DATE: Sunday, November 23, 1997             TAG: 9711230161

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PITTSBURGH                        LENGTH:   84 lines

FOR HOKIES, THIS DEFEAT REALLY WAS THE PITTS TECH, AND ITS BIG EAST TITLE HOPES, TOOK A BEATING.

Two years ago, Pittsburgh running back Billy West broke his leg against Virginia Tech at Pitt Stadium, an injury that began a downward spiral in what had been a storied career. The Big East's Offensive Player of the Year in 1994, he has been a little-used, third string back most of this season.

But on Saturday, West repaid the Hokies with interest. Subbing for injured starter Dwayne Schulters, he rushed 21 times for 130 yards to lead Pitt past the Hokies 30-23 in a game that did serious damage to Virginia Tech's Big East championship hopes.

Tech would have claimed at least a share of its third consecutive Big East crown with a victory. The Hokies (7-3, 5-2 Big East) must must now beat Virginia and hope Miami beats first-place Syracuse next weekend to have any hope of claiming a piece of the crown and a Bowl Alliance bid.

Pitt (5-5, 3-3), for years a Big East doormat, celebrated its first win over the Hokies in five tries with gusto. Thousands of fans rushed onto the field at game's end as fireworks exploded above Pitt Stadium.

First-year Pitt coach Walt Harris then grabbed a microphone and gave a tearful speech to the announced crowd of 30,144, which appeared to include about 10,000 no-shows as well as 5,000 dejected Virginia Tech fans.

``We have been through some tough times but we never gave up,'' Harris said. ``And you'all made the difference.''

Actually, it was West and quarterback Pete Gonzalez who made the difference. Tech, the Big East's top defensive team, surrendered a season-high 492 yards. Gonzalez led the way, completing 15 of 24 passes for 314 yards and four touchdowns.

Gonzalez, with 25 touchdown passes, tied Glenn Foley of Boston College (1993) for the Big East single-season TD passes record.

Harris said it was West's running that opened the door for Gonzalez. Pitt's pattern in the second half, in which it scored 21 points, was to run West half a dozen times until the Hokies began ganging up on the line of scrimmage, then have Gonzalez throw deep.

Twice, on a 35-yard touchdown pass to Juan Williams and a 56-yard touchdown pass to Kevan Barlow, Gonzalez had receivers open by 20 yards. Tech defenders either slipped or were fooled by play action.

``Poor coverage. We had poor coverage,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ``Their guys just ran past ours.''

Tech also struggled offensively. Though quarterback Al Clark completed 22 of 32 passes for 183 yards and rushed for 40 more, the Hokies were unable to throw deep and were unable to get into the end zone until late in the fourth quarter.

``We kept driving and getting field goals,'' Clark said. ``At some point, you have to score touchdowns.''

The Hokies were without a touchdown and appeared headed for a lopsided defeat, trailing 16-6, when defensive back Anthony Midget picked up a fumble and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown with 3:33 left in the third quarter.

Pitt answered with touchdowns on passes to Williams and Barlow on its next two possessions, while Tech could mustered only a 27-yard Shayne Graham field goal, and trailed 30-16 with 5:15 left.

``Their defensive scheme hurt us,'' tailback Ken Oxendine said. ``They did a great job picking up our blocks. By the time we started to figure things out, it was too late.''

Tech figured things out on its final drive, rolling 68 yards for its first offensive touchdown on a 2-yard run by Clark with three minutes remaining that cut the lead to 30-23.

Beamer then elected to kick deep rather than try an on-side kick, figuring his defense would hold the Panthers and give the offense one more shot.

But it was not to be. West ran for two first downs, then Gonazalez hit Andy Molinaro with a 29-yard pass on third down from the Pitt 48. From there, the Panthers ran out the clock.

It was a painful loss for the Hokies, many of whom sat and stared blankly ahead in the locker room 30 minutes after the game had ended.

``This hurts, it really hurts,'' said Gennaro DiNapoli, a senior offensive guard. ``It was all set up for us and we just didn't do it. We needed to make some big plays and we just didn't make any.''

A fact not lost on Beamer, who said Midget's fumble return should have sparked a Hokies rally.

``We get the touchdown which should give us momentum,'' he said. ``But then we cant stop them.

``That's not Virginia Tech football. That's not the way we've played this season.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pete Gonzalez's four TD passes Saturday gave him 25 for the season,

tying the Big East record.

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