THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 4, 1994 TAG: 9412040213
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SPOTSYLVANIA, VA. LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
A big play, something that has been Nansemond River's trademark, played a major role once again in Saturday's Group AA Division 4 state football semifinal game.
But this time the Warriors were the victims as Spotsylvania dealt Nansemond River a 13-10 loss.
Less than 1:30 remained in the game and Nansemond River trailed by three. On third-and-9 from the Knights' 36, quarterback Leon Porter dumped a soft pass over the middle and into the waiting arms of 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker Benny Brooks for an interception.
Brooks fell to the ground as his teammates swarmed and the Warriors froze in their tracks.
``That was my blown call,'' Warriors head coach Jerry Varacallo said. ``It's a dump pass, the receiver was supposed to run straight instead of coming all the way across, but when they lined up the safety was right there.
``That was my fault.''
The Knights (10-3) used a 15-play, 67-yard possesion, during which they converted three third downs and one fourth down, to score the game-winning touchdown.
Spotsylvania running back Rocky Woolfolk accounted for 58 of those 67 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown run with 9:32 left.
Knights quarterback Conway Reid threw just two passes all day.
The first was picked off by freshman Anthony Jones and set up a Donald Turner touchdown in the second quarter.
The second was a 15-yard fourth-down completion to Woolfolk to keep their scoring drive alive.
The Knights capitalized on the absence of left tackle Chris White, the Warriors' second-leading tackler, who went out with an ankle injury in the first half.
By the second half the Knights' 250-pound line was wearing the Warriors (11-2) down.
``You could see it,'' Varacallo said. ``We gave up 40 pounds with (Goodman), I mean we are already giving up 40 as it is, so we are giving up 80 pounds now, and they kept running to that side.''
Woolfolk pounded out 143 yards on 29 carries and scored both of the Knights' touchdowns.
``We kept saying to each other, don't lay down and die,'' Woolfolk said. ``We knew it was now or never on that last drive.
``When you see those Christmas lights and you are still playing football, you know you are doing something good to be playing in December and we wanted to keep playing.''
December also saw the surprise return of the Warriors' leading rusher - Clarence Skinner, who broke his wrist in October.
Skinner was given clearance to play on Tuesday night and joined practice on Wednesday.
``I had been doing a lot of wind sprints and weights to keep in shape while I was out,'' Skinner said. ``I just wanted to come in and try to help out.''
The 5-7, 166-pound sophomore carried the ball six times for 20 yards and prevented a turnover with a key fumble recovery in the fourth quarter.
``We wanted to keep that under wraps to hopefully surprise them with him,'' Varacallo said. ``We weren't going to pull Donald (Turner), but we were hoping we could get him back to wide-out some and revive the passing game.''
The Warriors' passing game has been virtually non-existent this year, after Porter put in an 1,100-yard passing performance last year.
``Passing just hasn't been our thing,'' Varacallo said. ``Now I think ``Snake'' (Porter) just wants to throw it so bad he is forcing it out there and it has become a mental thing with him.''
Porter was just 1 of 9 for 8 yards passing Saturday with two interceptions. On the ground he fared much better with 100 yards on eight carries.
Turner added 135 yards on 14 carries with a 17-yard scoring run in the second quarter. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ROBERT A. MARTIN/Freelance-Star
Rocky Woolfolk, who scored both of Spotsylvania's touchdowns, gains
some of his 143 yards.
by CNB