The Daily News Leader du lieu suivant : Staunton, Virginia • 11

Sunday News Leader, October 27 1996 Vv Q)A1 nil Yanks win Series The New York Yankees edged the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in Game 6 Saturday night to clinch the 1996 World Series, four games to two. Reliever John Wettleland retired Mark Lemke on a pop foul with two runners on for the final out of the game. in? Ww emm. 31-24 Seram 6 A i if A fense failed to get a first down and suspense lingered until the end. "They (Seminoles) are not as explosive as previous teams, but they are the best we've seen this year," said Virginia coach George Welsh.

"Their offense was better than it looked on film. And they may have the best four-man pass rush I've ever seen in college football." Welsh was kicking himself for faking a punt with eight minutes left in the game. It proved to be the game's pivotal play. Florida State was leading only 24-17 when Welsh opted to try a direct snap to fullback Darrell Medley on fourth-and-five from the Seminoles' 48. Medley made one yard.

The Seminoles took over and four plays later, backup tailback Rock Preston broke a 43-yard touchdown run. "We probably shouldn't have done it," said Welsh. "I shouldn't have put him (Medley) in that situation." Medley had the option to call off the fake if he thought Florida State's defense was wary of it. Boulware made the tackle, but he said the Seminoles' defense knew what was going to happen. "I just didn't know who was getting the ball," said Boulware.

Said Welsh: "I knew we weren't going to make it before the ball was snapped. Don't blame Medley. It was my fault." ond half as the Seminoles rallied from a rare 17-14 halftime deficit. "This team showed a lot of heart by not giving up and coming back and winning," said Busby. "Our offense is continuing to get better." The Seminoles had not trailed at home at halftime since their famous fourth-quarter rally to tie Florida (31-31) in 1993.

The Cavaliers (5-2) were seeking to repeat last year's historic upset at Virginia, which ended Florida State's ACC unbeaten record. They kept the Seminoles' five-year home unbeaten streak on shaky ground. "That was a heck of a game, one of the best I've been associated with," said Florida State coach Bobby Bow-den, whose team virtually sealed a fifth ACC championship with the victory. "You can't test character until you come from behind. I was pleased with how we responded." But the game was not secured until Florida State's defense prevented Virginia from making a first down from its own 20 in the final 90 seconds.

The Seminoles had opened a two-touchdown lead (31-17) with 5:54 remaining, but Virginia quarterback Tim Sherman stunned them with a pair of big pass plays to receiver Germane Crowell the second a 23-yard touchdown with 2:43 remaining. Even though Florida State recovered the ensuing onside kick, the of By BILL VILONA Pensacola News Journal TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida State didn't have to express what Saturday's 31-24 victory over Virginia truly meant. The look on players' faces was enough. Stretched to the game's final series, the second-ranked Seminoles overcame their own blunders and No.

13 Virginia's determined effort to leave satisfied. A homecoming crowd of 80,237 at Doak Campbell Stadium the second largest in school history was held spellbound by Florida State's toughest Atlantic Coast Conference home game since joining the league in 1992. The Seminoles (6-0) had been pounding ACC foes by a four-touchdown average in this stadium. But no way on Saturday. "Most definitely I'm relieved," said Florida State defensive end Peter Boulware, who set the school's single-season sack record (12.5) with three more in this game.

"You beat a team like that, and it feels good. Virginia is a great team. But we can't give up 24 points and expect to win every time. We did some foolish things out there." Florida State quarterback Thad Busby had a career game, passing for 316 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 11 of 13 passes in the sec i i SACKED Florida State quarterback Thad behind by Virginia defensive end Travis Griffith Busby loses the football as he is sacked from during Saturday's ACC game.

(AP Photo) for 6-1 Redskins Colts will "No more doomsday columns on the Redskins, Gunter" said colleague Jim McCloskey last Monday morning following Washington's 31-21 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday. The chap has a point but only a point. There admittedly is within me much of the Joe Gibbs' philosophy about this sport. Gibbs, who coached the 'Skins from 1981-92, always felt disaster loomed around every corner for his teams. He forever was thinking, if not saying, that the sky was about to fall on the Redskins' hopes.

Maybe that ethic is rooted in that part of the North Carolina mountains where I grew up and Joe Gibbs spent part of his childhood. It can be, especially in the 1950s, a harsh place where the realities of life are part of daily living. There was a culture there not to get too full of yourself, not to belittle anyone, and, in Shakespearean fashion to be prepared for the worst, for then you would not be surprised. That really was the philosophy that carried Joe Gibbs to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I won't get close to that.

I just want to acknowledge that the cautious ethic exists in this weekly effort, which brings us to today's game against the Indianapolis Colts at RFK Stadium. Joe Gibbs might have put it this way about the Colts: "Men, this is a solid team, a great team coming into here to play Sunday. Remember, the Colts came within just one game-ending play last i ij" s-oc. Jh' Jj Jnz i j) i it' i 1 shut down the 'Skins' Terry Allen, then Gus Frerotte, third-ranked passer in the NFC, should go deep to Leslie Shepherd, or Henry Ellard. Michael Westbrook is expected to play on some third-down passing situations.

Washington nearly completely abdicated in the second half of last Sunday's game against the Giants. It was if the Washington defense went into a perpetual prevent defense, a defense that only prevents its practitioner from winning. The Giants ended up scoring more points (21) than any other team, including Philadelphia, has scored on the 'Skins this season and gaining a zillion yards on offense. Washington, again, seemed pathologically incapable of stopping the slant pass, and Jim Harbaugh likely will throw a ton of them today. He'll throw them until Tom Carter and company stop them.

Washington's offense seems well on its way to being a prime-time offensive unit, ranking seventh overall in the NFC and moving up, and is second by only three yards to the Eagles in the run. But on defense, the 'Skins rank next to last in the conference in yards allowed. Defense wins championships and playoff spots. Unless the 'Skins get a lot better in this category, any post-season appearance will be short-lived. In that category at least the sky really is falling, and Joe Gibbs would be right about that.

(Rick Gunter is executive editor of The Daily News Leader.) yard plunge from fullback Brian Edmonds. The PAT failed, but Virginia Tech still led, 13-10, at the intermission. The Panthers came out and scored first in the second half on a 2-yard run from quarterback Matt Lyle, but that would be all Pitt would get as the Hokies hit paydirt three times in the second half to make the final score 34-17. Two of the final touchdowns were scored by flanker Shawn Scales. Scales' first score came with 2:14 remaining in the third quarter.

On sec-ond-and-goal from the Pitt 7, quarterback Jim Druckenmiller found Scales on the left side of the end zone for the score. Graham's PAT put the Hokies up for good, 20-17. On the next offensive series, Druckenmiller hooked up with Scales on a 71-yard pass play. On the play, Druckenmiller heaved the ball over 65 yards in the air to hit Scales at the Pitt 10. Graham's PAT made the score 27-17 with 14:51 remaining in the game.

Tech's final score came with 6:49 left. Oxendine finished off what would be a stellar rushing day with a 1-yard plunge to make the final 34-17. Oxendine finished the day with 111 yards rushing on 19 carries. HOKIES NOTES: Former Fort Defiance standout Brad Baylor played in his sixth game of the season. Baylor saw extensive action and netted one unassisted tackle.

be ready season of going to the Super Bowl. One play. This game will test everything we've got. We have to scratch and claw for everything we get. We have got to earn it.

We have to stay focused and together if we are to have any chance of winning. "Indianapolis has only lost two games, to Buffalo at Buffalo, and you know how hard it is to win up there, and last week to New England. Forget the fact that we beat New England the other day. The Colts will come in here rarin' to go and with something to prove, and it will be our hardest game of the year. Forget this stuff in the press about the Colts' being banged up.

They'll be ready for us. "Forget too this business about us being 6-1 and our winning six straight. You all know how as a team we fell apart against the Giants Sunday. They killed us in the second half. Killed us.

We are lucky to have gotten out of here with a win. We can't count on luck this Sunday. We have to work and work to have any chance of defeating this bunch. Let's get to it." 1 V. a 4 I Li MM' 1 'w Hokies have little trouble with lowly Panthers UP FOR GRABS Bridgewater defensive back Richard Glovier battles Johns Hopkins wide receiver Justin Bellochio for the football during first-half action Saturday afternoon at Jopson Field.

Glovier knocked away the pass. Also defending on the play is Eagles defensive back Oveston Cox. (Photo by Ken Bosserman) Blue Jays blank Eagles I can imagine him saying all of that with his Carolina mountain twang still intact. The sad thing is, Joe would be right about all of that. And doomsday or whatever, this game will be the hardest one the Redskins have faced since the season opener against Philadelphia.

This will be a good test to see just how strong Washington is and whether it, on the eve of the season's second half, is a pretender or contender for post-season honors. The Colts are led by quarterback Jim Harbaugh, Captain Comeback, who will not be confused with Denver's John Elway, but he knows how to win. He is ranked second in the AFC in passing with seven touchdown passes. And yes, the Colts' offensive line is battered, which has led Harbaugh to being sacked more than a dozen times this season. Washington should put the heat on early and often.

On defense the Colts are ranked sixth overall in the AFC. They are more vulnerable against the pass than the run, giving up only 597 yards on the ground but 1,516 yards through the air. If they manage to By JONATHAN D. DUTY Sports Writer BLACKSBURG The Virginia Tech Hokies remained unbeaten at home as they ran past the Pittsburgh Panthers, 34-17, Saturday under a steady rainfall at Lane Stadium in front of a crowd of 43,625. It was Hall of Fame Day for Virginia Tech which saw local standout Dell Curry inducted into the Hall.

Curry graduated from Fort Defiance High School in 1984 and then went on to complete an All-American basketball career at Virginia Tech before moving on to the NBA. Curry presently plays with the Charlotte Hornets. Virginia Tech (5-1 overall, 4-1 Big East Conference) fell behind early as Pitt's Chris Ferencik connected on a 49-yard field goal with 11:29 remaining in the first quarter to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead. The Hokies would answer right back as they marched down the field on a 7-play, 68-yard drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown scamper by tailback Ken Oxendine. Freshman kicker Shayne Graham added the PAT to give Virginia Tech the lead, 7-3, with 9:08 left in the first quarter.

Pitt (2-5, 1-4) would come back to take a short-lived lead in the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run from Dwayne Schulters. Trailing 10-7, the Hokies quickly responded and scored with 37 seconds remaining in the half on a 1- I BC started at its 34 and methodically moved downfield with its short passing game, A 17-yard strike from Chad Rowland to Von Lewis gave the Eagles a first down at the Blue Jays' 12, but the drive stalled and Michael Padgett's 29-yard field goal was just wide to the right. The Blue Jays threatend to pad the lead late in the half, but the Eagles' defense came up with a huge play to keep the deficit at seven points. Johns Hopkins churned downfield behind its powerful running attack, using 16 plays and over six minutes of the clock as it closed in on the BC goal line. The Blue Jays had a first-and-goal inside the 1, but Zajick was stacked up by the interior line and linebacker Jeremy Guinn stripped the ball away to turn away the Johns Hopkins threat.

The Eagles threatened twice in the second half, but each time the drive was thwarted by a pass interception. The Blue Jays stretched their lead when Zajick scored from 13 yards out with 2:43 left in the third quarter. Bencivenni added a 33-yard field goal with 3:47 left in the game for the points. Saturday, the Eagles, now 4-3 overall, will host ODAC rival Washington Lee. By STEVE COX Sports Editor BRIDGEWATER The Bridgewater College offense was grounded Saturday afternoon by a rugged Johns Hopkins defense as the Eagles fell 17-0 in Division III action at Jopson Field on the Bridgewater campus.

The first half was a defensive struggle as the first four offensive series were three plays and punt. The visiting Blue Jays were the first to get their offense untracked as they put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive on its third possession of the game to take the lead. Running backs Don Zajick and Adam Gentile shared the load early in the drive, splitting four carries for 20 yards. Quarterback Wayne Roccia connected with Justin Bellochio for a 31-yard gain to BC 23 and two plays later Roccia found Mark Guzzo wide open in the end zone for the touchdown. Todd Bencivenni added the PAT, making the score 7-0 with 3:19 left in the opening quarter.

The Eagles put together an impressive drive midway through the second quarter, but came away empty-handed. IN THE CLEAR Virginia Tech wide receiver Cornelius White hauls In a 67-yard scoring pass from Jim Druckenmiller during Saturday's Big East game in Blacksburg. (AP Photo).