ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, August 11, 1996 TAG: 9608120140
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
AFTER RESOLVING a dispute over salaries, Roanoke earns some incentive bonuses with a 46-6 victory over Durham.
Maybe the Roanoke Rush should have a team meeting to discuss money every week.
The National Minor League Football team's players met with owner Nick Rush on Tuesday to discuss their future. The players were upset when they learned Rush would not be paying them weekly salaries as promised and instead was offering performance-based incentives.
Well, if the pay is based on performance, Rush may need deep pockets. Roanoke crushed the rival Durham Vipers of the South Atlantic Division 46-6 on Saturday night at Victory Stadium.
``We are going to get more money now,'' said Rush linebacker Freddie Ford. ``We make about $25 per incentive [for big plays]. So we just came out and played great offense and defense. I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't think we would play this good.''
No one did.
The 46 points scored by the Rush (2-0) were the most in the organization's two year history. Not bad against a team that yielded an average of 61/2 points per game last year, including six shutouts.
``Our offense is starting to work together,'' said Rush quarterback Darren Graham. ``Once we found their weaknesses, we took advantage of them."
The Rush accumulated 281 yards of total offense and Graham threw two touchdown passes.
Kicker Dave Merrick kicked the second-longest field goal in team history. His 46-yarder ranks second behind Tony Powell's 50-yarder last year against D.C. United.
The offense, however, took a back seat to a defense that held Durham (1-1) to 62 yards of total offense. The Rush recorded four sacks and intercepted three passes by Vipers quarterback Barry Marrow.
``I think everything clicked real well for us on both sides of the ball,'' said Duke Strager, Roanoke's coach. ``This was the best game we played since the organization began'' in 1995.
Merrick's field goal gave the rush an early 3-0 lead with 6 minutes, 23 second left in the first quarter. The Rush came back and scored again on its next possession. This time, fullback Billy Pate, who rushed for 15 yards, went over from 1 yard.
Durham tried to respond. But Roanoke defense back Rob Major intercepted a Marrow pass, and on the next play Graham's 52-yard bomb to Eddie Sloss made it 16-0.
That's when the bottom went out for Durham. The Rush went on to score 30 more points.
The Vipers got on the board with 28 second left to play when Carl Lee threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Tyrone Kiaku.
``We thought it was going to be tough at first,'' Graham said. ``But we came out and shocked ourselves. We have a lot of weapons.''
Said Ford: ``We have what it takes to go all the way.''
NOTE: please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 61 linesby CNB