Daily Press from Newport News, Virginia • Page 39

ir Wit ftw'iy jiiijiii mi wiupp. mm i.i i.iiujikWsiiiM! i .1 i 1 'i ID Holyfield retains crown with TKO By Ed Shearer The Associated Press U.S. boxers win 3 medals at world championships, See D3. al Boxing Federation, kept his record perfect with his 26th knockout in 26 fights, downing Bobby Crabtree of Ft Smith, Ark. Moorer, who weighed 231, landed a dozen blows in the closing seconds of the first round with the 217-pound Crabtree leaning against the ropes trying to cover up without throwing punches.

Referee Jim Kolb stopped it after the first round, dropping Crabtree's record fell to 43-24-1. and dominated the fight. Referee Mills Lane stopped the fight with one second left in the seventh after Holyfield hit Cooper with a 17-punch barrage. Great Britain's Lennox Lewis used a barrage of rights to stop Tyrell Biggs with his third knockdown at 2:47 of the third round of their scheduled 10-round heavyweight fight. Referee Frank Santore stepped in and stopped the fight moments after Biggs had taken a Both are former Olympic champions in the super heavyweight division.

Lewis, who now lives in Cray-ford, England, won the Olympic gold fighting for Canada in 1988 and Biggs, whose record fell to 19-5, won it in 1984. The fight was the feature of the undercard to the heavyweight championship bout between Holyfield and Cooper. Michael Moorer of Detroit, ranked ninth by the Internation ATLANTA Heavyweight champion Evan-der Holyfield survived a third-round knockdown by challenger Bert Cooper and retained his crown with a seventh-round technical knockout Saturday at The Omni. Holyfield (27-0), who was knocked to the canvas by Cooper after winning the first two rounds, took control after that seven-count and then went down again to a pair of Lewis rights. It was the 18th victory for the unbeaten Lewis, his 16th by knockout.

Lewis, ranked third by the International Boxing Federation, weighed 230'a, and Biggs weighed 231. Tonridl Cavs crash Tech9 siwsiit bowl -J 1 7 Jr, U.Va. surges, atones for '90 By David Teel Daily Press Virginia quarterback Matt Blundin ends his first regular season as a starter by setting two NCAA records. See D6. Virginia Tech, which was thinking about a possible bowl invitation two weeks ago, copes with its worst loss in nine seasons.

SeeD6. Virginia defense makes up for last season's shortcomings. See Briefs, D6. Game summary. See D6.

A little pain can't stop U.Va.'s Slade CHARLOTTESVILLE eserves were killing time in the ire: final seconds 01 tne 38-0 drub- JTnJjing Virginia pinned on Virginia wTech Saturday. Tech defensive end Wooster Pack didn't care if there was time enough for another play. There was something he had to do. Pack sprinted across the field, found Virginia defensive end Chris Slade and lifted him in a big bear hug. "That's one of the best games I've ever seen anybody play," Pack said before being shooed back to his own side of the field.

Slade's was one of those perfor mances that eventually becomes a football benchmark. "That was the year Chris Slade went wild against Virginia Tech." That's what people will say. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound junior from Tabb had five quarterback sacks, 10 tackles, batted down two passes, and recovered a fumble. His sacks gave him the school single-season record with 14 and school career record with 25. All that from a guy who injured his right ankle Tuesday and spent Wednesday and Thursday navigating on crutches.

"I tried to block it out of my mind," Slade said. "A couple of times I was caught in the pile and I could feel the ankle start to give a little. I just tried to forget about it and play. All I wanted to do was play." Playing in the final game of the regular season was all Slade thought about since Tuesday. He was participating in a 7-on-7 drill, the first-team offensive line against the first-team defensive front.

Double-teamed by tight end Aaron Mundy and tackle Ray Roberts, he was knocked back into a pile. Defensive tackle Matt Quigley fell and landed on Slade's ankle. Team physician Dr. Frank McCue diagnosed the injury as a sprain. Head trainer Joe Gieck handed Slade the crutches and said be in the training room for treatment.

"I was in the training room four times a day," Slade said. "I lived in the training room. I would have slept there if it meant more treatment." Wednesday, while hobbling, Slade passed head coach George Welsh. Welsh asked how it was going. Slade said he'd play if he had to nail turf shoes to the bottom of his crutches.

Inside, though, he was in a tither. For a year, he had lived with a demon named Virginia Tech. He was on the verge of losing his chance to do something about it. "After they beat us 38-13 last year, I was embarrassed," Slade recalled. "Every time I ran into one of Tech's players, he'd rub it in a little more." Slade had more personal reasons to remember that game.

He had been manhandled by Tech tackle Eugene Chung. Slade had no sacks. He never laid a hand on Hokie quarterback Will Furrer. "All year long all I heard was Eugene Chung and Eugene Chung." Three days removed from the rematch, Slade found himself injured and worried. The ankle was improving, but he was missing valuable practice time.

No matter what, he wanted to play and he convinced himself he would play. But, during those dark, solitary moments he worried about limping, too immobile to be a factor, embarrassing himself and the team. Defensive coordinator Rick Lantz did not share Slade's concern. Oh, he knew Slade was hurting he also knew Slade would find a way. "He's one of those guys who gets close to his potential," Lantz said.

"He's not an overpowering, imposing guy. He does it with football sense, intelligence. He's a special player." Slade didn't look very special on the first play of the game. Chung brush-" blocked him and guard Damien McMa-hon and fullback Phil Bryant double-teamed him. Tailback Vaughn Hebron raced around Slade's end for a 33-yard Please see MillerD6 CHARLOTTESVILLE Virginia's football team completed a stunning reversal Saturday in the most gratifying man-' ner possible: a pasting of Virginia Tech at Scott Stadium.

The 20th-ranked Cavaliers won 38-0, and their offense, defense and special teams all were dominant. Virginia set records, purged a bitter memory and stamped itself primed for a Gator Bowl appearance. The Cavaliers (8-2-1) are 7-0-1 in their last eight games. They have outscored their last four opponents 170-17. "Something like this will probably never happen again," Virginia coach George Welsh said of his team's Secretariat-like finish.

His players reveled in the victory, particularly after last season's 38-13 defeat at Virginia Tech. "The shutout was important, especially after what happened last year," defensive tackle Matt Quigley said. "They talk so much crap. I told the refs about their cheap shots. We lost last year and took it like men, and they do this stuff.

I don't respect them at all." Virginia Tech was called for two personal fouls in the fourth quarter, and defensive tackle X'j i -'A 1' 1 I 7' I Bryan Campbell was ejected from the game. The Hokies (5-6) were frustrated from the outset. Quarterback Will Furrer was sidelined with a knee injury, and his replacements, senior Rodd Wooten and redshirt freshman Maurice DeShazo, were overwhelmed by the Cavaliers' aggressive defense. Virginia recorded a season-high seven sacks, five by defensive end Chris Slade, who also caused a fumble, recovered a fumble and tipped two passes. "Every time they threw the ball, I thought he was going to get a sack," Virginia defensive coordinator Rick Lantz said of Slade, a junior who set school records for sacks in a season (14) Please see GameD6 Virginia tight end Aaron Mundy, a former Hampton High standout, gathers in 14-yard scoring pass against Virginia Tech safety Kirk Alexander with 2:15 left in first half.

Scott KlngsleyDaily Press Tribe piles points on Spiders Tony Sands rushes for 396 yards on 58 carries both NCAA records as Kansas clobbers Missouri 53-29. See Top 25Natlon roundup, D4. Desmond Howard gains 213 all-purpose yards as No. 4 Michigan routs No. 18 Ohio State 31-3.

See Top 25Natlon roundup, D4. No. 21 Stanford knocks off No. 6 California 38-21 in the 94th Big Game. See Top 25Natlon roundup, D4.

No. 22 N.C. State rallies past Maryland 20-17. See ACC roundup, D7. James Madison improves Div.

I-AA playoff hopes with victory over Northeastern. See State roundup, D7. all together," defensive tackle Mark Tyler said. "Thank God it finally happened." (5-6) piled up 410 yards in the first half on the way to a school-record 681 yards total offense. It was the third most one-, sided game in the 101 meetings between the schools, surpassed only by 48-0 Richmond victories in 1907 and 1916.

The Tribe also snapped a three-game losing streak and regained a measure of respect for a disappointing season. After playoff appearances the last two years, finished with its first losing record since 1987 and only its second since '82. "When you look at the season Please see 49-7 finale ends frustration By Dave Falrbank Daily Press WILLIAMSBURG 1 William and Mary's pep band broke into "Taps" in the waning seconds of the Tribe's football game against Richmond on Saturday. The tune was appropriate, but the band was about 90 minutes late. With a big assist from the Spiders, the Tribe scored touchdowns on its first six possessions on the way to a 49-7 shellacking in the season finale before 12,216 at Zable Stadium.

"Every week we talk about turning it around and putting it A( 4ut-- u4jm i'l iii William and Mary split end Corey Ludwig dives into end zone for second-quarter TD against Richmond Saturday. Adrin smderDaiiy Press Cowboys, Redskins have extra incentive Enduring rivalry continues today NFL picks, previews, See D8. By Warner Hessler Daily Press TENNIS. Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles advance to today's final in Virginia Slims Championships. See D2.

HIGH SCHOOLS. Middlesex and Sussex Central win Group A regional football championships. See D9. IT'S OVER. The Sacramento Kings finally win on the road, ending a 43-game losing streak.

See NBA roundup, D10. Defector outruns his foes Romanian native wins national title By Karen Anderson Daily Press NEWPORT NEWS Sandu Rebenciuc of Augus-tana College in Rock Island, 111., won the men's NCAA Division ni cross country national championship Saturday, two years after defecting from strife-torn Romania. "Can you imagine your parents advising their only son to defect?" said Rebenciuc, a 22-year-old sophomore, who began his excursion to the United States Romanian Sandu Rebenciuc (front) of Augustana College heads for finish line on way to victory in men's race. Jo FudgeDaily Press WASHINGTON This afternoon's game in RFK Stadium between the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys may not go down as one of the all-time best in what is arguably the National Football League's showcase rivalry. But the stakes are as high as at any time during the 31-year history of the series.

The Redskins, picked by Sports Illustrated and three national football publications to win the Super Bowl, are 1 1-0 and bidding to become the first team since te 1972 Miami Dolphins to go through the regular season undefeated. Having already clinched a playoff spot, Washington can win its first NFC East Division title since 1987 with a victory. Dallas, a nine-point underdog, is 6-5 and fighting for a wild-card playoff berth. "The mystique of the Dallas-Washington rivalry is always based on what a game means, and this one means a lot," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "They're going for a playoff spot, and we're going for the divi- Please see RedskintD8 Rebenciuc, a runner on his native country's national team, fled before Romanian president Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown Dec.

22, 1989. "I risked my life," said Rebenciuc. "I just left everything and in late 1989. "They said don't come back after the meet because you will starve like us." His time of 24 minutes, 36 seconds at Deer Run Golf Course was two-tenths of a second faster than James Dunlop of team champion University of Rochester. 247-4647 FOR SCORES.

For the latest sports scores 24 hours a day, call the Daily Press Sports Scoreline at 247-4647. Jerry Mlcco, Sports Editor: 247-4638 Please see RunnlngD12 during the Balkan meet in Europe I.