ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 8, 1996 TAG: 9612100028
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
In a year that started with everything going wrong, it all ended up right for Salem as the Spartans won their first state football championship.
The Spartans' arsenal of defensive and offensive players was too much for Sherando's do-everything-senior, Kelly Washington. Salem stopped Sherando 20-12 Saturday in the mud and slime at Victory Stadium to take the Virginia High School League Group AA Division 4 crown.
The season started with a 20-0 loss to Brookville that deflated the town and nearly the team. The next week, the Spartans (12-2) knocked off Group AAA rival Pulaski County and started to roll.
``It was awhile coming, but we got one,'' said Salem coach Willis White, who has taken two Salem teams to title games and come away without the big trophy. ``I thought we played well, but Sherando is a fine team and that quarterback [Washington] can throw.''
Washington threw for 216 yards, but the 6-foot-2 senior wasn't a match for the likes of Salem quarterback R.J. Beckwith, who threw for two touchdowns, and Salem's running committee that featured five backs rushing for 265 yards.
Sherando's first touchdown, a 79-yard strike from Washington to Sean Burns - who left Jamie Garst and Aaron Routt in their tracks - gave the Warriors a 6-0 lead. A bad snap caused Sherando (11-3) to miss the extra-point attempt in what led to a Spartan advantage.
``We had [Burns] covered, but he just outran us. So we had to change our coverage,'' said White.
By intermission, Salem had reversed the trend. Seth Williams recovered a fumble on the Warriors 47 and, five plays later, Beckwith hit John Hancock on a 19-yard touchdown pass over the middle. Bret Gresham's extra point gave Salem a 7-6 lead.
After halftime, freshman Dennis Haley started a Salem drive with a 35-yard run and recovered his fumble at the end of the play. Beckwith finished with a 14-yard scoring pass to Hancock that resembled the first one, making it 14-6.
``After watching films and in the first half, we noticed their safety was following our tight end. If the tight end went outside, it left no one in the middle,'' said Beckwith.
Then came a goal-line stand that will become part of Salem football lore. The Warriors drove to the 8 and 208-pound Terrence Forman picked up 7 yards on two plays. On third down, he was met for no gain by Jeff Akers, Brandon Poff and Stuart.
``The line was unbalanced and they were stacked behind the tackle,'' said Stuart. ``So we just took out his knees.''
On fourth down, Bryant Parker stopped Burns going wide for a 4-yard loss.
``All year long, we've made goal-line stands. It doesn't matter how many you make during the season as long as you have one in the state championship game that's for all the marbles,'' said Akers.
``Salem's defense against the run is better than I thought,'' admitted Sherando coach Walter Barr. ``If I had it to do over, I'd have thrown [for the touchdown].''
Sherando still had Salem pinned back, but sophomore Matt Anderson broke free for 63 yards. A touchdown-saving tackle by Washington stopped Anderson, but two plays later, Haley went up the middle for a 17-yard touchdown.
``I got a kick-out block from Chris Stuart and Mike Conlan got their linebacker. I just took off to the open side,'' said Anderson.
Sherando, behind Washington and two pass interference calls, rallied on a 58-yard drive. Salem nearly made another great stand, but on fourth down, Washington hit Brad Payton for a 3-yard touchdown. Garst, though, knocked down the pass for a two-point conversion and the Warriors still trailed 20-12 with 4:25 left.
Pierce Weikle got the expected onside kick at midfield for Salem. ``It went between my hands and was between my legs,'' said Weikle. ``I squeezed it, but I think they could have gotten it out if they had known where it was,''
Salem couldn't run out the clock. Gresham's punt rolled toward the end zone with center Ryan Poff downing it inches from the goal. His body was in the end zone, but the ball never made it.
``I'm the first one out, but the up backs usually beat me down there. That's the fastest I've ever run. I was just hoping the refs wouldn't call it a touchback,'' said Poff.
It left Washington 99 plus yards and 1:40 left for a tying score. After three short completions, Garst intercepted to clinch the title.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN Staff. 1. Chris Stuart (bottom) leads aby CNBSalem defensive surge that stopped Sherando's Terrence Forman at the
goal line in the fourth quarter of Saturday's state championship
game at Victory Stadium (ran in B&W in New River edition). 2.
Salem's Dennis Haley loses control of the football after a big gain
in the fourth quarter. Haley recovered his own fumble. color.