NITRO AGAIN EXCELS ON DEFENSE, 21-3
Publication: THE
Published: 09/05/1992
Page: P 1B
Headline: NITRO AGAIN EXCELS ON DEFENSE, 21-3
Byline: ANTHONY HANSHEW
The Nitro Wildcats are well on their way to losing their
reputation as a team with a soft defense. Friday night at
offense en route to a 21-3 victory.
While the Nitro defense dominated throughout, the offense relied
on the occasional big play to secure its second victory of the season
Quarterback Joey Javins struck first with an 85-yard
scoring run
down the left sideline to give Nitro the lead for good at 7-3.
Javins' sprint typified the game for the tough-luck
Redskins, who
kept the speedy Wildcat runners contained for most of the game.
"We felt we'd be OK if we contained, contained contained,'
Hurricane head coach Gary Eggleton said. "We
knew we couldn't let
them get outside.'
Eggleton's young defense, which includes four
sophomores, held
Nitro's attack in check for most of the first half until Javins'
run
with 2:19 remaining in the second quarter. In the second half,
Nitro's speed combined with a injury to middle linebacker Craig
Mitchell wore the Redskins down.
Nitro widened its lead to 14-3 late in the third quarter when
senior halfback Dwight Patton scored on a 19-yard run. Patton's
touchdown was set up by a fourth-down conversion by Javins
on the
previous play.
Nitro's dominant play on defense put senior Tris Cavender in
position for the game's final score. After stopping
Hurricane on
downs at the 50, Cavender burst through a hole over
the left side and
raced 40 yards to give his team the final margin of victory.
"I felt we got a little tired at the end of the third quarter
and the fourth,' Eggleton said. "I don't know if
the sophomores
are ready to play, but (due to injuries) it's a case that they have
to.'
Wildcats coach Greg Cyrus agrees that his team's ability to wear
down Hurricane with his trio of speedy runners was the difference.
"That (speed) is what we have, and it's what we rely on,'
Cyrus said. "With our speed on offense, if we can keep the other
team off the scoreboard, we'll break one or two.'
Thus far, Cyrus' undersized defensive squad has managed to do
its part. The Wildcats' attacking aggressive style has yet to yield
a touchdown this season.
Coming off a 35-0 win over Winfield a week earlier, Nitro's
offense also appears to be in sync. The Cats totaled 212 yards on
the ground, led by Javins with 105 on 12 carries. Cavender added 66
yards on 10 attempts.
Sophomore Stephen Lucas played well in his first game at
tailback. Lucas who normally plays flanker, replaced starter injured
Jeremy Taylor and led the Wildcats with 56 yards on 13 carries.
Quarterback Shane Atwell had 35 yards rushing on 10 carries, and
threw for 63 more on 4-11 passing.
The Hurricanes' lone score came in the first quarter when
sophomore Billy Malashevich connected on a 25-yard
field goal to cap
a drive that began on the Nitro 29.
Nitro, now 2-0, will have its defense put to a serious test next
Friday at home against Capital. Hurricane (0-2) will travel to
Fairfield Stadium Friday to take on Huntington East.