THIRD-STRINGER SHINES AS S.C. AVOIDS UPSET

Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 09/26/1992
Page: P 1B
Headline: THIRD-STRINGER SHINES AS S.C. AVOIDS UPSET
Byline: WILBUR JENKINS FOR THE DAILY MAIL

He's not Simpson, Harris, Brown or Riggins.
He's more like the Unknown Soldier.
Dave Smith, a sophomore and third-team tailback at South
Charleston High School, got his first start Friday night and rushed
for two touchdowns and 160 yards to lead the Black Eagles to a 26-21
win at Nitro.
Regular Duane Harris was hurt and his backup, Ty Martin, had the
flu. Enter Smith.
"I never dreamed I would be in the backfield tonight,' he said
. "I feel like I just got called up from the Double-A farm club.'
South Charleston coach Bryce Casto was impressed. "Dave is going to
be a good back in the near future,' he said. "He has matured and
is going to be a dandy.'
Another sub-turned-starter got Nitro off to a quick start.
Sophomore quarterback Dan Taylor, replacing the injured Joey Javins,
sprinted 49 yards for the game's first score.
South Charleston came back on its first possession to go 60
yards on six plays. Smith, out of Dunbar Junior High, ran 50 yards
to the Nitro 10. Quarterback Matt McPherson rolled right and found
sophomore tight end Andy Wiseman in the end zone for the score and a
7-7 tie.
Nitro regained the lead when Robbie Withrow picked up a fumbled
punt at the 6 and went in for a 14-7 lead.
"Our defense wasn't up to par and our special teams had a
couple of breakdowns,' said Casto. "We let them hang in there by
our mistakes.' S.C. had four turnovers and three scores called back
because of penalties.
Just before halftime, Smith ran 24 yards to Nitro's 7 and
fullback John Shultz took it over to cut Nitro's lead to 14-13 at
halftime.
In the third quarter, Smith went 14 yards for a 19-14 lead.
McPherson, who ran for 140 yards, had a 20-yard run to the 14 for
SC. Later in the period, Smith went over from the 2 and it was
26-14. McPherson had a 57-yard run in the drive.
Nitro's Chuck Richmond dashed 57 yards for the game's final
score. Jeff Boggs had a key block. Richmond was playing for the
first time in three years. He returned to football this season but
broke his hand in August. He gained 105 yards on 14 carries.
Nitro reached South Charleston's 9 late in the game but came up
a yard short of a first down.
"I can't fault the kids on what we did tonight,' Nitro coach
Greg Cyrus said. "We were looking for an upset and we just came up
a little short.
"We wanted to stop the fullback more than the tailback. We
actually wanted to stop SC altogether.'
Nitro (2-3) goes to Laidley Field next Friday to play George
Washington (1-4). South Charleston will be at East Bank in a battle
of 4-1 teams.