Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 4, 1995 TAG: 9511060110
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
You might also say the same for Salem High's football team.
The Spartans put together a familiar burgundy and silver package by using a stubborn defense and a ball-control offense to blow away old rival Cave Spring 23-0 in a non-district game at cold and windblown Salem Stadium.
The Spartans (7-1) led only 3-0 at halftime on freshman Matt Anderson's 37-yard second quarter field goal, but after that, Salem rolled behind the knock-down, drag-out battering of its offensive line to score 20 more points. Chris Huff, the fullback, had a career-high 165 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries.
Despite making some big plays, Cave Spring (7-2) was denied a visit to the opposing end zone for the first time this season. The Knights had but 34 total yards in the second half, 16 of that on the ground. Cave Spring had seven first downs, nine fewer than Salem. Only two of those came after intermission.
``We didn't play quite as well defensively in the first half because it took us a while to get a feel for them,'' Salem coach Willis White said. ``Cave Spring runs a lot of formations.''
Cave Spring quarterback Jeff Lang, threw for 73 yards in the first half but finished 4-for-11 for 91 yards and an interception.
``We moved the ball, but turnovers and penalties took us out of the opportunities that we had,'' Cave Spring coach Steve Spangler said. ``We can't win that way.''
The Knights were penalized eight times for 70 yards and had a pair of turnovers including a fumble. A fourth-down incompletion scuttled one promising drive at the Salem 24. Another long march ended when Salem linebacker Matt Wheeling intercepted a Lang pass at the Spartans' 32.
``We were getting pretty good pressure from the defensive line to contain the quarterback,'' he said. ``They hit us with a couple of screens and draws early, but we adjusted.''
Likewise, the offense adjusted to frequent stunting by the inside Knights linebackers to spring the rugged Huff loose.
``We've matured as a line a lot,'' Salem lineman Shawn Dobbins said. ``People have gotten to where they can recognize and react to the defensive strategies they're seeing.''
Cave Spring started seeing a lot of the broad back of No.33, Huff.
``The line just did a great job of knocking people back off the ball,'' Huff said. ``You can't ask for anything more than that.''
Salem exploited the momentum provided by the Wheeling interception to drive from its 37 in nine plays that ended with a 1-yard plunge by Huff with five minutes left in the third.
Quarterback Seth Moore chipped in a 23-yard run for another score in the fourth and Huff added one more 1-yard scoring play on the next to last play of the game. The conversion kick after that one was the only one Anderson missed.
``We've been looking forward to this since August,'' Huff said.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB