as carrying the ball, but I'll do anything to help us win,'' he said.
Alas, not all of Beasley's acts aided the cause. His fumble helped set the stage for a Cavs score.
``I never really got control of the ball,'' he said, pantomiming with this hands that he received the ball well behind him. ``While I was trying to control the ball, somebody hit me, and I fumbled.''
Rushing for more than 200 yards tends to mitigate such lapses, especially if they're the first of the year.
Other notable performances:
Foster Ridpath completed five of eight passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another as Radford beat Covington, 35-13. In the same game, Larnell Lewis rushed for 105 yards in 16 carries.
Blacksburg's Tucker LaForce rushed for 187 yards and two TDs in a 16-8 victory over Alleghany.
Matt Whitehead scored three TDs as Giles overpowered Auburn, 49-13.
by CNB