Daily Press from Newport News, Virginia • Page 23

Sunday, September 9, 1990 Skip Miller Columnist i i treak9 Tig i Virginia fens unsure of how to celebrate C' HARLOTTESVILLE They really didn't know what to do, those 46,800 people who watched "Jhe University of Virginia defeat Clem-son, 20-7, Saturday. This was history, Virginia's first victory in a series that began in 1955. After 29 consecutive losses, Virginians needed to celebrate by doing something profound. But what? What antic or personal expression could match the way Virginia dominated Clemson the final three 1 4 Stiff defense leads the way By DAVID TEEL Staff Writer CHARLOTTESVILLE The demon was exorcised. National stature was attained.

And personal atonement was reserved for the smallest player on the field. Those were the immediate aftershocks Saturday as Virginia's football team defeated Clemson for the first time ever, 20-7, before a record crowd of 46,800 at Scott Stadium. The Cavaliers had lost all 29 previous meetings with the Tigers. They had been humbled in previous national flirtations with Penn State in 1988 and Notre Dame and Illinois in 1989. Saturday, Virginia left little room for debate.

The 14th-ranked Cavaliers (2-0, 1-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) lined up and dominated the ninth-ranked Tigers (1-1, 0-1). "Look at our guys," Virginia defensive line coach Danny Wilmer said. "We're not the Little Sisters of the Poor. We're at our best against a team that hits us in the mouth." Past Virginia teams couldn't hit back. This one can, and did.

After Clemson drove 80 yards to take a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter, the Tigers penetrated the Virginia A t'Mil i Willi il II m0 I si. i i ffi KmJFl i iMi't' -i CTS fW-P' MtS 30-yard line only once. No longer could Clemson line up with two tight ends and steamroll the Cavaliers, who sim- Please see Cavs, C8 ADRIN SNIDERStaH photographer Terry Kirby celebrates his third quarter touchdown during Virgina's 20-7 victory over Clemson. Hebron, Tech run past Bowling Green 21-7 vamped front line cleared more holes. Freshman center Jim Pyne, guard Glenn Watts and tackle Chris Holt were new starters this week after Tech's line was pushed around by Maryland.

With Hebron finding holes, the Hokies threw only 21 times down from 30 a week ago. Junior Will Furrer was 7-of-ll for 63 yards, but Beamer may have created a quarterback controversy by insterting Rodd Wooten midway through the second quarter. Please see Tech, C9 Williams rushed for 190 against Louisville in 1985. Hebron's 50-yarder, which gave the Hokies (1-1) a 14-7 lead with 3:33 remaining in the second half, was Tech's longest scoring run since Jon Jeffries' 56-yard sprint against Navy in 1987. It also was a welcomed sight for Coach Frank Beamer, who watched his lauded running attack struggle for 104 yards in last week's season-opening loss at Maryland.

The Hokies rushed 56 times as a re "It matters. It definitely matters," said Hebron, who scored on runs of 32 and 50 as the Hokies rushed for 262 yards. "That second touchdown was very elusive. But I got two this game, so I'm pretty happy. "The offensive line did their job tonight.

That's what I'm on scholarship for, for open-field running." Hebron gained 131 of his yards in the first half. His total of 160 was the highest by a Tech back since Maurice By DAVE JOHNSON Staff Writer BLACKSBURG Vaughn Hebron was every bit as elusive Saturday night as his second career touchdown had been. Hebron rushed for 165 yards and scored twice as Virginia Tech defeated Bowling Green 21-7 at Lane Stadium. The sophomore from Baltimore snapped a 34-quarter touchdown drought, dating back to last season's fourth game. Mostly, they sat and smiled.

They shook hands and they hugged. There undoubtedly would be wild times ahead; for now, they mostly were stunned. Oh, some tried to go wilding. With 48 seconds left, a platoon of students broke ranks and trashed a 'goal post while those stuck in their seats chanted "Off the field!" With 10 seconds left, a roar rocked Scott Stadium when the scoreboard message was Streak Is Over." What more could be said? After Clemson quarterback De-Chane Cameron's final pass was batted and bobbled to incompletion, the other goal post was trashed. A kid knocked himself senseless diving into the pavement behind one of the end zones.

A cop rushed up, screaming into his walkie-talkie that he needed an ambulance pronto. It started to rain. Still, thousands of people smiled and lingered. Two young men sans shirts Tan around looking for young women to hug. When that failed, they hugged each other.

The goal posts were carted off in pieces and the wail of a siren announced the ambulance's arrival. The profound proved to be more difficult prey than the Tigers. "We knew we had to play 60 minutes of hard, emotional football," Cavalier defensive back Jason Wallace was saying. "We knew we had to keep the pressure on them." That pressure allowed the Cavaliers to build a 20-7 lead after three quarters. The pressure was then helped by Clemson's indecision, The Tiger offense had moved to the Cavalier 33 on the first series of the fourth quarter, Cameron threw two incompletions, then called time out.

He invested third down in a quarterback draw that gained one yard. It was fourth and nine. Cameron called a second time out. Clemson lined up, Cameron took a look at the Virginia defense and, for some reason, called a third timeout the Tigers' last one. He then threw another incompletion and Virginia took over on its own 32.

Clemson had the ball three more times before the game ended, but had no way to stop the clock. "I'm on top of the world right now," Wallace said. "I'm a senior. This is the one game I wanted." Meanwhile, Cavalier running back Terry Kirby was getting his clock both stopped and cleaned and his world turned upside down. With two minutes remaining, he took the handoff and found himself surrounded.

"About 10 guys held me up and rung my neck," he said. He lost one yard on the play and was from the field, finished for the evening with 59 yards and a touchdown to his rushing credit "It didn't hurt me as much as it scared me." Nor did it jar from him the realization of what he and his teammates had accomplished. i "We knew we took their best shot in the first half," he said. "In the second half, we just had to keep playing hard. "That's what we did.

Tonight was our night." Outside, students and fans were chanting "U-V-A!" Kirby smiled. "I can't believe we beat them in Charlottesville," he said. "We knew we'd beat them someday. But doing it in Charlottesville that's almost too good to be true." Phoenix vs. Washington, 1 p.m.

Channels 3, 6. The Citadel holds off Tribe 34-31 Minnesota vs. Kansas City, 1 p.m. Sa ik. tar A Pv vvV Js LA Rams vs.

Green Bay, 1 p.m. Seattle vs. Chicago, 1 p.m. Channels 10,12. Tampa Bay vs.

Detroit, 1 p.n Hampton U. defense stops Bowie State By TERRY ARMOUR Staff Writer HAMPTON Hampton defensive end Stanley Jones limped off Bailey Field Saturday, but every once in awhile, he managed a smile between the grimaces of pain. Despite the wounds of battle, Jones, a senior, was pleased with the way the Pirates' defense rose to the occasion against 1989 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion Bowie State. The Pirates' defense stopped the Bulldogs from scoring touchdowns from within 10-yards out three times in the second half as Hampton walked away with its first victory of the season, stopping Bowie State 21-6. "Our defensive front line is all seniors," Jones said.

"It's a war out there. We feel we must rise to the occassion." It's a good thing they did. The Bulldogs Please see HU, C9 Denver vs. LA Raiders, 4 p.m. Houston vs.

Atlanta, 4 p.m. By CARL ROSENBLATT Staff Writer CHARLESTON, S.C. If Saturday night's game against The Citadel is any indication of the type of excitement William and Mary football will generate this season, then no one on the Peninsula will want to miss a game. In a game filled with three quarters of offensive explosion and one quarter of bend-but-don't-break defense, The Citadel defeated the Tribe 34-31 before 18,011 at Johnson Ha-good Stadium. final sustained drive ended when quarterback Chris Hakel's pass was intercepted by Bulldogs strong safety Derek Moore.

"You have to credit The Citadel with executing well and running their wishbone well," Tribe coach Jimmye Laycock said. "We moved the ball, but you can't have those type of turnovers against them." Please see Tribe, C9 Indianapolis vs. Buffalo, Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland, 4 p.m. 4 p.m., Channels 10, 12 NY Jets vs.

Cincinnati, San Diego vs. Dallas, 4 p.m. 4 p.m. Miami vs. New England, Philadelphia vs.

New York 4 p.m. Giants, 8 p.m., TNT Capsules, picks, page C10 Earnhardt says Sabatini new champ; U.S. men storm back no hurry to win Gabriela Sabatini (5) def. Stef- Graf (1)6-2, 7-6 (7-4) Andre Agassi (4) def. Boris Becker (2) 6-7 (10-12).

6-3. 6-2, 6-3 Pete Sampras (12) def. John McEnroe 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. it) 4 NEW YORK (AP) A new generation of American tennis boom babies, all grown up and bursting with power, pulled a coup at the U.S. Open.

Pete Sampras, bidding to become the youngest U.S. men's champion in history, ended John McEnroe's summer revival 6-2, 64, 3-6, 6-3 Saturday to reach the final against Andre Agassi, who vanquished defending champion Boris Becker. Earlier in the afternoon, Gabriela Sabatini, the graceful challenger whom everyone seemed to forget, felt no pressure in the women's championship. And, in the end, it was Steffi Graf who folded. "I knew no one was expecting me to win this tournament," Sabatini said.

"People were thinking of Steffi, Martina (Navrati-lova) and (Monica) Seles. "I felt no pressure. I can play the game, think of each match and win." Please see Open, C13 Team says Richmond race also a test for leader Martin By AL PEARCE Staff Writer RICHMOND The scrap for NASCAR's $1 million championship has just cleared the west coast on its headlong rush toward Hawaii, so to speak. For driver Dale Earnhardt and team owner Richard Childress, it's far too early to start sprinting or treading water, for that matter. "We're going race-by-race and mile-by-mile," Childress said on the eve of today's Miller 400 at the sold-out Richmond International Raceway.

"Our season is like driving from here to Hawaii. It's not time yet to sink or swim. We still have a long way to go." Perhaps, but Childress and Earnhardt can't afford to leave town late this afternoon trailing too far behind in the Winston Cup standings. With seven races remaining after today's, Mark Martin leads Earnhardt by a mere 26 points. For all intents and purposes, they're the only drivers with a real shot at the championship although third-place Geoff Bodine (187 points behind) will dispute that.

The 29-race tour moves from here to Dover, Please see Race, Cll Andre Agassi (4) vs. Pete Sampras (12), 4 p.m., Channels 3.6 Baseball: In his first outing since pitching a no-hitter, Toronto's Dave Stieb wins his club-record 18th game as the Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 3-0. C4 College football: Ty Detmer passes for three touchdowns as number 16 Brigham Young University beat top-ranked Miami 28-21 Saturday. C6 I Hi Andre Agassi breaks ground, beating Boris Becker. C13 Aggressiveness yields first Grand Slam title for Gabriela Sabatini.

C13 KRTN Gabriela Sabatini rejoices after upsetting Steffi Graf to win the U.S. Open. 9.