Page 10 - 90-94 Meteor

2 THE METEOR
ISSUE 1, FALL 1990
Football _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(Continued from Page 1)
incomplete and V.E.S. was still holding on 7-6. The Dukes got the ball back and drove deep into Bishop territory. The defense would not fold. On 4th down, Cumberland went for the win on a field goal. Ben Simmons, who was still out, could be seen praying from the sidelines. The field goal was wide by just a few feet, thus securing a 7-6 victory. V.E.S. was 3-0. They had won more games so far this season than in the past three years. Coach Moore said after the game, "We played in a very different atmosphere and showed tremendous character against a tough opponent."
During early football, lineman Graham Kirkman drew up a contract with Coach Moore that if V.E.S. won four games, Moore would shave his head. The next opponent was Hargrave Military Academy, a team who beat V.E.S. 19-0 on homecoming last year. The field at Hargrave was poor and it was very hot. This would be the most con- troversial game the Bishops would play all year. Early in the first half, a 77-yard touchdown run in which Ben Simmons broke four tackles, was called back for holding. Later, Simmons would be leveled while looking to catch a pass and no flag was thrown. There was no score until the third quarter. Hargrave struck on a 20-yard touchdown pass, but they missed the extra point. V.E.S drove down the field and Hodges hit Jeff Cook on an 8-yard touchdown strike. Pat Auth hit the extra point. Hargrave scored again in the 4th quarter on a 15-yard pass. This time H.M.A. went for two but the Bishops' defense stopped them. V.E.S. had the ball in its own territory and with 1:32 faced 4th down and five. Scott Gluck, who would have 97 yards on 9 carries, took the ball and ran 38 yards into Hargrave's territory . With 14 seconds left, the Bishops got the ball to the eight yard line and on 4th and goal tried a half-back option, but Ben Simmons could not get the ball off. Hargrave-12, V.E.S.-7.
Afterwards, Coach Moore called the game "very emotional and rough. Both teams played hard and wanted to win, but became frustrated by the penalties and our con- centration was broken."
The Bishops' next game was at home against St. Anne's Bellfield, affectionately known as STAB. In the first three quarters, V.E.S. exploded to a 30-0 lead. Tom Hodges threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to Wytheville native Jeff Cook for 40 and 33 yards. The defense, led by Beale, who had two malicious hits on STAB running backs, and Jon Ylvisaker, shut down their offense. Also contributing were Dehler Hart's two first quarter interceptions, one of which is captured on the front page. Scott Gluck had an 8-yard TD run and tailback Ben Simmons threw a 22-yard TD pass to Adam "Slemp" Thorsen. In the 4th quarter, however, STAB scored two late touchdowns, but the Bishops tightened up and went on to beat by a score of 20-12 a STAB team that was better than V.E.S.anticipated."Itwasagreatcomebackfromthepreviousweek,andweproved to ourselves we could win again" said Coach Moore. The following Sunday night, Coach Moore came into chapel with his hair shorter than it had been, living up to his end of the deal.
All teams at one point or another have a game in which to win they must play to perfection. The game against St. Christopher's was such a game. The Saints, who were eventual Prep League champs, beat V.E.S. 42-Q in 1989. They were the best team the Bishops would play all year. Coach Moore said, "To beat them, we had to play perfectly, meaning no penalties and we had to execute perfectly. St. Chris had to make some mistakes for us to win also. That didn't happen."
St. Chris executed well all day and Jed 28-Qat the end of the 3rd quarter. Tom Hodges teamed up with Jeff Cook on a 42-yard TD pass. Cook had 97 yards on five receptions and a 65-yard kickoff return. Hodges was 11-22 passing for 117 yards. The Bishops, surprisingly, had more first downs than St. Chris.
The Bishops were 4-2, and with one more victory against either Fishburne or Col- legiate, V.E S. would have its first winning season since 1981.
Photo by Bridge Littleton
Fishburne came to V.E.S to get revenge for its 29-6 loss to the Bishops. This game was probably one of the most exciting football contests in V.E.S. history. There was no score until Fishburne got in the end-zone late in the 2nd quarter, but they missed the extra point. Less than a minute remained in the half. The Bishops drove the ball to Fishburne's 21 yard line and called time out with 3 seconds left. Tom Hodges rolled out and stepped up to throw a picture perfect pass to a diving Ben Simmons in the end zone. Pat Auth booted the extra point and V.E.S. Jed at halftime, 7-6. In the 3rd quarter, Fishburne drove and scored on a one-yard run. They would also score on a freak fumble in which V.E.S. lost the ball and FMA picked it up and ran 30 yards for the score. At the end of the 3rd quarter, Fishburne led 21-7.
V.E.S. would not roll over and die. Scott Gluck scored on a five-yard run, and on FMA's next possession, linebacker Jon Ylvisaker would make a TD saving tackle. Trip Train intercepted Fishburne giving V.E.S. back the ball. V.E.S. drove to the Fishburne 3 and was stopped short. With just a little over a minute left, Fishburne thought they had the game. But what happened next was unbelievable. Graham Kirkman wrapped up the FMA quarterback by the legs and Ben Beale not only hit the quarterback, but knocked the ball loose and recovered it at the 1. Tom Hodges snuck in up the middle to pull the Bishops to within 1. On a gutsy move. V.E .S. went for it all on a 2 point con- version. Tom Hodges rolled out on an option and at the last possible second before he was hit, Tom flipped the ball to Ben Simmons who ran it in giving V.E.S. a 22-21lead. Fishburne drove the ball and attempted a 40-yard field goal, but the kick was nowhere near being good. V.E.S. wins 22-21. Later, Coach Moore said it was a game that "tested every emotion in everyone on the team." Moore also said that "the thing that every player and coach held was a true belief in the team idea and it (the game) showed positive energy and what it can do. The team also kept the 'never give up' idea."
Although there were weaknesses, Coach Moore says, "We have surpassed where we expected to go from last year, our goals for this year. Through leadership by seniors, the team has come together much more, and there is a belief in the team.' ' Moore says "our schedule is a definite plus because we are playing schools more like us. The team is more confident and we feel like we can win each week. We also size up better to the schools we are playing now."
Finally, Moore says, "We're a bunch of average players and average coaches try- ing to pull together, to have some fun and to do something special." And that they have.
Vivian Andy Walt Coles Carson Ham David Hooper
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