THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 14, 1996 TAG: 9609140548
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 55 lines
Top-ranked Indian River, the team that never blinks, found a new way to stare down defeat Friday night.
Ronnie Ingram, a senior who had never kicked at any level before, booted a 27-yard field goal with no time left to lift the Braves over Norview 16-14 at Chittum Field.
Twice the Pilots thought they had won before Ingram converted James Boyd's hold off a snap by Chris Edmonds into the winning points.
The Pilots stormed the field in celebration when the scoreboard ran down to zero after Boyd's pass for Lance Bishop fell incomplete in the end zone.
Indian River, playing its first game after a 39-day preseason, argued that two seconds should be put back on the clock and the officials agreed. Norview then pleaded its case and the officials had actually left the end zone when Braves assistant Phil Wood confronted referee Rudy Freeman.
Another brief consultation resulted in the two seconds being restored. Norview then called time out hoping to rattle Ingram.
``All I was thinking is that there was only one way to win,'' Ingram said. ``It's called confidence.''
That confidence wasn't shared by everyone. ``Considering the angle and the pressure, I honestly didn't think he'd make it,'' Indian River coach Bob Parker said.
Norview (0-2) had taken a 14-13 lead on James Whitley's 8-yard pass to David Martin with 5:08 to play. The drive began at the Indian River 24 after the Braves' David Selby had a 50-yard punt nullified by a personal foul.
His second punt went almost straight up and bounced back to the original line of scrimmage.
Norview appeared to have the game won after Whitley blindsided Boyd, forcing a fumble, and the Pilots' Keith Willis recovered at their 41 with 1:57 left. But three runs lost four yards and Indian River, making judicious use of its timeouts, regained possession after a punt at its 40 with 1:22 to play.
That's where Boyd took over.
``I just wanted one more chance,'' he said. ``I knew we could do it.''
Hemmed in most of the night by the Pilots' furious defensive pressure, he hit Brandon Lawrence for a 7-yard completion and scrambled for gains of 28 and 15 yards.
The last run gave the Braves a first down at the Norview 10. Three incompletions later Ingram kicked Norview in the gut.
Boyd led all rushers with 95 yards on 20 carries. Rasheed Johnson added 80 yards on only five carries, including a 39-yard touchdown run.
The combination of Whitley and Martin connected five times for 110 yards, accounting for all but 10 of the Pilots' yards.
Norview's Joe Jordan returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. ILLUSTRATION: MIKE HEFFNER
The Virginian-Pilot
Ronnie Ingram, right, and holder James Boyd watch Ingram's 27-yard
field goal with no time left lift Indian River over Norview 16-14. by CNB