Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 21, 1995 TAG: 9510220005
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Lee Suggs, Timesland's leading rusher, had 120 yards and the Colonels led Pulaski 6-3 at halftime. But then something happened - the third quarter.
The Cougars scored 21 consecutive points in the period en route to a 27-14 victory over Fleming in Roanoke Valley District play Friday night at Victory Stadium.
``Apparently, they made some adjustments,'' said George Miller, the Colonels' coach. ``We felt we had an awesome game plan, both offensively and defensively, coming in. It's evident they made the better adjustments.''
One Fleming game plan was to shut down Pulaski County quarterback Ronald Branch.
Branch, who ran for 161 yards and a touchdown in a 16-13 victory over Salem on Oct.13, was held to minus-8 yards on three carries against Fleming. However, two other Cougars runners emerged to give the Colonels (3-4 overall, 0-1 district) problems.
Held to 31 first-half yards rushing, Pulaski ran wild on Fleming in the second half.
The Cougars (5-2, 2-0) broke loose for 231 yards, 199 coming from the tandem of Derrick Hunter and Jawan Clark.
``We had to block and tackle,'' said Joel Hicks, Pulaski's coach. ``We just didn't do that enough in the first half.''
On the first possession of the second half, the Cougars drove 65 yards on nine plays to take the lead for good 10-6.
The drive was capped by Clark's 25-yard touchdown run.
Fleming got one first down on its next possession and was forced to punt back to Pulaski.
The Cougars turned that possession into a five-play, 74-yard drive for a touchdown.
With the ball at Fleming's 47-yard line, Hunter took a handoff, bounced off his blockers and went down a sideline untouched as Pulaski took a 17-6 lead.
The Cougars' final touchdown came on another Hunter run, this one a 5-yard jog that gave Pulaski a 24-6 advantage late in the quarter.
``I guess the offensive linemen stepped it up a notch in the second half,'' Hunter said of the blocking, which aided his two touchdowns.
Hunter finished with 147 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Clark had 91 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries.
The Colonels cut into their deficit in the fourth quarter. Richard Wilson scored on a 7-yard pass from Charles Burnette, and Burnette ran the ball in for a two-point conversion to make it 24-14 with 2:45 left. But on the ensuing kickoff, Fleming was unsuccessful on an onside kick.
The Cougars then drove the ball instead of simply killing the clock.
On the game's final play, with the ball at Fleming's 1, Hicks sent in Shayne Graham to kick an 18-yard field goal. The kick was good, giving Graham his 13th field goal of the season.
Suggs, who scored Fleming's first touchdown on an 11-yard run in the second quarter, finished with 190 yards on 29 carries.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB