Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 25

LETU5 KNOW YOUR IDEAS Have a story idea or a question about the sports section? Phone Sports Editor Mike Knobler at: SCOREBOARD 2 HIGH SCHOOLS 4 CLASSIFIED 9-14 THE CLARION-LEDGER I JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI FRIDAY, OCTOBER Mm mm RICK CLEVELAND Columnist The Clarion-Ledger New quarterback Lee i Roberts riddles East Carolina for 229 yards. By Robert Wilson Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer GREENVILLE, N.C. South ern Mississippi fans need to cleat their calendar the week between! Christmas and New Year's DayJ They might be spending a few days; in Memphis. USM took a big step toward the Liberty Bowl Thursday night with a' 28-7 victory over East Carolina. Led by junior quarterback Lee Roberts in his first career start, the Eagles jumped out to a 21-0 half-! time lead and cruised to the A Ficklen-Dowdy Stadium crowd of 34,480 and a national television audience saw Roberts complete 14 of 16 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown.

Roberts' one interception camej on a tipped pass in the fourth quarter. He completed 13 consecutive passes, breaking the school record' of 12 set by Rick Donegan against; Auburn in 1971. Roberts also broke! the completion percentage record of 80.7, set by Tommy Waters against Cincinnati in 1992. Roberts completed 87.5 percent of his throws. "It was just fun watching him," linebacker Marchant Kenney said.

Roberts was USM's third-string quarterback until last week, when USM coach Jeff Bower promoted him to the starting job. Roberts had played only one series this season at quarterback. USM, 5-1, has won four straight games and seven of its last eight. The Eagles also won their third consecutive road game. It was the largest victory margin for USM on the road since it defeated Memphis 31-7 in 1989.

Thursday's victory also pushed Bower over the .500 mark with a 31-30-1 career record. Beating ECU was critical for See EAGLES, 7C Full-page coverage, 7C i Roberts topples 2 school records in his starting debut GREENVILLE, N.C. First collegiate start? National TV? Hostile crowd? Against one of the nation's best defenses? Bowl and poll possibilities on the line? No sweat. Southern Mississippi sophomore quarterback Lee Roberts, displaying big league poise and a big-time arm, sparked the Golden Eagles to a shocking, 28-7 trouncing of East Carolina here Thursday night. The victory over a quality opponent, in the national spotlight should vault USM into the Top 25.

No doubt, it vaulted Roberts into undisputed No. 1 on the Eagle depth chart. What Roberts did Thursday night was subtract the controversy from USM's quarterback controversy and leave the Eagles with simply a quarterback. A splendid quarterback, if Roberts' debut is any indication. When Jeff Bower switched quarterback starters in an attempt to improve USM's passing efficiency, he probably never imagined this.

Roberts did what no other Eagle quarterback Brett Favre and Reggie Collier, included did in an entire college career, and Roberts did it in his first start. Roberts missed his first passing attempt, then hit his next 13. The 13 straight eclipsed a 25-year-old school record. Rick Donegan completed 12 straight at Auburn in 1971. The record-settingpass, a37-yarderto Sherrod Gideon, was one Favre would have been proud of.

Gideon was well-covered on the play, but Roberts feathered in a pass over the defender and dropped it where only Gideon could touch it. Before it was over, Roberts had completed 14 of 16, 87.5 percent and another school record. He threw for 229 yards and a touchdown. He looked as if he had been doing it all his 20 years, not for the first time. Roberts shows strength and poise Roberts showed his arm strength on USM's second touchdown.

Facing second and 10 from his own 41, Roberts went back to pass and found wide receiver Kendrick Lee, just a step in front of two East Carolina defenders, in the left flat. Both defenders broke on the ball, going for an interception, just as Roberts fired. The ball got to Lee before the purple-jerseyed Pirates did, and he sliced between them for a 59-yard touchdown that put USM up 14-0 just six minutes into the game. But Roberts was just getting warmed up. The Golden Eagles became his team to run when they got the ball for the first time in the second quarter.

That's when Roberts showed his poise and leadership. That's when USM went 80 yards in 10 plays, keeping the ball for more than six minutes and scoring a touchdown despite three major penalties and one 5-yarder. Roberts was only perfect. Each time officials walked off penalty yardage, Roberts applauded his teammates back into the huddle. What he was saying as he clapped his hands and slapped his teammates' helmets, we may never know.

The body language was obvious: "No sweat guys. We'll get it back." And each time, he got it back. After a holding penalty set the Eagles back to the 11, Roberts stepped up into the pocket under a hard rush and fired a 25-yard strike over the middle to Gideon. When USM was penalized for illegal procedure, Roberts responded with a 9-yard pass to Donald Cunningham. When holding was called again, Roberts hit Lee with a 15-yarder.

When the Eagles were called for a block in the back, Roberts answered with two straight completions for 21 yards. Before the drive was over, Roberts had completed six of six for 80 yards, USM had gained 101 yards on an 80-yard drive and the lead was 21-0. Defense, special teams did well Roberts had plenty of help this night He got better protection than a USM quarterback has had this season. Running back Eric Booth raced and powered for 116 yards and two touchdowns. USM's kicking game set up still another touchdown.

The defense gave up a lot of yardage but kept ECU out of the end zone until the issue was long since decided. But, ultimately, this was Lee Roberts' night, a coming out party if there ever was one. To contact Rick Cleveland, call 961-7294 or e-mail RCIevelandjackson.gannettcom. The Associated Press Southern Mississippi quarterback Lee Roberts, No. 5, who threw for 229 yards against East Carolina, takes the ground route for a change.

Coats quickly makes a winner out of East Central The No. 9 Warriors are one victory away from their first winning season since 1987. be 5-0 had they not forfeited three games for using an ineligible player. Both teams are 2-0 in the South Division. The winner will have the inside track for a state playoff berth.

Two years ago, Hinds won a state championship and East Central By Lee Baker Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer jv4 East Central is one victory away from its first winning season since 1987. Coats says East Central's comeback after years of losing comes from "lots of things, starting with the administration being supportive to all our needs. Then I have the best assistant coaches a man could have." Coats came to East Central after four years at Pearl River, where he went 28-13. His 1992 Pearl River team was 10-0 in the regular season. Before Pearl River, Coats coached high school teams at Hattiesburg, Quitman, Decatur, Lumberton, Seminary and Clara.

The head coach isn't the only experienced guy at Pearl River. Thirteen of East Central's 19 sophomores start seven on offense, six on defense. A year ago Coats had just 13 sophomores. "When a new coach comes in, a lot of kids drop out for various reasons," Coats said. "We have 48 players, 10 from Tuscaloosa County (under a special state rule for East Central), 10 others from out of state and 28 from our district.

"Without a Class 5A (the largest state high school class) school in the district and the third smallest enrollment among the 14 state schools, we need those out-of-staters to match up with far-bigger schools like Hinds." Improvement from 1995 began with an offseason program the week after the season ended, followed by good spring work, Coats said. The Warriors have a better, more experienced defense than they had last year and "a tremendously improved offensive line and running backs," Coats said. Coats It's not easy to turn around a football program that hasn't had a winning season in eight years. Willie Coats has done that and more. Coats' second East Central Community College team is 5-0, ranked ninth nationally and riding a seven-game winning streak dating back to last season.

A big test comes Saturday, when East Central plays host to Hinds in a 2:30 p.m. homecoming game. The Eagles also would went 2-8. Last year, Hinds won another state championship and East Central went 2-8 again, in its first season under Coats. Hinds is trying to become the first team to win three consecutive state championships since Pearl River did it from 1959-61.

Cardinals slam Braves, Maddux 8-3 Gary Gaetti's grand slam helps St. Louis draw even in the series. By Mike Lopresti Gannett New Service runs in 23 innings this season against St. Louis. In 466 at-bats by these Cardinals against Maddux during his career, they had hit only three home runs.

Gaetti was No. 467. And No. 4. "I needed to make one pitch and I didn't get it done," Maddux said.

"You've got to give him credit, too. I made a terrible pitch and he took advantage." There was more. Atlanta had not given up eight runs in a postseason game since Game 6 of the 1992 NLCS. Had not lost a home postseason game in its last eight. The Braves' defense does not often falter.

But there were costly errors by both Chipper Jones on an eighth-inning bunt and Gold Glove center fielder Marquis Grissom to let in the first run in the first And so it is a series with a new look. Palmeiro powers Orioles, 5C CDT). The Cardinals were 0-6 there against Atlanta this season, but after Thursday, who is counting? "We've got something to prove against these guys at home," Gaetti said. For these were sights not often seen in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Maddux shredded for eight runs and nine hits in less than seven innings.

Throwing a fat slider over the plate to Gaetti in the seventh with the score only 4-3. A pumpkin that Gaetti drove into the left field stands. "When you load the bases like that, the hitter has a little edge," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "Gary's ready to swing, as all good RBI men do." Maddux allowed only two earned ATLANTA So much for an Atlanta pleasure cruise to the World Series. This will not be quick for the Braves, and it will not come easily.

Not when Greg Maddux is getting ripped for eight runs. The battle has been joined in the National League Championship Series. St. Louis made it so Thursday night, riding Gary Gaetti's grand slam to an 8-3 Game 2 win over Maddux and the Braves, sending this series to Busch Stadium tied 1-1. A series that now has every indication of a dogfight.

The next three games will be in St. Louis, starting Saturday (3:15 p.m. The Associated Press' Atlanta pitcher Greg Maddux looks like a beaten man; after giving up a grand slam to St. Louis' Gary TIP OF THE HAT BY THE NUMBERS TV TODAY THEY SAID IT NLCS Game 2 Cardinals 8 Braves 3 ALCS Game 2 Orioles 5 Yankees 3 Saturday's State Schedule Alcorn St. at Prairie View 1:30 p.m.

Centre at Millsaps 1:30 p.m. Grambling at Miss. Valley 2 p.m. Henderson St. at Delta St 2 p.m.

Miss. College at H. -Simmons 2 p.m. Auburn at Miss. State 2:30 p.m.

"(Jeff Maier's) 15 minutes of fame turned into about two weeks. The situation was perfect for the kid to get all the time he got. If it were to happen in some other town, not New York City, I don't know how it would have been handled. But because it was in New York City and we were the only game going, I can completely understand how it happened and The American League Championship Series shifts to Baltimore's Camden Yards, where young and innocent Orioles fans are sure to be out in force with their gloves. Meanwhile, down on the field, Jimmy Key starts for the Washington picked Pearl native Eric Washington, a senior guard at Alabama, was named preseason first-team All-Southeastern Conference by Athlon magazine.

The rest of the first team: South Carolina's Larry Davis, Auburn's Wes Flanigan, Kentucky's Ron Mercer and Arkansas' Kareem Reid. Ole Miss sophomore Keith Carter was named to the third team. In 1995-96, Carter, a 6-foot-4 guard, was the first Ole Miss freshman to lead the team in scoring at the end of a season with 13.8 points per game. Yankees against Mike Mussina in Game 3 at 7 p.m. on NBC.

State Colleges USM 28 East Carolina 7 Junior Colleges Northwest 20 Northeast 7 High Schools Forest HilUI MurrahB Callaway 20 Greenville 14 McComb 2 1 Kenner, Bonnabel 0 Philadelphia 64 0 why." Baltimore Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina on Jeff Maier, the 12-year-old New York Yankees fan who earned instant fame by turning a potential out into a crucial homer in the AL Championship Series opener Wednesday night. NHL Stars 2 Rangers 1 Flyers 5 Kings 4 Mighty Ducks 6 Avalanche 6 Coyotes 4 Sharks 1 The golf season continues: ESPN has The Transamerica at 2 p.m. Listings, 2C i.