THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9410020235
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
What happens when mighty Hampton returns from its first loss in 17 regular-season games and finds the CIAA's worst offensive and defensive team in town?
The inevitable, folks.
The Pirates ran up a school-record 726 yards of total offense and roared past Johnson C. Smith, 77-3, Saturday afternoon at Armstrong Field, matching the school's largest victory margin since 1912.
Freshman star Lamonte Still, who played less than three quarters, ran for 194 of the Pirates' school-record 432 yards. Still also caught five passes for 110 yards and scored one of Hampton's 11 touchdowns.
On defense, Kevin Williams picked off three passes to spearhead a Pirate unit that held the Golden Bulls to just 117 yards total offense.
In the process, Hampton (4-1, 3-0 in the CIAA) convincingly avoided both a potential letdown after last week's disappointing three-point loss to Grambling and the prospect of overlooking the Golden Bulls (0-4, 0-2) towards next week's potential CIAA title showdown with Virginia State.
``This wasn't that bad of a team,'' Still said. ``We just don't look past anyone we play.''
Hampton head coach Joe Taylor made sure of it. Like most coaches who find their teams in the role of prohibitive favorite, Taylor spent the week ensuring his charges that the Golden Bulls were no chumps.
And for about three minutes of Saturday's game, it appeared Taylor was right.
The Golden Bulls stuffed Still twice and forced a punt on the Pirates first possession, then drove down to the Hampton 13 before settling for a 30-yard field goal from Carl Lyles.
Unfortunately for the Golden Bulls, that was the end of their highlight reel. Still gained 55 yards on his next two carries, which led to a five-yard touchdown run by Anthony Smith and the beginning of a Johnson C. Smith nightmare.
``It was just a matter of time,'' Still said.
A 56-yard touchdown bomb from Matt Montgomery to Michael Jenkins triggered a 28-point Hampton second quarter. The Pirates added 14 more points in the third quarter, then put up another 28 in the fourth.
Montgomery connected on 16 of his 24 passing attempts for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Smith scored three TDs, backup running back Malcolm Benson added a pair and kicker Matt Covington tied a school record by converting 11 extra-point attempts.
The victory, Hampton's most lopsided since a 74-0 pasting of Lancasters in 1912, was the Pirates' 18th in a row over CIAA opponents. The defeat spoiled the head coaching debut of Randy Bethel, elevated from offensive coordinator early last week after the school suspended Ray Lee while it investigates potential NCAA eligibility violations. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Lamonte Still ran for 194 yards and caught passes for another 110 in
less than three quarters.
by CNB