THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411200239
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Deep Creek stayed with the game plan that earned them an undefeated regular season, running over, around, and through Phoebus on the way to a 36-19 win over the Phantoms Saturday in a Division 5 regional playoff at Western Branch.
The win, the Hornets' first in a Group AAA playoff game, sends Deep Creek to the Division 5 Eastern Region final against Hampton (11-0) Friday at Western Branch.
``People were saying that we couldn't get past the first round,'' said Carter, who notched career win No. 100 against Phoebus. ``But the thing that motivates this group is to tell them they can't do something.''
Deep Creek (11-0) held a 6-0 lead after the first quarter, courtesy of kicker Joe Verdi. Phoebus fumbled on its first two possessions, but the Hornets failed to put the ball in the end zone. Verdi responded with field goals of 27 and 31 yards.
Carter reached into his bag of tricks early in the second quarter. On first down at the 39, quarterback Arnie Powell handed off to Dee Harrell, who gave the ball to Lawrence Claiborne on a reverse. Claiborne ducked behind the line and emerged in the clear, outrunning defensive back Darell Wynder for a 61-yard touchdown.
``We practice the play all the time, but it only worked because of the line,'' Claiborne said. ``They executed, I just ran the ball.''
Phoebus (9-2) trailed by three at halftime on a 23-yard field goal by Josh Jones and a 2-yard touchdown run by John Barnes.
Jones tied the game with a 33-yard field goal after the Phantoms recovered a Deep Creek fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half.
After that, it was all Deep Creek as the Hornets rattled off 16 unanswered points.
The go-ahead touchdown drive featured Harrell, who had long gains of 21 and 24 yards before capping the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Powell, the sophomore quarterback's only completion of the game.
A fumble recovery by Vernon Boone at the Phantoms' 39 gave the ball right back to Deep Creek. The Hornets stalled at fourth and long at the 18, but a personal foul called against a Phoebus player for mouthing off sustained the drive.
Deon Dyer cashed in for Deep Creek two plays later, leaping over blocks and bulldozing into the end zone with several Phoebus defenders along for the ride for his 15th touchdown of the season and a 26-13 Hornets lead.
In the fourth quarter, Verdi added a 33-yard field goal and Dyer closed out the game with a 28-yard touchdown run to complete the scoring for Deep Creek.
``(Phoebus) is a good team, but once our line gets working there's nothing that can stop us,'' said Dyer, who finished with a game-high 154 yards on 19 carries. ``It's like a see-saw - once the defense gets going, the offense follows, and the other way around. We're just a big purple and white machine.''
``Our kids just executed what we do,'' Carter said. ``There's no big secret to football. You just have to execute. We did what we planned to do . . . and that was run at them.''
The Hornets had their best night on the ground, rushing for a season-high 313 yards. Harrell chipped in with 80 yards on 10 carries.
Antwan Womack led the Phantoms with 75 yards on 19 carries. Quarterback Terrence Dunn started the first half on fire, completing 5-of-6 passes, but cooled off and finished 13-for-23 for 115 yards. Nine of Dunn's completions went to Drew Walker, including an 11-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. by CNB