The Daily News Leader from Staunton, Virginia • 9

Sunday News Leader, November 5, 1995 Sports Appy St. Holms Bag Eas mme to the top Dim survives Tech rips Syracuse, 31-7 Keydets 11 By JONATHAN DUTY Sports Writer r. By BILL KRAMER Sports Writer 1 LEXINGTON Appalachian i State came into Saturday's game at Virginia Military Institute boasting an undefeated record and a No. 2 ranking in Division -J -AA. By the end of the contest, the Mountaineers barely escaped Lexington with both intact as they edged the Keydets Z6-Z4.

The Keydets began the game with a drive that was highlighted by a 32-yard pass from Al Lester to tight end Greg Harris. On sec-ond-and-7 from the ASU 19, running back Thomas Haskins took a pitch and found a seam down the right sideline for the score. ASU got on the scoreboard as a result of a failed pass attempt by Tech would then do its most damage of the game in the last three minutes of the first half. On third-and-7 from Syracuse's 25, Virginia Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller hit fullback Brian Edmonds with a shovel pass and Edmonds found paydirt to give the Hokies the lead for good. Larsen's PAT made the count 10-7 with 3:22 left in the half.

After a stellar defensive series, the Tech offense got the ball back with two minutes remaining. On first-and-10 from the Orangemen 29, Druckenmiller once again took to the air, only this time he found Jer-maine Holmes for the touchdown with only 34 seconds left. Larsen's PAT gave the Hokies a 17-7 lead at the half. Virginia Tech then added two more insurance scores in the second half, one in each quarter of play. With 11:59 left in the third quarter, Druckenmiller threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this one to tailback Dwayne Thomas for 25 yards.

Larsen's PAT increased the Hokies' lead to 24-7. The Hokies got their last score with 9:22 left in the game. Fullback Marcus Parker scored from 1 yard out to give the Hokies their final cushion of 31-7. The Hokies outgained the high-powered Orangemen 448-167. Sophomore tailback Ken Oxendine led the Hokies on the ground with 118 yards on 19 carries.

Druckenmiller finished his stellar game with 224 yards through the air on 16-of-27 attempts with three touchdowns. Holmes led the receiving corps with three catches for 53 yards and one score. Defensive standout Cornell Brown added to his already high sack count with three for a loss of 38 yards. Brown also contributed seven tackles. Senior linebacker George Delricco led the team in tackles with nine.

The Hokies close out their Big East schedule next week against Temple. The game will be played at the Washington Redskins' RFK Stadium at 1 p.m. The Hokies then close out their season at intrastate rival Virginia on Nov. 18. VMI punter Howie Lowden.

Taking over at the VMI 20, the Mountaineers were unable to punch in BLACKSBURG At the beginning of its 1995 football campaign, the Virginia Tech football team pledged to the Hokie fans that it would come away with the Big East Conference championship. The Hokies have sure lived up to their talk as they fought their way into first place in the Big East with an impressive 31-7 victory over the 20th-ranked Syracuse Orangemen Saturday afternoon at Lane StadiumAVorsham Field. Virginia Tech moved its record to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play in front of a sold-out crowd of 51,239 and an ABC television regional audience. All of this came after the Hokies started their season losing to Boston College, 20-14, on ESPN and falling to Cincinnati 16-0 the following week. Since then, Tech has put together a seven-game winning streak that includes wins over Miami (Fla.) and a 27-0 win at West Virginia.

This win also brings Virginia Tech one step closer to a major bowl bid. If the Hokies beat Temple next week, they could find their way into the bowl alliance. If Tech does that, the Hokies may find themselves playing in the Sugar or Orange Bowls. Coming into the game, Syracuse was unbeaten in conference play and Virginia Tech was ranked No. 1 in the nation against the run, providing and exciting matchup.

Things looked a little grim to begin the game for the Hokies after Syracuse's Rob Konard put the Orangemen on the board first with a 19-yard touchdown run. Olindo Mare added the PAT, and with 9:12 left in the first quarter, Syracuse had a quick 7-0 lead. That would be all the scoring that the Orangemen would get as the nationally-ranked Tech defense started to take over the game. Tech answered Syracuse's score as it drove down the field and settled for an Atle Larsen 21-yard field goal to make the score 7-3 with 12:50 to go in the first half. I', if I r-'J tfv the touchdown, but settled for a 32-yard field goal by Jay Sutton ASU scored on its next posses sion as quarterback Scott Satter field engineered a 10-play drive that culminated in a 1-yard plunge by Aldwin Lance, giving the Mountaineers a 10-7 lead.

Another fake punt by VMI 'early in the second quarter again and the Mountaineers took over at the Keydet 39. Keyed by a 15-yard gain by tailback Da mon Scott, ASU drove tor another touchdown as Scott went over from 8 yards out for a 17-7 lead. After a Keydet drive was halted by a fumble, the Mountaineers again went to work, putting together a 12-play drive that ended with a 2-yard plunge by Lance. The PAT failed, but ASU led 23-7 ON THE LOOSE Virginia Tech's Brian Edmunds outruns Syracuse defenders Darrell Parker and Donovin Darius to the end zone on a 25-yard pass play in the second quarter of Saturday's Big East game. (AP Photo) with 4:24 left in the half.

However, the Keydets re sponded behind the running of Randolph-Macon's 4th-quarter rally stuns Bridgewater By STEVE COX Sports Editor Haskins, and with 1:4 len in tne half, Lester connected with split end Marlon Anderson for a 39-yard scoring strike. VMI attempted the two-point conversion and Lester made it 23-15 with a quarterback draw. ASU extended its lead in the third quarter on 25-yard field goal by Sutton. The Keydets responded on the ensuing kickoff by driving to the ASU 16. On a third-and-5, a Haskins' option pass was dropped in the end zone, forcing the Keydets to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Mike Harris.

.3 After the VMI defense halted another ASU drive, the Keydets took over on their own 20. Putting The Eagles defense set up another touchdown when linebacker Tony Madison picked off a pass near midfield and returned the interception to the Randolph-Macon 6. Two plays later Chris Bryant bulled over from 3 yards out and Padgett drilled the PAT for a 14-0 lead. Padgett connected on second-half field goals of 32 and 25 yards, giving the Eagles a 20-0 lead with 11:12 left in the game. Then, the Jackets mounted their stunning comeback.

Following Padgett's 25-yard field goal, the Jackets moved 54 yards in five plays behind the passing of George Bland for their first score. Bland hit four straight passes and Michael Hurt capped the drive with a 3-yard run. Tony Labrador added the extra-point, making the score 20-7 with 9:46 left. The BC offense went three plays and out and a punt into a stiff wind rolled dead at the Eagles 44. Two passes by Bland moved the ball to the 1 and Bland scored on a sneak.

Labrador added the extra point to pull with 20-14 with 7:52 left. Bridgewater then committed its only turnover of the game, but it proved to be costly. Dusty Beekman picked off a halfback pass at the 30 and returned it for an apparent touchdown. The score was nullified by a clipping penalty which moved the ball back to the BC 24, but the Jackets offense would not be denied. Drew Scibilia hauled in a tipped pass in the end zone for the score and Labrador barely made the extra point, riving the Jackets the lead.

Randolph-Macon added its final score in the closing seconds to complete its comeback. With the win the Jackets improve to 5-3-1 overall and 3-1 in the ODAC while the Eagles together a drive that appeared to k.ru i onn BRIDGEWATER Bridgewater College entered Saturday's game against Randolph-Macon with 22-game losing streak. None of the 22 losses could have been more disheartening than No. 23. The end of the streak was within reach as Bridgewater entered the fourth quarter with a 20-0 lead, but the Yellow Jackets exploded for' four touchdowns in the final 10 minutes to es-; cape with a stunning 28-20 Old Dominion Ath-: letic Conference win.

The Bridgewater defense responded with one big play after another in the first three quarters as the Eagles built its 20-0 lead. The Eagles defense forced five turnovers by the Yellow Jackets and twice in the first half Bridgewater stuffed the Jackets on fourth-and-1 inside the BC 20-yard line. Randolph-Macon threatened on its first possession of the game as it moved from the BC 47 to the Eagles 7. But on fourth-and-1, Macon fullback Jamison Barnett was stopped at the line of scrimmage by the Eagles defensive front. On fourth-and-1 from the Eagles 17, coach Mike Clark surprised the Jackets with a fake punt and Jeremy Guinn rumbled for 14 yards for a first down at the 31.

The Eagles picked up one first down before being forced to punt and this time Randolph-Macon fumbled the kick and the Eagles recovered at the Jackets 28. The Eagles took advantage of the turnover when freshman quarterback Kevin Newman connected with Von Lewis on a 12-yard TD pass and Michael siau, tiasnuui, wuu ciiucu wiui tw yards on 32 carries, again came up with a big play by taking a third-down handoff and scooting 47 yards down the left sideline to pull VMI within 26-24 with 1:46 left in the game. The two-point conversion failed when Lester was flushed out of the pocket and fell just 1 yard short of the end zone. The Mountaineers recovered the onsides kick and ran out the clock to escape with the victory. VMI coach Bill Stewart said after the game, "we came into the TOUGH YARDAGE Bridgewater College freshman running back Frank Richardson tries to squirt through a small hole at the line of scrimmage during Saturday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference game against Randolph-Macon College at Jopson Field on the Bridgewater College campus.

3 (Photo by Ken Bosserman) game to win, not to get close. But I couldn be any prouder ot this drop to 0-9 overall and U-5 in conterence piay. football team." Padgett added the PA 1 giving tsu a -u leaa. ffensive line the biggest concern for Redskins Whenever I go out on a limb in this column and predict a game, I usually end up with egg all over my face. The Washington Redskins end up making this Doubting Thomas look RICK GUNTER As for the defense, it shut down the New York Giants in the second half last Sunday night, but the damage had already been done, when the 'Skins gave up 24 points in the first half, most of the points coming off of offensive mistakes.

The Giants scored 17 points on Redskin turnovers, a couple of which were of the trick-or-treat variety. And it did not help that Turner elected in the second half to run for a first down on fourth down and pass up a sure field goal. His daring failed, as did his team. For the life of me, I cannot belie ve the Redskin defense will stop Kansas City today. But admittedly, anything is possible in this era of mediocrity and worse in pro football.

When the lowly New Orleans Saints knock off the world-beater San Francisco 49ers and an expansion team (Carolina Panthers) win three games in its inaugural season, anything is possible. But it will take a small miracle for the 'Skins to emerge from Arrowhead Stadium with their scalps in this battle of the Indians. (Gunter is executive editor of The Daily IS'ews Leader.) has thrown against this year, Dale Carter and James Hasty. What is likely to happen today is that, because of a suspect Washington offensive line, Terry Allen will be unable to run the football. This means that the Chiefs can turn up the heat on Frerotte and seek to shut down his passing.

Result: a Kansas City win. But what about Shuler? This season is fast going south and there are those who say Shuler should be playing. The team has $19 million tied up in the guy and has yet to discover if he can play. Pardon my cynicism, but I think Shuler will get his chance, say, in two weeks. (The 'Skins have a bye week next Sunday.) If by some miracle the 'Skins (3-6) defeat the Chiefs (7-1) today, possibly the best team in the American Football League Conference, then Frerotte clearly would save his job.

But if the 'Skins, as I predict, lose and Frerotte does not play particularly well, then look for Shuler's return. A defeat today will give the 'Skins a 3-7 record, with six games left. Such a move by coach Norv Turner will send a signal to the rest of the team and its fans that he has written off the 1995 season and will use the remainder of the campaign as a quarterback clinic for young Mr. Shuler. Such an approach is folly.

Here Washington has Frerotte, a tremendous passer who combines presence in the pocket with leadership and with the numbers to prove it even in a terrible year. But because the team's management bankrolled a rookie who has failed to display these skills, the team will be forced to sacrifice the last six games in an effort to see what he can do. Politics offers good advice for this situation. It is the old line, "You don't trade horses in midstream." In football, you shouldn't trade quarterbacks in mid-season, either. With Frerotte at the helm, and with one or two breaks from the healing process, the Redskins still could finish at, say, 8-8.

After Kansas City, the only really strong opponent they face is the rematch with the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas in early December. i These three have worked hard all their lives for this opportunity. Storybook finishes clearly can result when character, talent and timing mesh. Arguably the most memorable such blending was when an unknown quarterback named Johnny Unitas was sent in to replace an injured George Shaw for the Baltimore Colts in 1957. Shaw never did get his job back and was traded.

Unitas, well, with apologies to Joe Montana and other pretenders, became the best quarterback to play the game. That brings us to the Redskins' quarterback situation. Gus Frerotte may not be another Unitas, but he is very good. In the season's first game, he stepped in for the much more heralded Heath Shuler and Shuler has not been back in a game since. Meanwhile, Frerotte, entering the KC game today, has passed for 2,168 yards, the second most in the entire National Football League this season.

He has done this despite a beat-up offensive line and while occasionally running for his life. Today, Frerotte will face not only linebacker Derrick Thomas, but maybe the two best cornsrbacks he have played with no fewer than five different combinations of offensive linemen. It has reached the point where even the linemen commandeered into service from off the street are wounded and hardly walking. This has been another season when the big winner on this football team has been MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging that long, dark tube through which doctors send patients to check for injury or disease. In fact, some MRI outfit near D.C.

has been a radio sponsor of the team's games! The one bit of good news is that Tre Johnson, the team's best guard, is expected to return after several weeks' absence. He will be tested early and often, for the Chiefs' defense already has 23 quarterback sacks. But the offensive line is not the only problem only the biggest woe. Washington's two main go-to guys in the passing game, wide receivers Michael Westbrook and Henry Ellard, are out. This means that three youngsters have to step up big.

They are Leslie Shepherd, Olanda Truitt and Tydus Winans. Frankly, I am more than willing to the Village Idiot if it somehow serves to make the Redskins pick it up a step and win. They will not win today in Kansas Xity. There it is. I said it.

The Redskins jire Deadskins in KC with a score of omething like 27-13. It does not take a John Madden, 3iot even a Jerry Glanville, to make Such a prognostication. The reasons re everywhere to be seen. They begin on the offensive line. Through eight games, the 'Skins 4.