Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 12, 1994 TAG: 9501110003
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Pulaski County High exploded into the Group AAA Division 5 football playoffs like a clap of burgundy and gold thunder by wasting Cave Spring 47-7 Friday night.
As with so many other Pulaski County teams, this one improved with each passing day until it reached the end of the regular season a verifiable knock-you-in-the-head fright show. And also like so many of the others, this edition captured another Roanoke Valley District championship, its fourth in a row and 10th out of the past 14.
Pulaski County won its last eight games and will entertain Stonewall Jackson of Manassas next Friday night as the postseason opens. The Cougars have played in the last two state championship games in Division 6 (they dropped in classification this year), winning in 1992 and losing last year.
Cave Spring (6-4 overall, 3-2 in the district), a stubborn and resourceful team all year, was no match for the mighty Cougars on this frosty evening at Cave Spring Junior High.
``Pulaski County is tough as heck,'' said Cave Spring coach Steve Spangler, who orchestrated a remarkable reversal after an 0-10 1993 campaign. ``They'll do well. That wing-T [offense] is rolling now.''
Like a gorilla on roller blades. Pulaski County piled up 445 yards rushing and 40 more through the air on a pair of pass completions, quarterback Andre Eaves' only two attempts.
The second of these, an arching 31-yarder to wingback Eric Webb, earned the Cougars their fifth touchdown and that was pretty much it for the game, if not the scoring, with 6 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
``Every time we call a pass to the tailback or the end or the fullback, I wink at Andre because I know I'm going to be open,'' Webb said. ``The tight end was the primary receiver, but Andre looked him off. I was covered, but he threw me a perfect pass.''
Eaves made about as perfect a defensive play as was likely to have been seen on those grounds on the first play of the fourth quarter. With Cave Spring seeking its first score with a third-and-goal at the Pulaski County 4-yard line, quarterback Jeff Lang threw an interception to Eaves, who snagged the ball a yard deep into the end zone. After that came a marvelous run for a touchdown in which Eaves crossed and recrossed the field twice.
``I saw daylight; I wasn't sure if I could make it, but I saw daylight,'' he said. ``Eric Webb ran down there with me and threw a block. I can't believe it.''
There was plenty not to be believed. Such as the four Lang interceptions - ``The cold just blew him away,'' Spangler said - two by Jamar McNair and another by Webb. Such as the long scoring runs by the Cougars: a 52-yarder by Tim Davis on the first Pulaski County play of the game, a 41-yarder by Derrick Hunter, and a 50-yarder by reserve quarterback Ronald Branch on the last play of the game.
``When they got in the open, it was over,'' Spangler said.
Davis ended with 97 yards rushing and Webb added 73 more, including a 3-yard scoring play with 8:20 left in the third. The defense, meanwhile, was holding the Knights to 226 yards, most of that coming after the game was no longer in doubt.
``I think we can get better,'' Pulaski County coach Joel Hicks said.
Cave Spring, which saw its dim playoff hopes evaporate early, will have to wait until next year.
``This game was in no way indicative of our season,'' Spangler said. ``I'm very proud of this team. And we shall be back.''
see microfilm for box score
by CNB