Hattiesburg American from Hattiesburg, Mississippi • 21

Sunday, October 7, 1990 Hattlesburg AMERICAN 1 QU0t3bl6: "We're right back in it. This was our national championship, and we have another one next week and one the week after that. We've had the national championship ring, and we've a little silver 98 ring from the Orange Bowl. We don't want another one of those. We want the gold one.

Again." Miami, Fla. linebacker Michael Barrow on Saturday's big victory over Florida State. Scoreboard, 2C College football, 3-4C NFL preview, 5C Classified, 814C USM mmotlhoir East aroDona "Southern Miss finds a way to get into close games and today they found a way to win it." USM put all three phases of its game together early in the game. On East Carolina's first possession, the Pirates' Cedric Van Buren was stopped on a third-and-one by USM tackle Pete Antoniou. Seconds later, Tony Smith returned the punt 32 yards to midfield.

The Eagles then marched 50 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown a 1-yard run off tackle by Smith. Favre completed two passes to freshman Mark Montgomery in the march. "We mixed up our plays pretty good on that drive," Favre said. "That gave us a lot of confidence early." Said Hallman: "That was a great indicator of all three phases of our game working together." That score would stand up by halftime as USM's By CHUCK ABADIE AMERICAN Sports Editor GREENVILLE, N.C. The story lines of Southern Mississippi's 16-7 victory over East Carolina at Ficklen Stadium Saturday were: USM's big-play defense which held East Carolina to 230 total yards, some 100 yards less than the Pirates' average.

"If our offense is rated last in the country, then our defense should be rated first," said USM quarterback Brett Favre. "They are carrying us." USM's offense, the subject of much criticism in the first five games, burst loose for a season-high 390 total yards. The Eagles dominated time of possession, 37:14 to 22:46. They marched 92 yards for a field goal in the fourth quarter and picked up some much-needed confidence in the process. "The offense possessed the ball a good bit of the Taylor said.

"Coach (Curley) Hallman talked to me at halftime and he told me to get aggressive when I hit it." Said Hallman: "We talk an awful lot about putting all three phases together and we did that today. At times, I saw our offense catching up with our defense and kicking game." A crowd of 31,305 watched as USM made it seven straight wins over the Pirates. The Golden Eagles improved to 4-2, while East Carolina dropped to 24. "The halfway mark is today," Hallman said. "You've got to win on the road to have a successful season, and that's especially true in our case." East Carolina coach Bill Lewis took responsiblity for his team's loss.

"We were not ready to play a football game today and that's my fault," he said. "I apologize to our team Next Week's Game USMatTulane Kickoff 7 p.m. Saturday Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans time today and that gave us some rest on the sidelines," said USM free safety Kerry Valrie, who picked up interception No.6 early in the fourth quarter. And, USM's special teams, which prcvided the crushing blows three field goals by Jim Taylor and a fumble recovery by Greg Reed on a kickoff with five minutes to go that would doom the Pirates. Taylor kicked field goals of 32, 22 and 21 yards the latter two coming with less than six minutes to play.

Reed's recovery set up the 21-yarder and it came with 1 minute, 51 seconds to play. "I really hit the ball terrible in the first half," I See USM, page 3C ana i apologize to our fans. Rebels dump A If i MliWWrJ Kentucky, roll to 4-1 record mm Next Week's Game Ole Miss at Georgia Kickoff 1 1 :40 a.m. Saturday Sanford Stadium, Athens, Ga. ir If in Stanford stuns Irish By MIKE LOPRESTI Gannett News Service SOUTH BEND, Ind.

This time, Notre Dame dropped its miracle. A winning touchdown pass that fell from tight end Derek Brown's hands as time ran out sealed a shocker here Saturday as Stanford stunned the No. 1 Irish 36-31, after trailing in the first half 24-7. "I don't know if I've ever been in a loss that was this difficult," Lou Holtz said after Notre Dame, playing without injured star Raghib Ismail, lost its first home game since 1986, 19 victories ago. It was also only the third time in history, and first in 36 years, that a No.

1-ranked Irish team had lost at home. And against an opponent that came in 1-3. Fullback Tommy Vardell's one-yard touchdown, his fourth of the day, gave Stanford the lead with 36 seconds left. Notre Dame, in trouble largely because of three fumbled punts, mounted its usual last-ditch drive, marching to the 23 on three Rick Mirer passes. But this time, fate smiled elsewhere.

Mirer's 23-yard pass, a shade underthrown, was caught and then dropped by Brown. The Irish (3-1), at last, had run out of time. It left a smoragsboard of emotions that only true astonishment can. "Devastating," said Notre Dame linebacker Scott Kowalkowski. "I believe everything happens for a reason," said Brown, who lay in the end zone with his head down for several seconds after the drop.

"Tyson's lost one. Everybody's lost one." And for Stanford? "There's not a better feeling than this," said guard Chuck Gillingham. "We were holding hands on the sideline, praying it would turn out all right," Stanford quarterback Jason Palumbis said of the last Notre Dame drive. It was Stanford's biggest victory since it dumped No. 1 Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl, and gave instant credibility to Coach Dennis Green, who went 3-8 last year in his first season and had watched his team lose in the final seconds to Colorado and UCLA and get upset by San Jose State this year.

"I feel great because some of the guys who have worn this (Stanford cap) have been some of the greatest coaches of the game," Green said. "I hope I'm up to that. I think I am. But the proof is in the pudding." By RUSTY HAMPTON Qannott News Service OXFORD The Ole Miss football team gave a classic example here Saturday of the subdued post-game celebration. The Rebels were happy with their 35-29 Southeastern Conference victory over Kentucky before an estimated crowd of 27,000 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

But they weren't too thrilled about giving up 15 points in the final 2 minutes, 40 seconds. The victory put the Rebels at 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the SEC. That's their best start since 1970. "There are no ugly victories," said coach Billy Brewer, who collected his 100th collegiate career victory. "A win is a win is a win," said quarterback Tom Luke, who ran for 82 yards and passed for 138 despite breaking the little finger on his left (non-throwing) hand in the second quarter.

Ole Miss seemed to relax in the fourth quarter after building a 35-14 lead. After gaining 337 yards the first 45 minutes, the Rebels ran five plays and gained 15 yards in the final 15. The Wildcats scored two touchdowns and gained 151 yards in the quarter, after being held to 166 yards and two touchdowns in the first three periods. "We played well for three quarters, but I was disappointed about the fourth," said defensive coordinator Robert Henry. "We hurt ourselves with too many mistakes and too many missed tackles." "They definitely dominated the fourth quarter," said defensive tackle Kelvin Pritchett, credited with one of the Rebels' three sacks.

Center Dawson Pruett, a senior, said the calm lockerroom atmosphere was not a bad sign. "It's definitely a good thing," he said. "There should be a letdown to a team. We're happy, but we felt we were going to win all along. "My freshman year, we would have been happy to win 3-2, against anybody, but now we expect more out of ourselves." For three quarters, the Rebels seemed to have very few worries.

The offense clicked, the defense made big plays, and Vincent Brownlee made punt returns of 19 and 58 yards, each leading to touchdowns. "I thought they were really into the game," said Kentucky running back Al. Baker. "I thought they were very emotional." Randy Baldwin led the Rebels with 88 yards on 13 carries. He scored in the second quarter on a 15-yard run and in the third from 21 yards out.

Luke completed 8 of 16 passes, See OLE MISS, page 3C ft AP photo STANFORD'S TOMMY Vardell vaults over Notre Dame's Michael Stonebreaker tor the winning touchdown with 36 seconds left Saturday at South Bend, Ind. Vardell scored four touchdowns in the upset of the top-ranked Irish. A's blow past Red Sox, 9-1 Pearl River dominates Gulf Coast in 27-0 win A.L. Playoffs Oakland at Boston Game 2: Today at 7:25 p.m. at Fenway Park, Boston.

Starters: Oakland Bob Wnlnh (27-6); Boston Dana Kiecker (8-9). TV: CBS (WHLT, Channel 22) -Dick Stockton, Jim Kaat. Airtime 7 p.m. Radio: CBS fWHSY-AM. 12301 Jim Hunter, Johnny Bench.

Airtime Series: Game 1 Athletics 9, Red Sox 1 (A's lead 1-0). Nelson said. "That was a big boost for us. "Tonight, this was just a big boost for the coach," Nelson said, smiling. The Wildcats' defense also left its mark, limiting the Bulldogs to 153 total yards.

GCCC had minus 1-yard rushing. PRCC recorded its first shutout of the season and 15th in the series that the Wildcats lead 36-22-1. "We put the defense in some adverse conditions early in the game, but they did a great job," Nelson said. "You've got to give (assistant defensive coaches) Bill Martin and Mike Humphreys the credit for getting them ready to play." The Wildcats took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter on 64-yard, nine-play drive. Michael Toefield, who gained 40 of his 70 first-half yards on the drive, capped it with a 1-yard dive.

Toefield finished the night with 147 yards on 23 carries while playing less than three quarters. Douglas Johnson of Hattiesburg High added 67 yards on 13 carries. On its next drive, PRCC went 43 yards on five plays. Wingback Cedric Anderson split safety Gary McPher-son and John Coleman to gather in quarterback Tim Birotte's underthrown pass at the front flag in the left corner of the end zone. See PRCC, page 4C By TTM DOHERTY AMERICAN Sports Writer POPLARVILLE Pearl River Community College treated the fans at the PRCC-Gulf Coast Community College football game Saturday night to a fireworks display at halftime.

On the field, PRCC treated the Wildcats' fans to an offensive fireworks display as it rolled to a 27-0 victory over the Bulldogs at Dobie Holden Stadium. The Wildcats piled up 383 total yards 321 on the ground as they improved their record to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the South Division. Gulf Coast dropped to 1-4-1 overall and 1-2 in the division. "We felt like their weakness was on the inside, so we wanted to try and run the ball up the middle," PRCC offensive tackle Chris Lumpkin. "That was the best thing that we did all night.

PRCC chalked up its fourth consecutive win in the long-running rivalry and recorded its largest margin of victory since a 35-0 triumph in 1969. The loss denied GCCC head coach George Sekul his 200th career victory. Wildcat coach Mike Nelson, who coached under Sekul for nine years, improved to 4-2 against his mentor. "The Itawamba (win last week) was more of a confidence builder after the Hinds loss the week before," BOSTON (AP) Dave Stewart's pitching held up after Roger Clemens' arm gave out and that was all the Oakland Athletics needed. Stewart did not beat Clemens, but he again beat the Boston Red Sox, this time 9-1 Saturday night in Game 1 of the American League playoffs.

A classic pitching duel fell apart the instant Clemens, tired after missing a month with tendinitis, left after six innings with a 1-0 lead. Then, the game turned into what Boston feared most a battle of the bullpens. "A beautiful game turned into a horrible evening," Boston manager Joe Morgan said. "But Roger was dead. It was my decision, but he knew it was time." The Athletics, meanwhile, knew it was their time.

"It was the seventh inning and we needed to get back in the game, against anyone who was pitching," manager Tony La Russa said. "From where we sat, it looked like he might start laboring. Oakland immediately tied it in the seventh on Rickey Henderson's sacrifice fly off Larry Andersen and went ahead in the eighth. Jose Canseco led off with a single, advanced on Harold Baines' first sacrifice bunt since 1984, stole third and scored on Carney Lansford's one-out single off Jeff Gray. With Stewart shutting down the Red Sox on four hits through eight innings, the Athletics made it official in the ninth.

They tied an AL playoff record with seven more runs against Dennis Lamp and Rob Murphy. Canseco had a sacrifice fly and Rickey Henderson added a two-run single. Eckersley took over in the ninth, as if it was really necessary, and finished the five-hitter. Stewart, pitching the playoff opener for the third straight year, recorded his eighth consecutive victory over the Red Sox. Six of them have come against Clemens and, even though this one didn't, it felt Just as good.

"I've been real, real lucky against him," Stewart said. "But See A.L., page 7C Raiders at Buffalo), TNT. 7 p.m. Baseball (ALCS: Oakland at Boston), CBS. College SCOres Alabama 25, SW La.

6 Ga. Tech 31 Maryland 3 USM 16, East Carolina 7 Miami 31 Florida State 22 Tex. 28, Tex. Tech 24 Ole Miss 35, Kentucky 29 Stanford 36, Notre Dame 31 USC 31 Washington St. 17 Miss.

College 36, Troy St. 16 Michigan 41 Wisconsin 3 PRCC 27, Gulf Coast 0 Alcorn St. 31 Texas So. 26 Oklahoma 31 Okla. St.

1 7 Jones JC 50, Coahoma 6 Not the answer? Is Rockey Felker (right) the right man to be guiding Mississippi State's football fortunes? Columnist Slim Smith of the Biloxi Sun-Herald says no. PAGE 3C HJEZ33B Alabama St. 42.JSU 28 Jacksonville St. 17, DSU13 Noon Football (New Orleans at Atlanta), CBS. Noon Football (New York Jets at Miami), NBC.

Noon Auto racing (Mello Noon Auto racing (Bosch Grand Prix), ESPN. 2 p.m. Horse racing (Turf Classic), ESPN. 3 p.m. Football (Cincinnati at L.A.

Rams), NBC. 3 p.m. Golf (Vantage Championship), ESPN. 6:30 p.m. Football (LA.

Nebraska 45, K-State 8 Colorado 33, Missouri 31 Houston 31, Baylor 15 Illinois 31, Ohio State 20 Washington 42, Ariz. St. 14 Iowa 12, Michigan State 7 TCU 54, Arkansas 26 Noon Football (Detroit at Minnesota), WHSY-AM. 2:45 p.m. Football (Cincinnati at L.A.

Rams), WHSY-AM. 7:07 p.m. Baseball (ALCS: Oakland at Boston), WHSY-AM. Playoff score AL Championship Game 1 Oakland 9, Boston 1 BOX SCORE, 2B Prep score St. John 13, Seminary 3 Millsaps17, Centre 9 Auburn 16, La.

Tech 14 Clemson 34, Georgia 3 Syracuse 49, Vanderbilt 14 Florida 34, LSU 8 Ground to bits Miami used a crunching ground attack Saturday to defeat archrival Florida State in a key Top 10 matchup. PAGE 4C More harassment Karen Crouse of the Orange County Register was the latest female reporter to be harassed In a lockerroom, this time at Arizona..