NITRO TAKES 2-OVERTIME CONTEST
Publication:
Published: 09/06/1986
Page: P2B
Headline: NITRO TAKES 2-OVERTIME CONTEST
Byline: BILL RHEINLANDER
HURRICANE _ The Nitro Wildcats, in never-say-die style, pulled.
out a 28-21 season opening victory over the Hurricane
Redskins in two
overtimes on a muggy Friday night in
The game, which featured a strong running attack from Hurricane,
a timely passing game from Nitro and lots of hard-hitting defense
from both teams, ended in regulation with the two rivals tied at 14
After both teams scored in the first extra session _ Hurricane
on Lewis Henry's one-yard plunge and Nitro on Greg Bibbee's
10-yard
run off right tackle _ Nitro quarterback Jimbo Jordan
hit a favorite
target, tight end Joe Rigney, in the left flat for
the winning score
in the second overtime.
In its four tries from the Nitro 10 in the second overtime, the
Redskins advanced the ball to the two. But on fourth and goal, they
were called for illegal motion. Then from the seven,
quarterback.
Robbie McCune, under pressure from the Wildcat rush, missed a closely
guarded receiver at the three to end the game.
The loss eclipsed a solid running performance by shifty halfback
Lewis Henry, who finished the game with 149 yards on 33 carries.
Nitro coach Pat Vance saw the game as a character builder for
his team. "When we first started there, we were having trouble
controlling them,' he said. "They had fifteen
first downs and we
had three in the first half.
"And our kids kind of got pumped up a bit and it seemed like
right there after we tied it up, we kind of got down a little
again.
"But I was really pleased with the way our kids hung in there
.'
Statistically, the first half belonged to the home team, though
the halftime score, 14-6, indicated a closer contest. Hurricane
piled up 134 yards of offense while Nitro netted just 66.
Early on, after Nitro failed to make a first down in its first
possession, Hurricane used the running of fullback Tommy Turner and
tailback Lewis Henry to march 68 yards for a score, with the shifty
Henry finishing the drive on a three-yard run.
Following that score, however, Nitro grabbed a some of
the
momentum back with a nifty 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by
Greg Bibbee. With the Hurricane kickoff team
concentrated in the.
middle of the field, Bibbee
ran left, picked up a block at the thirty
and outraced several Redskins down the sideline for the score.
On the next series, Hurricane closed out the first-half scoring
with a nine-play drive, capped by a Tommy Turner one-yard dive.
Throughout the game, Vance alternated his two quaterbacks,
Jordan and Scott Dixon. Vance explained his thinking. "They've
both been playing real well. Jordon started the last two years and
we started playing him on defense some. The other kid played well.
enough that I couldn't justify not playing him,' he
said. "Both of
them right now are about equal.
While both teams had opportunities to win the game in
regulation,
tying the game with a 24-yard toss to End Tim Cruse.
while.
"That's the first time I've ever gone both ways since junior
high,' he said. "Splitting time (at quaterback)
with a junior, I
had to prove myself.
"After the first night, it (the win) feels great. I hope it
stays this way. I think it will if we can stay up like
this.'
It won't get easier. Nitro plays
Hurricane goes to Parkersburg South next Friday.
-pu agate--