THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 7, 1995 TAG: 9510070410
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
Freshman Antwan Stukes hit James Boyd with a 22-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left in the game Friday, capping a wild fourth quarter and lifting second-ranked Indian River over Norcom 26-20.
``In a word - lucky,'' said Braves coach Bob Parker, whose team (2-0 Southeastern District, 5-0 overall) will visit top-ranked Deep Creek next Friday night in a battle of unbeatens. ``We made mental errors, fumbles, penalties, we had interceptions. . . We just played terribly. I can't make any excuses.''
The teams were tied at 14 heading into the final period. Midway through the quarter, Sam Hardy nailed a 34-yard punt to pin the Greyhounds down at their own 9 yard line. Norcom fumbled on the next play. Mike Joyner recovered for Indian River.
On the ensuing Braves' series, Boyd lost six yards when he recovered his own fumble, had a pass tipped away, and was sacked for another six-yard loss. Another pass fell incomplete on fourth down.
Norcom took over and faced third and 10 after two incompletions by freshman quarterback Kevin Jones. On Jones' next pass attempt, the ball ticked through the hands of Lutrell Chavis and into the arms of David Selby, who rambled 30 yards to the Norcom 1-yard line.
Boyd ducked under the line for the touchdown, giving Indian River a 20-14 lead with 2:54 left to play.
Norcom struck right back. The Greyhounds (1-4, 1-4) looked like they'd be held on their next possession and faced fourth-and-2 from the Braves' 48.
Jones took the snap and rolled out to the left, with Indian River's linebackers in close pursuit. Jones lofted a pass to a wide-open Michael Ponds, who streaked down the sideline for the tying score with 1:40 left in the fourth.
Jermaine Bullock's extra-point attempt was blocked by three Braves, and spectators started grumbling about overtime.
But Stukes took the kickoff and returned it to the Braves' 42. Boyd hit Sam Hardy for 21 yards, and followed that with an 8-yard pass to Selby.
Boyd downed the ball to stop the clock with 35 seconds left, and Norcom was called for an illegal substitution penalty, giving Indian River first and 10 at the Greyhounds' 24.
Boyd, who finished with 143 yards on 9 for 20 passing with two interceptions, had an incompletion before hitting Selby for a two-yard gain, giving the Braves third and long.
Stukes, who started the game and lined up at quarterback periodically throughout the match, trotted back in. Boyd lined up at halfback and took off on the snap, breaking away from two defenders at the two-yard line to catch a perfectly-threaded touchdown pass from Stukes.
``We underestimated them,'' Hardy said of Norcom. ``We saw Great Bridge hanging with them, and we thought we could dominate them, like Maury. Maybe we were looking forward to Deep Creek a little.'' ILLUSTRATION: TAMARA VONINSKI
Staff
Norcom's Dexter Williams, left, has the edge, in a crowd of bodies
and legs, in the scramble for a loose ball.
by CNB