ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996 TAG: 9609230129
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
Using one play from scrimmage and 2 minutes, 22 seconds on the clock, E.C. Glass scored 16 points Friday night.
That tells the story as the Hilltoppers mashed William Fleming 44-13 in a non-district football game at Victory Stadium.
It wasn't that unbeaten Glass had its usual powerhouse. Everything went wrong for Fleming, and it all started after the Colonels had scored on their second possession to take a 7-0 lead. That came on a 25-yard pass from Charles Burnette to Richard Wilson.
Despite the loss, it was a great night for the two seniors. Wilson, the Timesland leader in interceptions, picked off two more passes for a total of five this season. He also hauled in seven passes for 125 yards. Burnette passed for 156 yards, which was only 28 yards less than Glass' total offense.
But after the Fleming touchdown, the Hilltoppers' Radan Vereen returned the kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.
On the Colonels' next series, Glass stopped Fleming (1-3) and forced a punt. The ball never was kicked. Instead, the snap sailed over Josh Taylor's head and out of the end zone for a safety.
Glass' Brian Horsley returned the ensuing free kick to the Colonels' 17. Finally, the Hilltoppers had the ball on offense. They gave it up quickly, however, as Brian Anthony ran for a touchdown to make it 16-7.
``I'm speechless,'' said Fleming coach George Miller, who had delivered a 30-minute sermon to his young charges in the dressing room.
Reminded his team goes from this game to a date at powerful George Washington-Danville, which chewed up Patrick Henry 52-14 on Friday night, Miller said, ``They're [GW] young men like we are. Yes, they're perhaps one of the best teams in the state. I'm a believer on a given night, anyone can beat anyone else - especially if you prepare.''
Miller said his team didn't play well on either side of the ball against Glass. Reminded that Wilson and Burnette turned in strong performances, he said, ``A few warriors came to play. However, too many depended on too few.''
It was fortunate Fleming's passing game was working, because the running totals added up to minus-24 yards. Demare Gill and Lee Suggs, each of whom has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game at least once this season, totaled minus-4 yards between them.
Meanwhile, Glass changed up, inserting Antwone Carrington at quarterback in place of Garrett McDaniel as the Hilltoppers searched for more offense. Coach Bo Henson also didn't use running back Cedric Richie, who had more than 100 yards rushing Sept.13 against Jefferson Forest, until the game basically was over. Richie wound up scoring a pair of touchdowns.
After the Glass blitz made it 16-7, the Hilltoppers went on a 58-yard march, with Robert Spencer scoring on a third-down reverse from the 14.
Then came another gift when Taylor tried to run on fourth down from punt formation. He was smothered at the Colonels' 13 and it took two plays for Richie, finally getting his chance, to score from the 6 as Glass took a 30-7 halftime lead.
see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 61 linesby CNB