THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 17, 1994 TAG: 9409170513
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Top-ranked Norcom survived a furious Western Branch rally in the closing minutes to nip the third-ranked Bruins, 15-13, in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Western Branch.
The Greyhounds (2-0) led, 15-6, with under three minutes remaining. But the Bruins (1-1) drove 71 yards and pulled to within two on Shyrone Stith's 14-yard scoring run with 32 seconds left.
Western Branch then sent Dre Bly around left end for the game-tying two-point conversion, but Greyhounds defensive back Jason Wells cut Bly down a yard short.
``We had to buckle down there and tell ourselves they're not going to get it,'' Wells said. ``You always have to think positive.''
The Bruins weren't finished, though. Daniel Dussia chipped a perfect onside kickoff to Tony Smith, which put Western Branch back in business at the Norcom 49.
Two plays later, Dussia came on to try a 42-yard field goal. His line drive had plenty of distance but hooked about three feet wide left.
``I told (Norcom coach Joe) Langston, `You're the luckiest guy in the world,' '' Western Branch coach Lew Johnston said. ``I know it sounds like I'm bragging, but they had a chance to put us away and they couldn't do it. And we outplayed them in the second half.
``I'll say this, if they're No. 1, we're No. 2.''
Western Branch did get the better of the play early. The Bruins went 52 yards for a touchdown (a 1-yard Daryl Walton keeper) on their first possession and were driving for another score when the first quarter ended.
But the game turned on one of those freak plays that seem to pop up at least once in every Norcom game. With the Bruins operating from the Norcom 19, Walton's shovel pass bounced off the helmet of Norcom defensive end Ramon
Whitfield and into the hands of Greyhounds linebacker Richard DeBerry, who took it 80 yards for a touchdown.
On Western Branch's next play from scrimmage, Norcom's Maceo Thomas recovered a Stith fumble at the Greyhounds' 20. Five plays later, Mike Ricks scored from a yard out.
Rod Richardson set up as the holder for a conversion kick, then took the ball and ran it in for a two-pointer.
From that point, the teams took turns punishing each other with fierce hitting, as the defenses dominated until Western Branch's late fourth-quarter charge.
``They came back when they had to, and we stepped up when we had to,'' Langston said. ``That's what it's all about.''
The victory was Norcom's 16th in a row and 29th in its last 30 games. It was also the Greyhounds' fifth straight win over Western Branch.
Bly, who is suffering from the flu and was so sick he threw up at halftime, still ran for 77 yards, caught three passes for 49 yards, intercepted a pass and laid several hard hits on Greyhound ballcarriers.
That's why every school on the East Coast wants him,'' Johnston said.
Rudy Howard led Norcom rushers with 73 yards, despite missing much of the second half with leg cramps.
Neither team mounted much of a passing game.
Walton threw for 100 yards, but completed just six of his 17 attempts with two interceptions. Richardson was six of 18 for 59 yards and also had two picked off. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by D. Kevin Elliott
Western Branch's Daryl Walton eludes Norcom's Richard Spruill and
Ramon Whitfield, right.
B\W photo
Norcom quarterback Roderick Richardson prepares to pass as Western
Branch's Stephen Bauswell closes in Friday night.
by CNB