ONE MORE FOR THE BOOKS,
Publication: THE
Published: 10/22/2005
Page: 1C
Headline: ONE MORE FOR THE BOOKS,
Byline: BY LEE FRANCE FOR THE SATURDAY GAZETTE-MAIL
Two weeks after Nitro's Josh Culbertson broke the state record for career
rushing yards, teammate Chris Fulmer also finds his name etched in the books.
Fulmer, the Wildcats' senior wide receiver, broke former Nitro wideout Chris Martin's state record for career receptions
as Nitro drubbed Ripley 47-7 at Underwood Field Friday night.
On Nitro's homecoming night, Fulmer caught 10 passes for 226 yards and two
touchdowns. He now has 300 career catches, surpassing the 299 Martin
accumulated from 1995-98 while teaming up with J.R. House.
The record-breaking catch wasn't the typical 40- to 60-yard pass from
quarterback Michael Scott that Wildcat fans have grown accustomed to seeing
from Fulmer. Instead, it was a shovel pass behind the line of scrimmage that
Fulmer caught - and then fumbled.
"When I caught the ball I think one of the linemen broke through,"
Fulmer said. "I tried to spin and the ball popped out. That is definitely
one I'll remember."
In his four-year career, Fulmer has racked up 4,485 yards, nearly 15 yards per
catch.
"It has been a good run," Fulmer said. "I will always remember
playing here at Nitro."
The opening kickoff was delayed due to an electrical problem, but that - along
with the muddy field conditions - did not slow down the Wildcats (7-1).
Culbertson scored first on a 10-yard scamper that saw him start out off tackle
and bounce it outside.
Nitro then fumbled the ball away on three consecutive possessions and escaped
the first quarter with a 6-0 lead.
"It's a little harder to get the handoffs when the conditions are like
this," Culbertson said.
The Wildcats corrected their fumble problem in the second quarter and
Culbertson scored twice more - one from 29 yards out and one from 27 - to give
Nitro a commanding 26-0 lead at the half.
"As coaches, we were worried about getting the edge back," Nitro
coach Scott Tinsley said, referring to the team's loss to Hurricane two
weeks ago. "We had to come out in this one and show that we were still
going to get after it. I was a little nervous there for a while, but once we
got the handle on the football, I thought we played a real nice game."
It was more of the same for the Wildcats in the second half as Culbertson
tacked on two more touchdowns and finished with 249 yards on 21 carries.
Scott threw for two touchdowns, both to Fulmer. The first was the
second-longest touchdown reception in Fulmer's career at 83 yards. The second
was a 20-yard pass with 7:18 remaining in the third quarter.
Vikings coach Jimmy Frashier thought the field
conditions would neutralize Nitro's rushing attack, but admitted he was wrong.
"As bad as we played, and what they made us look like, I would have hated
to see this one on a dry field," Frashier said.
"It might have been 80 to 40."
Ripley (4-5) was ineffective in the mud. The Vikings were only able to muster
158 yards of total offense compared to the Wildcats' 519.
"We are known for running the football," Frashier
said. "But we have got to be able to do things within our offense to
enable us to run the football."
The Wildcats play Woodrow Wilson next week at Underwood Field, and Fulmer sits
just three receptions away from breaking the national record.
After chasing down and breaking a record of his own, Culbertson has some advice
for his friend.
"It is OK to be nervous," Culbertson said. "But he [Fulmer] is
going to get the record, so just focus on playing team football."