Publication:
Published: 10/07/1989
Page: P3B
Headline:
Byline: WILBUR JENKINS
Senior wide receiver and all-state candidate Matt McNeel
watched
helplessly froom the sidelines as his Nitro Wildcats
gave up 219
yards in total offense and the St. Albans Red Dragons celebrated a
27-6 homecoming win at Crawford Field Friday night.
McNeel sustained a knee injury against George
Washington in last
week's 52-22 loss and said he would either be back for the last
football game of the season or be out until basketball season.
But the big cat of the night was Red Dragon tailback Tony
Williams.
Williams rushed for 144 yards on 14 carries and scored two
touchdowns from 67 and 33-yards out while senior quarterback Bobby
Griffith hit senior end Marc Gilbert twice for scores as St. Albans
grabbed the anual "Battle Of The Bridge' trophy.
"He (McNeel) would have made a whole heck of a
lot of
difference tonight,' said Nitro Coach Greg Cyrus, "but you can't
depend on one man to do it all for you.'
Cyrus and his defensive unit got a taste of what Williams can do
without the use of McNeel in the safety spot when the
Red Dragons'
opening series took only three plays to get on the scoreboard. On
third down and two from his own 33, Williams took the outside route,
bounced off two Nitro would-be tacklers and saw nothing but daylight
. It was 7-0 score with just 1:29 gone.
After Nitro tried to move the ball in the rain, mud and cold,.
the Wildcats were forced to punt. But the kick
was blocked by Donnie.
Kyles at the Nitro 22 and the Red Dragons were back
in business again
A couple of first downs later, with the ball resting on the
7-yard line, Griffith faked to Williams going to his left, rolled to
the right and spotted a wide open Gilbert in the corner of the end
zone for a 14-0 lead.
"Our safety wasn't in the right spot on that play and we just.
got burnt,' said Cyrus. "But I tell you one
thing, we are going to
get better as the season ends and we will win some ballgames.'
The third series for St. Albans resulted in another touchdown
when Williams took the pitchout from
right tackle for a 20-0 lead with 18 seconds left in the first
quarter.
"We can play better but anytime you can get a win anywhere, it
all adds up to a win,' said St. Albans Coach Stan Smith.
Nitro got on the scoreboard in the second quarter when Patrick
Coles carried the ball on a wingback reverse for the only touchdown
for the Wildcats. It cut Nitro's deficit to 20-6. The touchdown was
set up by an interception by Coles at the SA 40 and and
a
Steve White-to-Dailey pump-and-go for 37 yards down to the nine.
A two-minute scuffle then broke out midway through the second
quarter but ordered was restored. No players were ejected.
"One of our guys got a good block on one of their guys and
he threw a punch at him and he threw one back,' said Cyrus. "Our
kid got a penalty and they didn't get one. We don't need stuff like
that.' Said Smith: "Everybody just lost their tempers for a little bit.'
Griffith-Gilbert connection hooked up in the third quarter on an
11-yard bootleg pass play. The lead was 27-6 with 4:08 remaining.
"Our kids aren't afraid to hit,' said Cyrus. "I think they
maybe they're trying too hard but they give you 110 percent and
that's all I asked for.'
The Red Dragons, 3-4, face an always-tough East Bank team next
week, while Nitro, 2-5, has an open date