ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 16, 1996 TAG: 9611180123
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: ROUNDUP
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
After more than two hours of hard-nosed football in the biting cold Friday night, Pulaski County prevailed in a 20-17 overtime shootout with Stonewall Jackson of Manassas to advance to the Division 5 Northwest Region final in Dublin.
With the score tied at 17 entering overtime, Stonewall Jackson got first crack at the end zone. High school overtime rules give each team first-and-goal from the 10-yard line until a winner emerges. On first down Raiders quarterback T.J. Mayes rolled right and threw back left to Raymond Gee. The Stonewall Jackson tailback took the pass from about the 7 and raced toward the goal line before being brought down at the 1.
But wait - there was a flag.
A 15-yard clipping penalty was assesed, and quite possibly cost the Raiders the game. After two pass attempts from the 21-yard line fell incomplete, a third pass was intercepted by Cougars defensive back Dorian Hendricks. The turnover gave Pulaski the ball, with the Cougars needing only a field goal to win.
``I thought that interception was the decisive point of the game,'' said Jim Powell, Stonewall Jackson's coach. ``We played much better than the last time we were here [a 35-7 loss in 1994]. I think we even played a little over our heads."
After the interception, the Raiders called a timeout in an attempt to ice kicker Bryan Myers, who had missed a potential game-winning field-goal attempt from 33 yards with 1:16 left in regulation time. This time, Myers booted the 27-yarder through the uprights for the victory.
``I missed the first one at the end of regulation,'' Myers said, ``and in my business you don't miss two in a row.''
Joel Hicks, Pulaski County's coach, said he had no doubts about sending Myers into the game on first down.
``This is a kicking school right here,'' Hicks said. ``We just execute, and that kid doesn't miss often. If he would have missed that one and we had another opportunity, I'd have put him right back in.''
The Cougars will meet the winner of today's Brooke Point-Culpeper game in the regional final.
Division 2 Region C
Giles 35, Patrick Henry-Glade Spring 13: Now that the Spartans are in the playoffs, they can make greater use of their offensive play book.
Giles broke out the passing game to go with the usual thunderous ground attack and punishing defense to whip the Rebels in Pearisburg.
The Spartans (11-0), the No.2-ranked team in the state sportswriters' Group A poll, snapped a nine-game PH winning streak and will meet the winner of today's matchup between Chilhowie and Grayson County on Nov.22 or Nov.23.
Giles did most of its damage in the first half, when it outgained its guests 246 yards to 24 and led 28-7.
The Rebels (9-2) had a more respectable second half, but never really were in the game after the early stages.
Giles had numerous stars, as usual this year. Shaun Vaught, the fullback and the only non-senior who starts, rushed for 105 yards, caught a 43-yard scoring pass from tailback Chris Ratcliffe 59 seconds before intermission and a a touchdown on the ground.
Ratcliffe rushed for 86 yards, threw for 112, scored two touchdowns and passed for two. His heave to Vaught near the end of the second quarter pretty much put the game out of reach, despite the fact there still was a half to play.
Ratcliffe also was in on a terrific night by the Giles defense. The Rebels were limited to 127 total yards and five first downs, four of those in the second half.
Division 3 Region IV
Magna Vista 22, Martinsville 0: The Bulldogs had their chances early, but failed to capitalize. The Warriors got their opportunities later and made the most of them to win a battle of Piedmont District rivals in Ridgeway.
Magna Vista will advance to play at Gate City on Nov.22 in the regional final. Magna Vista also defeated Martinsville when the teams met during the regular season.
The Warriors were led by running back Travis Preston, who rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns, and who also recovered a Martinsville fumble in the second quarter on the Magna Vista 10-yard line.
The Warriors and Martinsville entered their playoff game with 9-1 records and similar rankings. Magna Vista was ranked fifth in Timesland and seventh in the Group AA sportswriters' poll, while Martinsville checked in sixth in Timesland and eighth in the Group AA poll.
For the first half Friday night, the teams played evenly. Martinsville held the statistical edge (195 total yards to 81), but trailed by a touchdown and a two-point conversion.
But Magna Vista, the top-ranked AA team in Virginia until last week's upset loss to Bassett, dominated the second half.
Martinsville was limited to one first down in the second half, after picking up nine in the first two quarters. see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM STAFF Pulaski County's Bucky Seagle (left)by CNBcan't come up with a pass while covered by Stonewall Jackson's Thad
Snow on Friday night in Dublin. Seagle and the Cougars won 20-17 in
OT.