The News and Observer from Raleigh, North Carolina • 63

The News and Observer SPORTS Sunday, October 12, 1980, page 1 Section I1 Raleigh, N.C. Elkins guides Heels past Deacs By JOE TIEDE Sports Editor WINSTON-SALEM That gradual development program for sophomore Rod dEl. kins accelerated noticeably at Groves Stadium Saturday. North Carolina's young quarterback directed four long touchdown marches in leading his unbeaten team to a thorough 27-9 defeat of Wake Forest. The Tar Heels' sturdy defense, as usual, played a strong hand in the outcome, holding the Deacons without a touchdown until the final minute.

But it was Elkins who seemed to come of age in this game, throwing for two touchdowns and contributing big, third down plays throughout the afternoon. Defensive penalties against Wake also aided Carolina's scoring drives, which covered 58, 80, 78, and 94 yards. It was a milestone victory for Carolina in that the Tar Heels now have a 5-0 record for the first time since the 1948 season. Amos Lawrence scored twice, once on a pass from Elkins, and Kelvin Bryant and Delbert Powell added the other UNC touchdowns. A crowd of 37,411 at Groves Stadium, the largest ever to see Wake Forest at home, watched the battle between ACC co-leaders on a sunny, windy day.

Tar Heel coach Dick Crum felt Elkins' passing was a key "because Wake is such a good defensive team. Rod has played bet- NEG AM) 45 United Press International Tug McGraw leaps for joy after Phillies whip Astros 5-3 in NL playoff Phils 'You would believe the team had no character if you turned the TV off Dallas Green even HOUSTON (UPI) The Philadelphia Phil- back. If anybody questioned the lack of charlies, chastised for years as a team without acter, I think the outcome proved differentheart because of its series of failures in post- ly." season competition, battled back from in- The Phillies, seeking their first pennant Houston Astros 5-3 in 10 innings and set up a the mound in the final game of the best-of-five credible adversity Saturday 1 to defeat the since 1950, will send rookie Marty Bystrom to showdown game today for the National series tonight. The Astros, looking for ti their League pennant. first pennant in the 19-year history of the In a game that featured more controversies franchise, will counter with Nolan Ryan.

than a softball game in the park, the Phillies Saturday's game had a bit of everything rallied in the 10th on back-to-back, run-scor- if you like weird happenings. Besides the coning doubles by pinch hitter Greg Luzinski and troversial play in the fourth inning, the Astros Manny Trillo. had a run disallowed because the runner left A controversial double play call went base too early, and the Phillies got one run against the Phillies in the fourth and deprived because the Astros threw home first instead them of a potential big inning. of to first base to complete a double play in "You would believe the team had no char- the eighth. acter if you turned the TV off early," said "My appraisal is that it was indeed a Phillies manager Dallas Green.

"It's one of strange game," said Astros manager Bil Virthose frustrating games when we struggled early and didn't score runs. But we battled See PHILLIES, page 8 ter every week," he added. "Rod made some key plays last week and some key plays today. He surprises our receivers sometimes because he can put the ball on the money with guys hanging on him." Unable to move in the first quarter, Carolina got rolling thereafter by attacking the corners from unbalanced formations. The -out pass plays of Elkins and wide running plays to the strong side provided most of the movement.

Wake was hurt in the first half when it was stopped twice after long drives. A 44- yard field goal by Phil Denfeld was all the Deacons got out of those bids. Carolina controlled the ball most of the second half, running 8:27 off the clock on one drive. Wide plays from their unbalanced set keyed the first touchdown surge by the Tar Heels early in the second quarter. A 15-yard personal foul penalty against Wake, a 16-yard run by Bryant and a 10- yard Elkins to Mike Chatham pass moved the ball to the 18.

Then came a six-yard pickup by fullback Billy Johnson, an eightyard pass to Bryant in the flat, and a fouryard scoring sprint by Bryant, on which he eluded the lone defender in his path with a stiff-arm. The Deacons came back with a pair of passes from quarterback Jay Venuto to Kenny Duckett and Wayne Baumgardner, for 21 and 29 yards, respectively. But, with Venuto in a shotgun on third and 10 at the UNC 20, he was tripped up by Lawrence Taylor for a seven-yard loss. Denfeld came on to boot the field goal with 7:29 left in the half. Carolina, however, promptly marched 80 yards in nine plays, actually scoring twice on the same drive.

A 50-yard strike from Elkins to Chatham deep down the middle was the big play. On fourth and I one at the 21, Jeff Hayes kicked a 37-yard field goal. But Wake was offsides and Carolina accepted the penalty. See ELKINS, page 7 Wolfpack salvages victory over Apps By TOM HARRIS Staff Writer Struggling N.C. State, denied on 15 previous short-yardage situations, scored on a 2-yard pass from Tol Avery to tight end Todd Baker in the fourth quarter, then held off an Appalachian State threat to edge the Mountaineers, 17-14, Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

The Wolfpack, which rolled up 488 yards in total offense but had trouble putting the ball in the end zone, drove 80 yards for the deciding TD. On fourthand-goal at the Appalachian 2, Avery faked the dive and lofted a pass 1 to Baker, who had beaten his man in the right corner of the end zone. The' TD came with 4:12 left in the game and brought a sigh of relief from a heavily-partisan Wolfpack crowd of 41,800. Quarterback Steve Brown, ranked fourth in the nation in total offense, almost brought the Mountaineers back in the final four minutes. Three Brown passes and 7-yard runs by Alvin Parker and 1 Roff Hayes took the Apps to the Wolfpack 25 with 53 seconds left.

On second down at that point, Brown hit ace receiver Rick Beasley in the end zone, but officials ruled that Beasley was juggling the ball as he crossed the end-zone line and the pass was incomplete. Brown threw incomplete on third down, then Mark French was wide left on a potentially tying, 42-yard field goal attempt with 37 seconds to go. State took over and ran out the clock. "We didn't play well," N.C. State coach Monte Kiffin said later, "but this goes on the left-hand (winning) side of the column, and that's what counts.

"Our kids hung together," Kiffin added. "And the way things were going for us, that's a sign of character. We couldn't have done it if they hadn't hung together." The late Wolfpack TD and the Apps' failure on the closing series salvaged what had been a disappointing, and embarrassing night for State. The Wolfpack had seven offensive opportunities The Wolfpack had seven offensive opportunities inside the Appalachian 25 previously and had cashed in just twice. Appalachian had taken a quick 7-0 lead, going 60 yards in two plays a 51- yard, Brown Floyd screenpass and a 9-yard TD toss to Beasley on its first offensive series.

Then, the Wolfpack frittered away two chances, following Daryl Harris' recovery of a fumbled punt at the ASU 25 and Hillary Hunneycut's pass interception at See WOLFPACK, page 6 USC stops By BILL WOODWARD Staff Writer COLUMBIA, S.C. South Carolina's George Rogers proved he was human after all. Well, almost. Rogers and Co. made several uncharacteristic mistakes Saturday night and had to drive the length of the field midway the fourth quarter to finally put away a scrappy Duke team, 20-7.

Rogers, the Gamecocks' Heisman Trophy candidate, had trouble holding the ball in the opening half, fumbling four times and losing two. Rogers had 133 yards at the half, including a 43-yard TD, but the fumbles kept South Carolina out of the end zone and it managed only a 10-7 halftime lead. Rogers' fourth fumble came with three minutes left in the half and the Gamecocks on the Duke 11-yard line. Rogers was hit as he got to the line of scrimmage and the ball rolled into the end zone where it was recovered by Ed Brown, allowing the Blue Devils to stay within three points at halftime. Rogers found the handle in the second half, however, and totaled 224 yards on 37 carries.

But the 17th ranked Gamecocks (5-1) 127. 127. Staff photo by Greg Gibson State's Phelps clings to pass despite shot from ASU's Vincent pesky Duke couldn't shake the Blue Devils (0-5) easi- said he is. He gets my vote for the Heisly. man.

I hope he wins it. "We didn't play very sharp tonight," "I'm really proud of our kids they said South Carolina coach Jim Carlen. never say die, and they're never going to "Everything went wrong, but we won say die. By golly, one of these days, you and that's the sign of a good football (sportswriters) are gonna have someteam. Duke played well and they'll get thing decent to write about (Duke)." better as the season Behind the passing of freshman quarCarlen praised the efforts of Rogers, terback Ben Bennett, who completed 15 who entered the game as the nation's of 25 passes for 112 yards, Duke stayed leading rusher.

close and had a chance to take the lead "George (Rogers) had another fine late in the third quarter. game except for the fumbles," said Car- See USC, 6 page len. "George is really sore and hurt. People don't realize the shots he takes every game. "Johnnie Wright also played well tonight.

He's a good back, but he got 1:00 Football: Cincinnati WITN-Ch. at Pittsburgh WPTFfrom behind a couple of times." Ch. (WECT-Ch. 6, 7, caught 28) Nursing a 13-7 lead with seven minutes 2:00 Football: San Francisco at Dallas remaining, USC went 80 yards in 13 (WNCT-Ch. 9, WTVD-Ch.

11) plays, with quarterback Garry Harper 3:45 Football: Houston at Kansas City going the final yard to end the Blue Dev- (WPTF-680) ils' upset hopes. 4:00 Football: York Jets at Atlanta New (WECT-Ch. 6, WITN-Ch. 7, WPTFFor Duke, which dropped its 11th Ch. 28) straight game, it was another case of a 7:30 Hockey: Pittsburgh at New York good performance in a losing cause.

Rangers (USA) "I feel we fought out hearts out the en- 8:00 Baseball: National League playoff tire game," said Duke coach Red Wil- Philadelphia at Houston son. "We played a great football team. (WWAY-Ch. 3, 5, WGHP-Ch. 8, WCT1-Ch.

12) George Rogers is everything everyone.