 |
|
Shreveport: Ardis McCann (55) |
| |
 |
|
Shreveport: Arry Moody (35) |
| |
 |
|
Shreveport: James Mosley (??) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Chargers lose
opener 44-38 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
With just over two minutes left in his first official game
as head coach of the Carolina Chargers, a 44-38 loss to the West
Virginia Rockets at Charleston's Laidley Field, the frustration
became too much for George Sauer Jr.
Rockets' fullback Rich Thomaselli caught a pass for a crucial
first down about midfield as West Virginia successfully ran out
the last 3:47 after a Carolina touchdown. Thomaselli appeared to
be down out of bounds. The clock kept running. A few play
earlier Sauer had screamed to an official that the clock was
running while a penalty was being marked off. Now, with
Thomaselli apparently out of bounds and the Chargers' chances
ticking away, Sauer charged onto the field.
"Why is the clock running?" he yelled. Yellow flags fluttered to
the astroturf.
Sauer was charged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. West
Virginia had a first down on the Chargers' 36 with 2:25 left.
And a game that the Chargers earlier seemed to have in the bag
was out and gone.
Several Chargers blamed the officials, but even though numerous
close calls went against |
|
Carolina, there were other reasons for the loss.
The Chargers led 24-10 in the second quarter, then gave up
28 points in about 13 minutes, falling behind 38-24. Then their
offense got going again, but the defense couldn't stop West
Virginia long enough for the offense to catch up.
It was the most points scored against the Chargers in their
20-game history, and ex-Carolina coach Perry Moss, now head
coach of the Rockets, engineered it, mostly on the ground. West
Virginia rushed for 179 yards, and got 14 of its 19 first downs
rushing.
The Chargers never established a running game. Their
offense was based on the arm of quarterback Ellsworth Turner,
who completed 22 of 34 passes for 409 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Turner brought the Chargers down the field in a hurry on
their last series, Johnny Walkers' 1- yard run up the middle and
Mike Cox's extra point set the final margin with 3:47 left.
But then even as Turner gathered his offense on the
sidelines and went over the two minute drill, West Virginia's
Mike Horton fumbled and Carolina's Joe Crosby recovered. |
|
Turner and the offense ran on the field cheering as an official
signaled in the Chargers' favor. But another official waved his
arms and shook his head, saying he had blown the ball dead
before Horton fumbled it. A few plays later, Sauer got his
penalty.
After leading 24-17 at halftime, Carolina began the third
quarter with the ball. On the first play from scrimmage, Turner
passed to tight end Carlos Stroman III, who fumbled at the
Rockets' 35. Stroman and the Chargers insisted he was down
before he dropped the ball, but their objections weren't heeded.
Three players later, West Virginia's Larry McGee ran 56 yards
down the left side for a touchdown.
The Chargers then ran three plays before Turner fumbled a
snap and the Rockets got the ball on their 44. Seven plays
later, Mike Horton ran it over from the 5.
Two plays into their next series, Carolina seemed to have
regrouped. Bruce Duke caught a swing pass and ran nearly 50
yards. But Duke was tackled from behind and fumbled. The Rockets
had the ball again on their 23. The Rockets scored on a sneak
eight plays later. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Carolina |
|
7 |
|
17 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
38 |
| West Virginia |
|
7 |
|
10 |
|
24 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
44 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
CA |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
16 |
|
20 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 8 |
|
? - 260 |
| Passing yards |
|
409 |
|
186 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
22 -
37 - 0 |
|
10 -
18 - 1 |
| Punts - avg |
|
2 - 30 |
|
2 - 40 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 3 |
|
1 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
7 - 45 |
|
9 - 73 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Walker 1 run (Cox kick) |
| WV |
|
Mayer 1 run (Snodgrass kick) |
| CA |
|
Walker 3 run (Cox kick) |
| WV |
|
Snodgrass 35 field goal |
| CA |
|
Cox 47 field goal |
| CA |
|
Darden 12 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| WV |
|
White 21pass from Mayor
(Snodgrass kick) |
| WV |
|
McGee 56 run (Snodgrass kick) |
| WV |
|
Horton 5 run (Snodgrass kick) |
| WV |
|
Mayer 1 run (Snodgrass kick) |
| CA |
|
Dardon 16 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| WV |
|
Mayor 1 run (run failed) |
| CA |
|
Walker 1 run (Cox kick) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
West Virginia: Carl Clemens (73), Mike Horton (22),
Larry Mayer (18) |
| |
 |
|
West Virginia:
Buddy White (86) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Charros win, 32-6 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Johnny Campos -
San Antonio Light |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
If the San Antonio Charros were supposed to get the
visiting Fort Worth Wranglers overconfident before rough riding
them out of Harlandale's Memorial Stadium Saturday night, they
did a good job of it.
After spotting the Wranglers a 6-0 lead on the first play of the
game and losing starting quarterback Randy Johnson, the
opportunistic Charros came back to rout Fort Worth, 32-6, in the
American Football Association season opener for both teams
before an estimated 3,500 fans.
Reserve Charro quarterback Bruce Trimmier, a former standout at
Trinity, came in after Johnson suffered a fractured rib and
threw touchdown passes of 19 yards to Robert Valdez and 10 yards
to Walter Darton to pace the Charros' comeback.
San Antonio did the damage to the Wranglers in all phases of the
game, rushing for 129 yards and passing for 126 and allowing a
minus 41 yards rushing and 112 passing - 110 in the first half -
on defense.
The Charro defense also intercepted a pass, blocked a punt
and recovered two fumbles to |
|
thoroughly stifle the Fort Worth attack, which never got inside
the Charros' 35.
The Charros, who had good field position most of the night
because of the defensive effort and Fort Worth mistakes, didn't
really get going until the second half, scoring a pair of
touchdowns in each of the final periods.
And as the statistics indicate, it was the defense that got
them started.
With 2:08 left in the third period, linebacker Bubby Byars
blocked a Fort Worth punt, and teammate Pat Walker recovered in
the end zone for a 13-6 lead.
Kicker Dave Mellot, who had trouble with bad snaps all
night on extra point attempts, showed just how high the Charros
were after the score by kicking the ball out of the end zone on
the ensuing kickoff.
It took only two plays for the defense to get the ball back
for San Antonio, this time on an interception by linebacker
Tally Neal, who returned the ball to the Fort Worth 10. From
there Trimmier hit Darton in the end zone to up the count to
20-6 with 53 seconds left in the third quarter. |
|
In the final period, the Charros added scoring runs of four
yards by Anton Niles and eight yards by Brown to complete the
rout.
The season didn't exactly start out on a pleasant note for
San Antonio, however.
The Charros fumbled the opening kickoff and recovered at
their 7. On the first play of the game, Niles fumbled the
handoff from Johnson, and Steve Beck recovered the ball in the
end zone for the only Wrangler score of the game with just 18
seconds gone.
Beck also picked off two Trimmier passes later in the game
to give Fort Worth fans something to cheer about.
But Trimmier, who completed eight of 16 passes for 98 yards
and had three intercepted, entered the game early in the second
quarter and hit Valdez with the 19-yard scoring pass with just
1:53 left in the half to put the Charros ahead to stay.
Johnson completed three of seven passes for 28 yards before
getting hurt.
Next action for San Antonio will be Saturday when they
visit Shreveport, a 33-18 winner over Austin in another season
opener. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Fort Worth |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
6 |
| San Antonio |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
13 |
|
12 |
|
- |
|
32 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
FW |
|
SA |
| First downs |
|
5 |
|
18 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 41 |
|
? - 129 |
| Passing yards |
|
112 |
|
126 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
7 -
18 - 1 |
|
11 -
24 - 3 |
| Punts - avg |
|
8 - 28.0 |
|
2 - 37.5 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 2 |
|
3 - 3 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 68 |
|
6 - 59 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| FW |
|
Peck recovered fumble in end
zone (???) |
| SA |
|
Valdez 19 pass from Trimmier
(Mellot kick) |
| SA |
|
Walker recovered blocked punt
in end zone (???) |
| SA |
|
Darton 10 pass from Trimmier
(???) |
| SA |
|
Niles 4 run (???) |
| SA |
|
Roberts 8 run (???) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
San Antonio: Mike Wallace (80)
Fort Worth: Willie Hall |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| 'Lucky' Firebirds
win opener 20-19 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Earl Fannin -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
"Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good," Coach Bob
Williams grinned. "They outplayed us all the way through. We
were very fortunate to win."
It's an old sports cliche, but never has it been more apt than
it was in the Jacksonville Firebirds' 20-19 season-opening
victory over Kentucky last night at the Gator Bowl.
Indeed, the defending American Football Association champions
were lucky. On this muggy night before an estimated 8,100 fans,
the Firebirds fumbled twice inside the Kentucky 10-yard line and
had a pair of passes intercepted in the end zone, but managed to
win. That's luck, pure and simple. Ain't no other way to
describe it. Just good ole fashion luck.
Fittingly, the last play was the Firebirds' luckiest.
Jacksonville had taken a 20-19 lead with just 3:01 left to play
on a 7-yard pass from Don Gaffney to Leon McQuay, but Kentucky
drove 63 yards to the Firebirds' 15 with a mere three ticks of
the clock remaining.
Kentucky's Ron Slovinski set up to try a game-winning 32-yard
field goal, but never got a chance to kick because of a bad
snap. Quarterback Mike Weaver, a third-stringer who threw for
274 yards and three touchdowns, scooped up the ball and lofted a
pass downfield, but it fell harmlessly to the ground. The
Firebirds had lucked out.
"We didn't plan it this way," Williams laughed, "but I sure am
glad it worked like it did. They came down here very prepared,
and
they dominated us statistically."
The Firebirds got off to an incredibly poor |
|
start. Their first quarter offense
consisted of a 46-yard kickoff return by Manzy King, a 21-yard
pass interference play that gave them their only first down and
a missed 35-yard field goal attempt by newcomer Alan Leavitt.
Meanwhile, the Trackers were trucking up and down the
field, scoring on their opening possession (75 yards in 15
plays) on a 6-yard run by Walter Hines. Slovinski's kick made it
7-0 with 5:55 left.
Kentucky made it 13-0 on the third play of the second
quarter, a 4-yard pass from Weaver to Dave Trospen. At that
point, the Trackers had 148 yards in total offense to
Jacksonville's measly 7. And it looked pretty bad for the home
folks.
"We started very slow because we weren't playing with any
emotion," Williams said. "We were in trouble. We weren't moving
the ball at all and they had already scored twice. I was
beginning to get worried."
Then it was Sean McCann to the rescue.
The 6-foot cornerback from Memphis State turned a fumble
recovery into a touchdown, scurrying 15 yards with Hines' bobble
with 10:32 left in the first half. Leavitt's kick pulled the
Firebirds within 13-7.
"That was an awfully big play." Williams understated "It
got us rolling."
Jacksonville got the ball back three plays later on an
interception - and 15-yard return - by Marty Hammock that set
the Firebirds up at the Kentucky 28. Gaffney, the most valuable
player in the league last year, hit a criss-crossing Charlie
Brown with an 18-yard scoring strike |
|
and Leavitt's second PAT put the Firebirds ahead 14-13 with 6:34
left in the half.
Alas, the Firebirds could not hold onto the lead.
On its very next possession, Kentucky scored again, this
time on a 25-yard toss from Walker to Darrell Drake, who had
seven receptions for 140 yards.
Late in the third quarter, the Firebirds' bad luck
continued. Ken Mazek field- ed a punt on his own 2-yard line and
was immediately dropped. Trailing 19-14, things looked bleak.
But Gaffney passed Jacksonville steadily downfield, 31 yards to
McQuay, 13 to Charlie Dorsey, 30 to King. Then the Birds
faltered. Keith Jackson dropped a touchdown pass, McQuay was
stopped for no gain and Gaffney fumbled a bootleg play.
Kentucky took over at its own 1 and marched back the other
way. However, Weaver's 18th pass of the night was intercepted by
Vernon James in the end zone. Jacksonville took it back
downfield, only to see McQuay fumble at the Kentucky 9 following
a first down-gaining 10-yard run.
Jacksonville's winning touchdown was set up in "normal"
fashion - a forced punt following an 18-yard quarterback sack by
Charlie Hunt. It took the Firebirds only three plays to cover
the 40 yards, with Gaffney running for 18 and then throwing the
TD pass to McQuay. A two-point pass attempt failed.
But the Firebirds had the lead, and thanks to an aborted
field goal attempt, their first victory as well. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Kentucky |
|
13 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
19 |
| Jacksonville |
|
14 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
20 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
KY |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
21 |
|
13 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 171 |
|
? - 99 |
| Passing yards |
|
260 |
|
196 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
18 -
23 - 1 |
|
11 -
21 - 2 |
| Punts - avg |
|
3 - 45.6 |
|
2 - 47.5 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
? - 1 |
|
? - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 82 |
|
5 - 43 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| KY |
|
Hines 5 run (Slovinski kick) |
| KY |
|
Trosper 5 yard pass from
Weaver (kick failed) |
| JA |
|
McCann 23 run (Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Brown 18 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| KY |
|
Drake 24 pass from Weaver
(kick failed) |
| JA |
|
McQuay 7 pass from Gaffney
(pass failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
Jacksonville: Greg Johnson
(64), Sean McCann (??)
Kentucky: Ron Slovinski (??) |
| |
 |
Jacksonville: Marty Hammock
(31), Carlton Fault (61), Wilbert Fields (77)
Kentucky: Chris Hill (22) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Texans slip past
Fort Worth in home opener |
|
|
|
|
|
| George
Breaseale - Austin American-Statesman |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Its offense was generous much of the night - losing four
fumbles, one of which led to an easy Fort Worth touchdown - but
Austin's defense was perennially riled up, firing the Texans to
a 10-6 American Football Association win over the Wranglers
before a sparse turnout of 2,000 at Nelson Field.
Austin, lifting its season record to 1-1, moved the football
with fairly good consistency during the first half, cashing in a
43-yard, five-play drive for a first-quarter touchdown, then
moving 58 yards to set up a 25-yard Billy Schott field goal.
Not only did the Texans have a 10-0 lead at that juncture, with
four minutes left in the first half, but Fort Worth didn't
register its Initial first down against the Austin defense until
12 minutes deep in the third quarter.
That first down came on a four-yard touchdown run by
Wrangler quarterback Welby Ina, following a lost Austin fumble
at the |
|
Texan seven.
Once given that new hope, 0-2 Fort Worth was highly
competitive the remainder of the way, but the Texan defense -
keyed by middle guard Elvis Shaw, linebacker Ricky Caldwell, end
Arthur Atwood, tackles Leon Franks and Ray Mack - never let
down. And the offense, guided by quarterback Mike Washington,
controlled the ball for all but the last minute of the final
eight minutes of the fourth quarter.
"Our defense did a tremendous job," said Austin coach Jim
Davis. "We didn't get burned for the long ones as we did last
week against Shreveport and people were in position all night
long."
Running back Dave Smith blasted a yard for the Austin
touchdown with 1012 minutes gone in the game, and Schott closed
the Texan scoring on his three-pointer with 4:05 left in the
second quarter. But the Texans finished with six turnovers,
including three lost fumbles |
|
by Leonard Brantley, the game's leading rusher with 103 yards on
24 carries.
"Leonard was trying so hard for extra yardage that he was
running straight up part of the time," said Davis. "He'll get
there. Washington wasn't quite as quick as he was against
Shreveport, but Fort Worth, huge as its defensive front was,
moved pretty well."
Washington had 46 yards on 13 carries, and backup
quarterback Ben Dial completing two passes for 28 yards,
including a 24-yarder to Larry Carter to set up Schott's field
goal.
Larry Favors, a former Henderson State running back, led
Fort Worth rushers with 35 yards on seven carries. W. D. Lewis,
a 300-pound nose guard, headed the Wrangler defense.
The Texans are now tied with San Antonio, a 31. 20 loser to
Shreveport, for second in the AFA Western Division. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Fort Worth |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
6 |
| Austin |
|
7 |
|
3 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
10 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
FW |
|
AU |
| First downs |
|
4 |
|
16 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
28 - 29 |
|
53 - 214 |
| Passing yards |
|
61 |
|
39 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
5 -
19 - 2 |
|
3 -
11 - 2 |
| Punts - avg |
|
6 - 35.7 |
|
2 - 37.5 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 1 |
|
5 - 4 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
11 - 89 |
|
10 - 84 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| AU |
|
Smith 1 run (Schott kick) |
| AU |
|
Schott 25 field goal |
| FW |
|
Ina 4 run (kick failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Chargers' comeback
wins 34-24 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Tom Knotts was all wrong, but it turned out all right.
Just prior to the Carolina Chargers' 34-24 American Football
Association victory Saturday over the Jacksonville Firebirds at
Memorial Stadium, Carolina safety Knotts paused during his
stretching exercises.
"Two keys to the game tonight," he offered. "Stopping Gaffney
from scrambling, and the score at the end of the first quarter."
In the first half, Jacksonville quarterback Don Gaffney didn't
scramble much - he didn't have to. Gaffney spent enough time in
the pocket to count the attendance (about 6,000) and order a hot
dog, as he waited for his receivers to elude Carolina's
secondary.
And the Firebirds' receivers did a lot of eluding. They caught
12 of Gaffney's 23 first-half passes, for 214 yards and 2
touchdowns as Jacksonville built a 24-7 second quarter lead.
The first clue that things might not be going according to
Knotts's plan came on the game's opening offensive series.
On the 14th play of a 73-yard drive, Gaffney passed to tight end
Charlie Dorsey for an 11-yard touchdown. As Dorsey crossed the
goal line near the right sideline, Knotts leaped at him, missed,
and sprawled in the grass.
Afterward, Knotts said that play was typical of his team's early
problems - problems it solved in the second half, outscoring
Jacksonville 20-0.
"We weren't prepared for their (man in) |
|
motion, and I ran into Tony (Byrum). That was the way it was the
whole first half; people weren't in the right places."
By the time the first quarter ended, Knotts was hoping his
prediction was wrong; the Chargers trailed 14-7.
Later in the first half, Knotts was called for interference
in the end zone, setting up a Firebirds' field goal.
Jacksonville scored on four of five first-half possessions, and
a dropped pass on third down stopped the other drive.
The Chargers started to come back late in the first half,
when quarterback Ellsworth Turner scrambled to his left and
threw a 35-yard touchdown pass, on the run, to halfback Bruce
Duke with five seconds left. Mike Cox's extra point made it
24-14, Jacksonville on top, at halftime.
Carolina's offense took charge immediately after the
second-half kickoff, driving 79 yards in 16 plays before
fullback Mike Morrison scored from the 3. But Carolina's offense
wasn't really the problem. Last week, in a 44-38 season-opening
game at the West Virginia Rockets, Carolina scored almost every
time it had the ball - and so did West Virginia.
After Morrison's touchdown, the Chargers' chances clearly
rested on the shoulder pads of Knotts and the defense.
Here's what happened:
l Third down and 9 from
Jacksonville's 43, Gaffney starts to scramble. Chargers'
defensive end Willie Moore slams him down from |
|
behind, separating Gaffney from the ball, though an official
blows the play dead.
Moore, 6-5, 270, runs off the field, slaps hands with
several teammates, rips off his helmet, and dumps a full water
bottle over his head. He describes a few technical changes in
the Chargers' rush, then mentally replays the sack. "He fumbled
that ball, didn't he?" Moore says.
l Gaffney, under
pressure, throws over the middle. Carolina's Terry Bellamy
intercepts at the Chargers' 30, and explains: "I saw (defensive
lineman Lawrence) Faulkner hit him as he threw, and the ball was
right there." Eight plays after Bellamy's interception, Turner
passes 14 yards to Bo Darden and Carolina has its first lead of
the game, 28-24.
l On Jacksonville's next
offensive series, Gaffney looks for a receiver on fourth and 3.
Chargers' lineman Ed Thomas blasts him just as he throws a
wobbly incomplete pass. Carolina begins its final scoring drive,
which ends on a 4-yard Turner-to-Carlos Stroman touchdown pass.
On the sidelines, Knotts shakes his head and grins: "Maybe I was
wrong."
l Finally, the game out
of reach, Gaffney passes over the middle from his 35. Knotts
intercepts near midfield, with 1:54 left. The Chargers run out
the clock, evening their record at 1-1 and making them 11-0
overall at Memorial Stadium. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Jacksonville |
|
14 |
|
10 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
24 |
| Carolina |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
13 |
|
- |
|
34 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
JA |
|
CA |
| First downs |
|
17 |
|
27 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
21 - 71 |
|
38 - 197 |
| Passing yards |
|
268 |
|
286 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
18 -
36 - 2 |
|
23 -
34 - 1 |
| Punts - avg |
|
3 - 40 |
|
3 - 25 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 0 |
|
1 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
4 - 24 |
|
7 - 54 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| JA |
|
Dorsey 11 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 11 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| JA |
|
Prince 70 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 23 field goal |
| JA |
|
Jackson 2 run (Leavitt kick) |
| CA |
|
Duke 36 pass from Turner (Cox
kick) |
| CA |
|
Morrison 3 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Darden 14 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Stroman 8 pass from Turner
(kick failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Carolina: Terry Bellamy (??), Joe Crosby (52), Tony Byrum (??) |
| |
 |
|
Carolina: Ellsworth Turner (15) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Trackers storm to
no-decision |
|
|
|
|
|
| Richard Sowers
- Louisville Courier-Journal |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Kentucky Trackers' American Football Association home
opener wasn't going very well on the field last night - and it
went far worse off the field.
Minutes after more lightning bolts than the San Diego Chargers
have on their uniforms sent reverberations through the rickety
old press box at Fairgrounds Stadium, its inhabitants were
advised to evacuate.
Moments later, a tornado watch became a tornado warning. The
Trackers and the West Virginia Rockets, who were leading 13-3,
were asked to leave the field for a five-minute delay.
As high winds whipped the rains through the stadium, the sparse
crowd was asked to gather under the stands. It became apparent
that the delay would last longer than five minutes when police
evacuated the stadium, sending players and fans to Freedom Hall,
where the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus was
drawing a crowd of about 7,000.
Shortly thereafter the football fans - who were readily
identifiable because they were soaking wet - were standing in
the hallways of Freedom Hall. Later police moved the circus
crowd from their seats into the hallways.
The game, which was called by Fairgrounds officials with 6:34 to
play in the third quarter, was not resumed.
"No one knows if it's ever happened before," said Trackers owner
John Waits. "I've never heard of anything like this happening.
"We really worked hard to put everything we could into the game
itself. We weren't worried about the crowd. We just wanted to go
out and win the ballgame. It's almost like blowing $10,000 or
even $100,000."
Waits said there is nothing in the league's |
|
constitution to provide for the circumstances of the game.
"We feel like the game should be played or dropped from the
standings. It's an executive-board decision, and I have one of
the four votes on the league's board. I'm sure West Virginia
would like to count it as a win, but we think that would be
unfair."
"I've never had this happen before - not anywhere," said
Trackers cornerback Vincent Ross, an Eastern Kentucky product.
"I've never had a foot- ball game stopped. I just wish it hadn't
have happened, but I feel a lot safer this way."
If nothing else, the tornado boosted concession sales until
the stadium was evacuated. The crowd had to wait under the
stadium grandstands for nearly a half-hour. The field lights had
been turned off, but the beer and concession stands under the
stadium, which still had electricity, were doing a booming
business.
Which was more than you could have said for Kentucky's
offense during the 38-minute, 26-second game.
Although they had gained 176 yards total offense to West
Virginia's 151 in the first half, the Trackers' ability to put
points on the board had been about as effective as a Harold
Stassen campaign speech.
The Trackers took a 3-0 advantage on a 26-yard field goal
by Ron Slovinski with 10:28 to play in the first half.
It took the Rockets, who defeated the Trackers 35-14 in an
exhibition game two weeks ago, exactly 19 seconds to double
Kentucky's score. Mike Horton fielded the ensuing kickoff on his
on six yard line and raced down the left |
|
sideline to six points. Rick Snodgrass' subsequent extra-point
attempt failed, but after a Kentucky punt, the Rockets were back
in business.
West Virginia drove 72 yards in 11 plays for the final
touchdown, with quarterback Larry Mayer hitting split end Barton
Batten for the final 31 yards. Snodgrass' extra point concluded
the scoring in the abbreviated game.
After the touchdown pass to Batten, who caught three passes
for 82 yards, the Trackers seemed to solve the mystery of
Mayer's passing.
The West Virginia quarterback completed five of the first
six passes he threw, but the Trackers intercepted three of the
final four. University of Kentucky product Dallas Owens grabbed
the first two, and Luster Dix Jr., a former University of
Louisville player, picked off the next two.
All three interceptions were inside the Trackers' 35-yard
line, marking four occasions on which the visitors' offense had
stalled in scoring territory. On their first possession, the
Rockets had moved the ball to Kentucky's one-yard line, only to
lose it on T. A. Spalding's fumble recovery.
"We were just getting around to getting wound up," said
Trackers linebacker Larry Fluellen, a U of L product. "It's a
shame this had to happen. We were just starting to get intense."
But the Trackers don't even know if their record fell to
0-2.
"I know I shouldn't be laughing," Waits said as he pondered
the circumstances, "thinking about the money we blew. I guess
God was just frowning on us." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| West Virginia |
|
? |
|
? |
|
? |
|
? |
|
- |
|
13 |
| Kentucky |
|
? |
|
? |
|
? |
|
? |
|
- |
|
3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
WV |
|
KY |
| First downs |
|
? |
|
? |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Passing yards |
|
? |
|
? |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
? - ?
- ? |
|
? - ?
- ? |
| Punts - avg |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Penalties - yards |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| |
|
Not available |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
Kentucky: Walter Hines (??)
West Virginia: Leon Jenkins (??)
Game postponed because of tornado warnings |
| |
 |
Kentucky: Ron Colter (??), Lawrence Ray Carr (??)
West Virginia: Larry McGee (48)
Game postponed because of tornado warnings |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Steamer bulldogs
Charros |
|
|
|
|
|
| Jim McLain -
Shreveport Times |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Substitute quarterback Ken Smith threw three touchdown
passes and a rock-ribbed defense stymied almost all Charro
offensive threats here Saturday night as Shreveport took a 31-20
victory over San Antonio.
Smith fired 14 yards to tight end Greg Lazzaro, 26 yards to
split end Rod Foppe and 43 yards to split end Vernon Wells after
replacing Steamer starter James Mosley in the first half.
Jerry Pope kicked a 50-yard field goal and four extra points as
Shreveport took over as the American Football Association's
Western Division leader with a 2-0 record.
The other Shreveport score came on a two-yard run by Arry Moody.
San Antonio was ahead 8-3 at halftime. Tackle Robert Rickman
picked up a Steamer fumble and ran four yards for, a touchdown
and the previously-unbeaten Charros added a safety on a bad
Steamer center-snap.
Bruce Trimmier, substituting for regular Charro quarterback
Randy Johnson, who is out with bruised ribs, accounted for both
Charro touchdowns, on a four-yard pass in the last quarter to
wide receiver John Tuttle and a two-yarder to Thomas Wittier in
the last minute of the game. |
|
Other standouts for the Charros were running back Anton
Niles and linebacker Willie. Adams, who caused the fumble that
Rickman scored on.
Tops for the Steamer defense were linebackers Don Henry and
Marty Smith with 10 and nine tackles respectively. Larry Hearon
and Derrick Battle were standouts in the secondary. Hearon broke
up four passes and Battle three.
It was 8-3 at halftime in favor of the Charros and led
could have been larger but for the inaccurate kicking of
Mellott.
The Steamer went on top in the first quarter, riding the
passing of Mosley, who completed five in a row to set up Pope's
booming 50 yard field goal. That came with 1:48 left in the
first period.
The Charros had blown an earlier opportunity when a field
goal attempt fizzled and B.J. Habor re- covered a fumble by pass
receiver Melms on the Steamer 17 yard line.
Just a little after the first of Mellott's three field goal
misses, Smith was blindsided by Adams while attempting to pass
and fumbled the football.
Rickman scooped up the ball after regaining his wits and
stumbled into the end zone to put |
|
the Charros ahead. But Mellott missed the extra point to leave
the score 6-3 with 9:42 remaining in the half.
The Charros' safety came with 6:29 left. Only Pope's quick
pursuit of a high snap from center that sailed over his head
saved a touchdown. In a foot race with a Charro defender. Pope
just managed to nudge the ball out off the end zone giving up
only two points instead of six.
A 50-yard Trimmier to Whittler pass got San Antonio in
scoring range just before intermission, but Mellott missed again
on a field goal, this time from 23 yards out.
Shreveport capitalized on San Antonio mistakes to take the
lead- Niles' fumbled after receiving a Trimmier pass that was
recovered by Eddie Bishop and returned to the Charro 2.
Moody's two-yard run on the next play pushed the Steamer
ahead with 10:03 remaining in the third period. Pope's kick made
it 10-8.
The Steamer made it 17-8 with 1:31 left in the third period
on Smith's 14-yard pass to Lazarro that capped a long
penalty-ridden drive of 68 yards. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| San Antonio |
|
0 |
|
8 |
|
0 |
|
12 |
|
- |
|
20 |
| Shreveport |
|
3 |
|
0 |
|
14 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
31 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SA |
|
SH |
| First downs |
|
24 |
|
16 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
28 - 23 |
|
22 - 36 |
| Passing yards |
|
332 |
|
224 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
29 -
58 - 0 |
|
18 -
41 - 1 |
| Punts - avg |
|
6 - 33.7 |
|
5 - 39.8 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 2 |
|
3 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
13 - 151 |
|
15 - 169 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SH |
|
Pope 50 field goal |
| SA |
|
Rickman fumble recovery in end
zone (kick failed) |
| SA |
|
Safety ball snapped out or end
zone |
| SH |
|
Moody 2 run (Pope kick) |
| SH |
|
Lazarro 14 pass from Smith
(Pope kick) |
| SH |
|
Foppe 26 pass from Smith (Pope
kick) |
| SA |
|
Tuttle 4 pass from Trimmier
(pass failed) |
| SH |
|
Wells 43 pass from Smith
(Foppe kick) |
| SA |
|
Whittier 2 pass from Trimmier
(pass failed) |
|
|
 |
|
Shreveport: James Mosley (11), Arry Moody (35) |
| |
 |
Shreveport: Ken Smith (12)
San Antonio: Ron Pierson (74), Willie Jernigan (88) |
| |
 |
|
Shreveport: Arry Moody (35) |
|
|
|
|
 |
Austin Texans
at
Carolina Chargers
June 14, 1980
- Memorial Stadium - |
 |
|
| |
| Chargers' passing
rips Austin 39-14 |
|
|
|
|
|
| David Scott -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Bart Crawford has caught 17 passes in the Carolina
Chargers' first three games this season. But this time round,
he's the man.
When the Chargers beat the Austin Texans 39-14 Saturday night in
Memorial Stadium, Crawford was on the receiving end of 5 passes
for 113 yards. It wasn't quite as good a night as when he caught
6 passes each in Carolina's first two games against Charleston
and Jacksonville.
But he's the receiver quarterback Ellsworth Turner is looking to
this season. Last year, that person was Reggie "Super Gnat"
Smith, who this year is seeking a spot in the NFL.
Not that it makes any difference to Crawford, who just wants to
win football games. "It's not that important to me," Crawford
said. "The passes still come to me the same. And they come from
Ellsworth. And having him at quarterback is a receiver's dream."
Turner turned in a pretty dreamy performance against the
Texans, leading the |
|
Chargers to their second victory of the season. Turner completed
21 of 30 passes, with 1 interception, for 320 yards and 4
touchdowns. He led the Chargers to 525 yards' total offense.
"Ellsworth will throw you a pass that you don't think you
can possibly get," Crawford said. "Then you realize that he's
thrown it so you're the only one that get to it. It's great."
Two Turner touchdown passes went to Bo Darden in the third
quarter, when the Chargers broke the game open. Carolina had
taken a 23-14 halftime lead. But in the third period, Turner
directed Carolina on two long marches, the first ending with a
4-yard scoring pass to Darden, the second from 17 yards.
Austin's offense is more potent than 14 points - it
outrushed Carolina 192-167 - but it was stymied by 6 turnovers.
The first was on the game's opening play, when Kim-Juan Watts
fumbled. Four plays later, Turner hit Carlos Stroman from 16
yards.
|
|
After an interception by Carolina's Tommy Knotts, the
Chargers again scored quickly. Beginning at its 42, Carolina
made it 13-0 when Turner threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Bruce
Duke.
Then, the Texans untracked their offense and took the lead.
Quarterback Mike Washington scored from 4 yards at the end of
the first period, then Leonard Brantley scored on a 9-yard
touchdown run with 9:54 remaining in the first half.
A 9-yard run by Glenn Holland gave Carolina the lead for
good near the end of the half. Mike Cox then kicked a 28-yard
field goal. He later had a kick of 44 yards.
Austin quarterback Washington left the game in the fourth
quarter, suffering from an abdominal injury. He spent Saturday
night under observation in Presbyterian Hospital. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Austin |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
14 |
| Carolina |
|
13 |
|
10 |
|
13 |
|
3 |
|
- |
|
39 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
AU |
|
CA |
| First downs |
|
13 |
|
25 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 192 |
|
? - 167 |
| Passing yards |
|
115 |
|
358 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
8 -
20 - 3 |
|
25 -
38 - 2 |
| Punts - avg |
|
4 - 32.3 |
|
1 - 29.0 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
? - 3 |
|
? - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
? - 50 |
|
? - 50 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Stroman 16 pass from Turner
(kick failed) |
| CA |
|
Duke 10 pass from Turner (Cox
kick) |
| AU |
|
Washington 4 run (Schott kick) |
| AU |
|
Brantley 9 run (Schott kick) |
| CA |
|
Holland 9 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Cox 28 field goal |
| CA |
|
Darden 4 pass from Turner (Cox
kick) |
| CA |
|
Darden 17 pass from Turner
(kick failed) |
| CA |
|
Cox 44 field goal |
|
|
 |
|
Carolina: Ellsworth Turner (15) |
| |
 |
|
Austin: Ben Dial (??) |
| |
 |
|
Carolina: Bo Darden (??) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Firebirds enjoy
'confidence-booster' with easy 56-6 romp |
|
|
|
|
|
| Earl Fannin -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Jacksonville Firebirds' boringly easy 56-6 romp past
Fort Worth last night in the Gator Bowl was a morale booster of
incredible magnitude.
But no one got a bigger dose of confidence-builder than reserve
quarterback Pat Padgett.
Padgett scored on a bootleg 1-yard run on the final play of the
game - a mismatch that was decided late in the first quarter -
and that prompted Fort Worth coach Donnie Walsh to claim
vociferously that the Firebirds deliberately ran up the score.
They did.
But for a reason.
"Pat was calling his own game," Firebirds coach Bob Williams
explained, "and you can't tell a reserve player not to try to
score. Pat doesn't get to play much and it was important to his
confidence for him to try to score. Once you get them pumped up,
it's hard to bring them down." |
|
Jacksonville marched 58 yards in just five plays for that
final touchdown, with Padgett hitting Alex Prince for 26 yards
and a first-and-goal at the one with just three seconds
remaining. He then scored easily around right end.
In fact, every Firebird touchdown came easily.
The Firebirds were unbeatable last night. Fort Worth's
ineptness contributed to the rout, but on this night, they could
have beaten anybody... in the AFA, that is.
Jacksonville, now 2-1 with a visit to West Virginia on tap
next week, finally established a rushing attack last night. Held
to just 72 and 90 total rushing yards in the first two games,
the Firebirds gained 222 yards on 45 rushes.
And that was the most pleasing aspect of the victory.
"We ran the ball with authority," Williams said. "That adds
a new aspect to our offense." |
|
Leon McQuay, who sat out the second half with a bruised
back, scored Jacksonville's first two touchdowns, on runs of 5
and 3 yards, and totaled 50 yards on seven carries for a 7.1
average.
Newcomer Cleo House contributed 48 yards on 12 carries,
plus a pathway-clearing block on McQuay's second touchdown.
Curtis Williams had 33 yards on five carries, while Keith
Jackson led all rushers with 71 yards on 13 carries.
Fort Worth had its woes. The Wranglers never mounted much
of an offense, gaining just 128 yards rushing and 41 passing.
Wrangler quarterbacks were 3 of 23 with 3 interceptions and Fort
Worth lost two of four fumbles. It was a night that they'd like
to quickly forget, but will probably duplicate many times this
season. Fort Worth is new to the league and currently stands
0-3, having been outscored 98-18. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Fort Worth |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
6 |
| Jacksonville |
|
14 |
|
14 |
|
14 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
56 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
FW |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
12 |
|
21 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
41 - 128 |
|
45 -222 |
| Passing yards |
|
41 |
|
289 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
4 -
23 - 3 |
|
12 -
16 - 2 |
| Punts - avg |
|
5 - 34 |
|
2 - 40 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 2 |
|
2 - 1 |
|
Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 80 |
|
6 - 40 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| JA |
|
McQuay 5 run (Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
McQuay 5 run (Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Dorsey 13 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
King 88 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Dorsey 24 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
House 1 run (Leavitt kick) |
| FW |
|
Beck 84 fumble recovery (pass
failed) |
| JA |
|
Bogin 46 pass from Padgett
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Padgett 1 run (Leavitt kick) |
|
|
 |
Jacksonville: Marcus Young (71), Arlie Jarrell (72)
Fort Worth: Rick Caraway (??), Pat Noonan (39) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Trackers remain
hopeful, but winless, after falling just short |
|
|
|
|
|
| Richard Sowers
- Louisville Courier Journal |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Kentucky Trackers quarterback Mike Solomon paused in front
of his locker. He searched for. the right words.
"We're just..." he began. "We're just, I guess, missing some
little ingredient. When we find it, we'll be winning."
Solomon had been all but bent, folded and mutilated by the
Shreveport Steamers' defensive line last night at Fairgrounds
Stadium. After Shreveport's Don Henry sacked Solomon with 20
seconds to go in the first half, injuring the signal-caller's
ankle, the Trackers weren't the same. But Solomon brought them
back in the game's final minute - back to coming so close to a
tying touchdown.
It wasn't enough, however, as the Steamers ran their American
Football Association record to 3-0 with a 14-7 victory.
Solomon completed passes of 20 yards to Clarence Jackson and 32
yards to Darryl Drake after the Trackers had taken over at their
20 with 1:51 to play. Kentucky moved the ball to the Shreveport
25, but the Trackers' offense ran into a steamed up Steamers'
defense that batted down the next three passes, including one to
University of Kentucky product Dave Trosper that appeared to be
a certain six points.
"I thought Dave was going to come up with that one," said
Solomon, who will have his ankle X-rayed. "I was blindsided on
that play. It was hurt before, but I think it had something to
do with our game after that. We still should have been able to
win, though."
But for the second time in as many finishes, the Trackers
weren't. The Steamers overcame a |
|
7-0 halftime deficit behind the passing of former Boston College
star Ken Smith, who completed half of his 28 passes for 186
yards and two touchdowns.
The Steamers got on the scoreboard after the Trackers'
Walter Hines fumbled at his own 11 and Rich Bosiacki recovered
for the visitors. Smith found tight end Greg Lazzaro in the end
zone on the next play, and Jerry Pope's PAT tied the score with
10:12 left in the third period.
Smith then found Rod Foppe for the last 40 yards of a
five-play, 66-yard drive early in the final period, and that
proved to be the difference.
"His first pass in the end zone was there," Steamers coach
Jim Williams said of Smith. "He came up with that second call
himself and did a beautiful job. When you get the ball to Foppe,
it's hard for anybody in this league to handle him one-on-one.
"We played well after their first drive. We settled down in
the second half. The defense came out smoking and really did the
job. They're a freewheeling group."
Smith's effort, however, was far from flawless. The
Trackers intercepted five of his passes, with Terry Williams,
Luster Dix Jr., Mike Gray, Mo Bell and Reggie Barnes each
getting one.
Williams' interception set up Kentucky's lone touchdown, on
its first series. The Trackers went 51 yards in eight plays,
with Hines, the game's leading rusher with 85 of Kentucky's 114
yards, scoring from the one.
"Physically, I feel like we're a better football |
|
team," said Trackers coach Harry Lander. "But experience-wise,
they were. Mike got hurt twice, and (running back) Chris Hill
got hurt early. That took a lot of our flexibility away.
"Defensively, I thought we played a hell of a football
game," said Lander, noting his team's five interceptions and the
Steamers' 38 yards on the ground. "When we got behind, we were
in an altogether different ballgame. For us to play our game,
we've got to control the ball from the beginning. At times, we
beat ourselves. We didn't do the things we could have done."
The Trackers gained 255 total yards to Shreveport's 224,
with Solomon throwing for 141, although he completed just nine
of 26 passes and had two picked off and returned for a total of
40 yards by Derrick Battle.
"We're darned respectable, but we're not there yet," Lander
said, and then surveyed the empty stands. where a crowd of
perhaps 300 had been sitting. "We needed to win in the worst way
to convince the people of Louisville we've got a good football
team."
Nevertheless, the Trackers convinced Williams.
"I believe that within two weeks, Lander will have the
additional personnel he needs to win this league," said his
former assistant. "You can believe they're going to be very
competitive to win their division."
"We've got good personnel," said Dix. "We're only a short
distance from winning. I'm telling you to look for us to make a
comeback."
A comeback, the Trackers hope. that doesn't end on the
25-yard line. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Shreveport |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
14 |
| Kentucky |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
7 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SH |
|
KY |
| First downs |
|
14 |
|
13 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
28 - 38 |
|
41 - 114 |
| Passing yards |
|
186 |
|
141 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
14 -
28 - 5 |
|
9 -
27 - 2 |
| Punts - avg |
|
7 - 39.0 |
|
7 - 36.6 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 0 |
|
4 - 1 |
|
Penalties - yards |
|
5 - 45 |
|
4 - 34 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| KY |
|
Hines 1 run (Posadas kick) |
| SH |
|
Lazzaro 11 pass from Smith
(Pope kick) |
| SH |
|
Foppe 40 pass from Smith (Pope
kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| West Virginia
bombs Charros |
|
|
|
|
|
| San Antonio
Light |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
West Virginia safety Mike Tyson intercepted a Randy Johnson
pass in the end zone - one of six thefts for the home team
Rockets - and went 103 yards for a touchdown in the second
quarter Saturday night to pace the Rockets' 43-0 rout of the San
Antonio Charros.
Down 21-0, the Charros had driven 75 yards to the West Virginia
3 before Johnson was pressured and forced to throw in the
general vicinity of wide receiver Tank Whittier. Tyson raced in
front, picked off the pass, and utilized a line of blocking to
go the distance to the other end zone at 13:26 before halftime.
After the extra point, it was 28-0. The play was the decisive
one in a game played close in total yardage - 103 for San
Antonio to 171 for West Virginia - making for a possible
14-point swing if Whittier had caught the ball for a San Antonio
touchdown.
Mike Horton went 57 yards for a touchdown in the first
quarter and on the next play, San Antonio's Keith Nelms was hit
on the ensuing |
|
kickoff. Nelms fumbled in the air and Duck Riley swiped it out
of mid-air to go in from 37 yards relatively unmolested. That
made it 14-0 with 9:25 left in the quarter.
The horror wasn't over for San Antonio in the first period
as Charro running back Bon Dunn coughed up the ball, West
Virginia defensive lineman Plummer Bullack grabbed it in mid-air
and went untouched for a touchdown at 3:20.
The Rockets added two touchdowns and a safety in the fourth
quarter to account for the final 15 points.
The Charros, going with third-string quarterback Glen Penna
in the second half after Randy Johnson removed himself from the
game with a cracked rib, were going nowhere. Penna was 3-for-12
for 40 yards and three interceptions, two of those setting up
West Virginia touchdowns.
With 7:44 to play, the futility of the Charros' efforts
were concluded when center Tom Nance snapped the ball over
punter Frank Oakes' head |
|
in the end zone. Oakes had to scoop the ball out of bounds for a
West Virginia safety to prevent another six points.
Previously in the fourth period, interceptions by Vernell
Brown and Curtis Wall set up Butch Monohan touchdown passes of
28 and 10 yards to Horton and Steve Lewis, respectively.
The Rockets raised their record in the AFA to 2-0 while the
Charros fell to 1-2. West Virginia had a win erased from its
ledger when it was decided its 13-3 tornado-shortened game
against Kentucky must be replayed.
Horton led the Rockets' rushing by gaining 92 yards on
seven carries. The home team had only 124 yards on the ground.
Johnson was 6-for-11 with three interceptions and 90 yards.
Charros' second string quarterback Bruce Trimmier, the AFA's
leading passer, stayed behind in San Antonio with a bruised
shoulder suffered in last week's loss to Shreveport. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| San Antonio |
|
? |
|
? |
|
? |
|
? |
|
- |
|
0 |
| West Virginia |
|
? |
|
? |
|
? |
|
? |
|
- |
|
43 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SA |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
? |
|
? |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Passing yards |
|
? |
|
? |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
? - ?
- ? |
|
? - ?
- ? |
| Punts - avg |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Penalties - yards |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| |
|
Not available |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Austin Texans
at
San Antonio Charros
June 21, 1980
- Alamo Stadium - |
 |
|
| |
| Charros nip
Texans, 3-0 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Clifford
Broyles - San Antonio Express-News |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Charros made a second period field goal stand up
Saturday night as they shackled Austin 3-0 at Alamo Stadium.
San Antonio snapped a two-game losing streak in a showdown for
second place in the American Football Association's West
Division. The Charros upped their record to 2-2 while Austin
slipped to 1-3.
San Antonio held gamely to a 3-0 lead throughout the second half
after David Mellott toed the game's only points with a 25-yard
field goal in the second stanza.
The Charro defense completely defused a Texan attack headed by
former Texas Lutheran All-American Mike Washington.
Washington, who did not start the game after being knocked woozy
last week, entered the contest in the second quarter but not
even his presence could put life into the Austin attack.
The Texans had three scoring opportunities in the first
half but could not muster a threat in the second half. |
|
Austin spent most of the second half trying to keep San
Antonio from adding to the lead.
San Antonio had numerous opportunities to add to its
cushion in the second half, but could not do so before a crowd
of 1,500 fans.
Mellott missed on field goals of 32 and 29 yards in the
second half and the Charros had one touchdown pass erased by a
penalty.
The Charros abandoned their running game from the
beginning. Quarterback Bruce Trimmier completed only 16 of 47
passes and had his first throw in each half intercepted.
San Antonio ran the ball only 19 times for 4 yards.
The Texans moved the ball to the San Antonio 46 in the
final seconds but Dudley Keller picked off Ben Dial's
desperation bomb with four seconds left at the San Antonio 20.
Austin, desperate to get its passing game going in the
second half, completed only one of seven passes after
intermission.
San Antonio threatened the last five times it had the ball
in the second half. But the Texans |
|
kept their goal line clean, once stopping San Antonio on a
fourth and a foot from the Austin six. James Roberts was
bulldogged to the turf by Arthur Atwood on that play.
The Texans had three scoring threats in the first half but
the Charros scored the only points on David Mellott's 25-yard
field 19 seconds deep in the second period.
The Charros thwarted Austin scoring bids with an
interception by safety Frank Oakes, a fumble recovery by
linebacker Pat Walker and a blocked field goal by former Trinity
standout Buddy Byars.
Although Trimmier completed only seven of 22 passes in the
first half, he put together his first three completions of the
game to net 40 yards and put San Antonio within range of
Mellott's three-pointer.
The Charros had one other threat in the first half after
Byars knocked down Billy Schott's 40-yard field goal attempt
with 4:11 left in the half. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Austin |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
0 |
| San Antonio |
|
0 |
|
3 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
AU |
|
SA |
| First downs |
|
13 |
|
17 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
43 - 67 |
|
17 - (-17) |
| Passing yards |
|
110 |
|
239 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
6 -
13 - 2 |
|
17 -
48 - 2 |
| Punts - avg |
|
4 - 32.8 |
|
3 - 43.3 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 2 |
|
2 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
7 - 85 |
|
9 - 70 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SA |
|
Mellott 25 field goal |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
San Antonio: James Roberts (34), John Martinez (65) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| About 350 see
Trackers lose to Carolina in 'street fight' |
|
|
|
|
|
| Mike Sullivan -
Louisville Courier-Journal |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Seconds remained in a football game that had been
noteworthy for its extra-curricular violence, gutter language
and general ill humor.
Ellsworth Turner, the gifted quarterback of the Carolina
Chargers, had just flipped a five-yard touchdown pass to Jackie
Reed.
The toss wrapped up a 38-24 victory over the Kentucky Trackers
in an American Football Association game last night at the
Ballard High School field.
But Turner wasn't through. Standing near the Kentucky sideline,
he spread his arms theatrically and gestured to several
Trackers, including Kentucky coach Harry Lander.
"Remember that, boys," Lander said, pointing at Turner as he
jogged toward the opposite sideline. "We'll take care of No. 15
when we go down to Carolina."
That pretty much summed up the tone of the evening.
Both teams were convinced that the officials were permitting
their opponent cheap shots, and players spent a lot of time
hurling multisyllabic names at each other that were occasionally
audible to the crowd of about 350.
"I could not understand it, man," said Turner, who completed 15
of 22 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns. "There were a
bunch of cheap shots. There was all kinds of cussing and
punching after the whistle. The refs kept telling us it was a
cleanly played game, but it wasn't."
There certainly was a background of frustration as far as the
Trackers were concerned. A combination of high rent and tiny
crowds had led to a decision Friday to switch the game from
Fairgrounds Stadium to Ballard.
Kentucky's players won't know until after an AFA meeting today
whether they will remain in Louisville or complete their 1980
schedule entirely on the road.
"All the guys seemed to be hacked off about having to play
on this field," said Trackers Mike Solomon. "I know they were
fired up |
|
about something, and it wasn't football. Let's just say it was a
little more abusive than usual. It was like a street fight out
there."
Between the various bouts of unpleasantness, the Trackers
seized leads of 7-0 and 10-7 and went into the last quarter
trailing just 17-10. Then they sagged under a relentless
Carolina offense that rolled up 377 yards running and passing on
the night.
The Kentucky secondary, which had stung Shreveport for five
interceptions last week, failed to pick off any of Turner's
passes.
"Solomon played the whole second half with a separated
shoulder." Lander said. "A lot of guys played hurt for us, and
they deserve credit. Two of our defensive 'down linemen' were
out with injuries, and that kept us from pressuring Turner on
the rush."
Solomon passed to David Thomas for 28 yards and threw a
12-yard TD strike to Darryl Drake on Kentucky's game-opening
march of 73 yards in seven plays. Carolina roared right back,
tying it up on a 32-yard scoring pass from Turner to Bart
Crawford.
A 41-yard field goal by Pedro Posadas put the Trackers back
in front, but the Chargers took a 14-10 halftime lead after
Geryl Tadd's interception on the Kentucky 38.
In the final period, a 15-yard circus catch in the corner
of the end zone by Crawford and a stunning 37-yard TD dash by
Jeff Holland put the decision out of the Trackers' reach. They
did, however, fight back from a 31-16 deficit to narrow the gap
to 31-24 with 1 1/2 minutes left.
Drake, who led Kentucky's receivers with seven catches for
124 yards, broke loose for a 27-yard TD pass from Solomon, and
Thomas bagged a two-yard scoring pass after a 16-yard reception
by Chris Hill and an interference call in the end zone.
Meanwhile, back in the war zone, some strange things were
happening. The Trackers' Clarence Jackson, claiming that
Carolina |
|
Harold Randolph spit in his face on the sideline, took three
steps onto the field and clobbered Randolph with his helmet,
which he had been holding in his hand.
And the scoring drive that ended with Drake's 27-yard
reception got its impetus from a confrontation between Randolph
and Trackers guard Scott Siefert.
Kentucky faced a third-and-33 situation when Randolph took
a running start and clobbered Siefert as the lineman was getting
into the "set" position. Immediately after the 15-yard personal
foul, David Leet made a great catch of a 37-yard pass from
Solomon.
Siefert admitted provoking Randolph into the attack by
using a racial slur.
"I walked up to the line and called him _____," Siefert
said. "You can tell when guys are borderline, and he'd been
running his mouth all night. I found a way to get under his
skin, and it gave us some yardage. He just has a big mouth and
he freaked out. I knew he couldn't hurt me - I knew what was
coming."
Randolph, who screamed, shouted, complained to the
officials and challenged enemy players much of the night,
claimed that it was all in fun.
"That's just the way we play - that's what we have to do,"
he said.
Lander disagreed.
"This is the only game so far this year that lacked
sportsmanship," Lander said. "...It was just a couple of their
kids instigating trouble."
The Trackers got 260 yards passing from Solomon, who
completed 16 of 29 attempts, and 68 yards rushing from Myron
Smith in 12 carries. Kentucky's 362 yards of total offense was
only 15 shy of the Chargers, who improved to 3-1 while the
Trackers remained winless at 0-3.
"We were just a few mistakes away from dictating the
tempo," Solomon said. "We'll be there after a couple of more
games." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Carolina |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
3 |
|
21 |
|
- |
|
38 |
| Kentucky |
|
10 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
24 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
CA |
|
KY |
| First downs |
|
19 |
|
22 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
17 - 129 |
|
29 - 102 |
| Passing yards |
|
248 |
|
260 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
15 -
27 - 0 |
|
16 -
29 - 1 |
| Punts - avg |
|
1 - 39.0 |
|
2 - 17.5 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
? - 0 |
|
? - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
6 - 64 |
|
6 - 40 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| KY |
|
Drake 12 pass from Solomon
(Posadas kick) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 32 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| KY |
|
Posadas 41 field goal |
| CA |
|
Banks 2 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Cox 35 field goal |
| CA |
|
Crawford 15 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| KY |
|
Drake 27 pass from Solomon
(run failed) |
| CA |
|
Holland 37 run (Cox kick) |
| KY |
|
Thomas 2 pass from Solomon
(Thomas pass from Solomon) |
| CA |
|
Reed 5 pass from Turner (Cox
kick) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Steamer rallies
late to defeat Fort Worth |
|
|
|
|
|
| Rick Thomas -
Shreveport Times |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Shreveport Steamer seems to save the best for last.
For the third week in a row the unbeaten Steamer (4-0) came from
behind in the second half, beating the stubborn Fort Worth
Wranglers, 28-18, at State Fair Stadium Saturday night.
Larry Hearon of Southeast Mis- souri State highlighted the
victory, returning a punt 57 yards to set up the Steamer's final
score of the night to break open a tight battle. He was tackled
at the Fort Worth one and running back Arry Moody punched it
over from two yards out two plays later for an insurance score.
Fort Worth was within three points at 21-18 before Hearon broke
loose. And the Wranglers had enjoyed an 18-14 lead through most
of the second half.
The visitors jumped ahead in the third quarter, going 71 yards
in only two plays. Quarterback Welby Ina scrambled eight yards
with 4:32 to go in the quarter, putting Fort Worth up 18-14. It
was the only score of the night off the Steamer defense.
Shreveport regained the lead with two quick fourth-quarter
scores.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Steamer quarterback Ken
Smith found Greg Lazarro for the touchdown from 21 yards out.
Jerry Pope added the extra point and the hosts went up 21-18 to
stay.
Smith completed 17 of 28 passes for 259 yards and two
touchdowns.
Hearon came through with his heroics, setting up the insurance.
"It was right there and all I had to was run," said Heron. He
said that Keith Alexander's first block on the play opened
things up. "That's the whole key," he said. Asked why he didn't
go the final yard, he laughed, "I just couldn't squeeze it in. I
was caught from behind.
"We simply were on the field too much," Heron said of the battle
which seemed to be a |
|
one-sided match when records of the two teams were compared
coming in. "The offense just made a lot of little mistakes."
Fort Worth, which had lost all three of its starts in
league action, used a Shreveport mistake to get its first
touchdown. Chris Middleton, a defensive back, picked up Steamer
Arry Moody's fumble and ran 40 yards to put the Wranglers on the
scoreboard.
That fumble recovery came with 6:35 remaining in the first
period. A bad center snap foiled the extra point try.
The unbeaten Shreveport, stymied by the Wranglers' defense,
got a score off a botched field goal attempt in the second
period.
With the ball at the Fort Worth nine on fourth down, Pope
was sent in for what a 22-yard field goal try. But holder Bucky
Denton wound up running for his life after a bad center snap and
tossed a soft pass to Moody who raced into the end zone
untouched. Denton did the same thing on the point after
touchdown try, raising up to throw to Greg Lazarro for two
points and a 14-6 lead.
But the resilient Fort Worth bounced back immediately when
an onsides kick backfired on the Steamer. Trying to get a crack
at more points in the final two minutes of the half, Shreveport
tried the onsides kick.
But linebacker David McClendon scooped the ball up, raced
down the sidelines and past the Shreveport specialty team on a
65-yard touchdown return.
This time Fort Worth went for two points but the pass from
Welby Ina was not good and Shreveport nursed the thin 14-12 lead
to the break.
One other scoring opportunity escaped the Steamer. Pope's
35-yard field goal try was wide to the left 62 seconds before
half.
Fort Worth, becoming more dangerous with each Steamer
misplay, almost scored on the play before the kick but
Middleton, with a clear runway to the goal, missed an
interception at |
|
his 10 yard line.
Fort Worth, which had lost all three of its starts in
league action, used a Shreveport mistake to get its first
touchdown. Chris Middleton, a defensive back, picked up Steamer
Arry Moody's fumble and ran 40 yards to put the Wranglers on the
scoreboard.
That fumble recovery came with 6:35 remaining in the first
period. A bad center snap foiled the extra point try.
The unbeaten Shreveport, stymied by the Wranglers' defense,
got a score off a botched field goal attempt in the second
period.
With the ball at the Fort Worth nine on fourth down, Pope
was sent in for what a 22-yard field goal try. But holder Bucky
Denton wound up running for his life after a bad center snap and
tossed a soft pass to Moody who raced into the end zone
untouched. Denton did the same thing on the point after
touchdown try, raising up to throw to Greg Lazarro for two
points and a 14-6 lead.
But the resilient Fort Worth bounced back immediately when
an onsides kick backfired on the Steamer. Trying to get a crack
at more points in the final two minutes of the half, Shreveport
tried the onsides kick.
But linebacker David McClendon scooped the ball up, raced
down the sidelines and past the Shreveport specialty team on a
65-yard touchdown return.
This time Fort Worth went for two points but the pass from
Welby Ina was not good and Shreveport nursed the thin 14-12 lead
to the break.
One other scoring opportunity escaped the Steamer. Pope's
35-yard field goal try was wide to the left 62 seconds before
half.
Fort Worth, becoming more dangerous with each Steamer
misplay, almost scored on the play before the kick but
Middleton, with a clear runway to the goal, missed an
interception at his 10 yard line. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Fort Worth |
|
6 |
|
6 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
18 |
| Shreveport |
|
6 |
|
8 |
|
0 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
28 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
FW |
|
SH |
| First downs |
|
6 |
|
22 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
27 - 72 |
|
42 - 74 |
| Passing yards |
|
106 |
|
268 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
10 -
20 - 0 |
|
18 -
29 - 1 |
| Punts - avg |
|
8 - 30 |
|
2 - 37 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 1 |
|
9 - 5 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
13 - 147 |
|
9 - 100 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SH |
|
Wells 20 pass from Smith (kick
failed) |
| FW |
|
Middleton 40 fumble return
(run failed) |
| SH |
|
Moody 9 pass from Denton
(Lazzaro pass from Denton) |
| FW |
|
McClendon 65 kickoff return
(pass failed) |
| FW |
|
Ina 8run (kick failed) |
| SH |
|
Lazzaro 21 pass from Smith
(Pope kick) |
| SH |
|
Moody 2 run (Pope kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Shreveport: Arry Moody (35) |
| |
 |
|
Players unknown |
| |
 |
|
Players unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Rockets explode in
runaway over mistake-prone Firebirds |
|
|
|
|
|
| Earl Fannin -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Jacksonville Firebirds lost their fire and got their
feathers singed last night amid a flurry of exploding Rockets.
Plagued by a multitude of mistakes and bad luck, the defending
American Football Association champions lost to West Virginia
39-10 before 7,100 delighted fans in Laidley Stadium.
And like the 34-24 loss to Carolina in Charlotte, the Firebirds
played poorly on the road.
"We need to play more like we do at home when we're on the
road," said defensive coordinator Don Jarrett. "These road trips
really take a lot out of us. I don't know why, but we aren't
playing well on the road and that concerns us a great deal."
The Firebirds lost this one early as the Rocket defense created
opportunities and the offense took full advantage of them en
route to a 25-3 half- time lead. Little, if anything, went right
for the Firebirds in the first half.
"We took ourselves out early and then injuries
finished us off," Jarrett said. "It was depressing."
The first Firebird mistake came only four plays into the game.
West Virginia's Mark Brown blocked an Allan Leavitt punt. The |
|
Rockets recovered and scored on the next play on a 52-yard pass
from Larry Mayer to Buddy White.
The rout was on just 2 minutes and 14 seconds into the
game.
West Virginia poured it on, scoring on two safeties and a
55-yard free kick return - all in the first half.
Only a 44-yard field goal by Leavitt prevented the Birds
from being blanked in the first half.
But despite the seemingly overwhelming deficit, the Birds
didn't give up. Malachi Henry recovered the second-half kickoff
and the Firebirds marched 43 yards in eight plays - the final
play a 1-yard run by Cleo House - to score their only touchdown
of the night.
Leavitt's 13th straight PAT pulled the Firebirds within
25-10 and things were finally looking up for Jacksonville after
West Virginia was forced to punt for the first time on its next
possession.
But on a fourth-and-1 at the Jacksonville 44, House was
stopped for no gain. The Firebirds lost their momentum and only
moments later, lost their star quarterback, Don Gaffney, who
suffered a slight left shoulder separation (he is righthanded)
with 8 1/2 minutes left in the game and the Birds trailing
31-10. |
|
He had been forced to the sidelines in the second quarter
with a twisted right ankle, but had returned to spark the
Firebirds' revival.
Substitute quarterback Pat Padgett, facing a fierce rush
although the Rockets used a seven-man secondary, threw
interceptions on Jacksonville's next two possessions and fired
two straight incompletions to end the game.
"Losing Don really hurt," Jarrett said, "but they were
doing a good job of containing him all night. The defensive ends
were rushing wide and forcing him inside."
Consequently, Gaffney and Padgett combined to complete just
10 of 32 passes (Padgett threw four interceptions) for just 117
yards.
Part of the reason the Birds were grounded may have been
because wide receiver Kenny Bogin never got in the air, missing
the team plane early in the morning.
And then Charlie Dorsey missed almost a full quarter with
an injury.
"Charleston played like they really wanted it," Jarrett
said. "They played a little extra harder. We had guys standing
around."
The Firebirds travel to Louisville to face the Kentucky
Trackers Saturday. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Jacksonville |
|
0 |
|
3 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
10 |
| West Virginia |
|
18 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
39 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
JA |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
7 |
|
14 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
30 - 74 |
|
42 - 136 |
| Passing yards |
|
117 |
|
170 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
10 -
32 - 4 |
|
12 -
18 - 0 |
| Punts - avg |
|
3 - 15 |
|
5 - 4 |
| Return yards |
|
144 |
|
213 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
5 - 2 |
|
5 - 4 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 104 |
|
9 - 78 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| WV |
|
White 52 pass from Mayer
(Snodgrass kick) |
| WV |
|
Safety Gaffney tackled in end
zone |
| WV |
|
McGee 55 kickoff return
(Snodgrass kick) |
| WV |
|
Safety House tackled in end
zone |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 44 field goal |
| WV |
|
Horton 61 fumble recovery
(Snodgrass kick) |
| JA |
|
House 1 run (Leavitt kick) |
| WV |
|
McGee 1 run (Snodgrass kick) |
| WV |
|
Horton 4 run (Snodgrass kick) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Austin Texans
at
Shreveport Steamer
June 28, 1980
- State Fair Stadium - |
 |
|
| |
| Steamer sinks,
27-23, inside final minute |
|
|
|
|
|
| Phil Wehrle -
Shreveport Times |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
It was as if both teams swapped uniforms at halftime.
The Shreveport Steamer, on the strength of a 23-point second
quarter, rolled up a 23-7 halftime lead over the Austin Texans
only to become a victim of the Texans' ball-control offense in
the second half on their way to their first American Football
Association loss of the season, a 27-23 setback to Austin at
State Fair Stadium Saturday night.
The Texans pushed across two fourth-quarter touchdowns,
including a 10-yard scoring pass from Austin quarterback Mike
Washington to receiver Waylon Gay in the final 30 seconds. The
winning score was set up when Shreveport's defensive back Eddie
Bishop was called for pass interference against Austin split end
Ron Thompson at the Shreveport 20.
The result was a 29-yard gain and Austin later moved in for the
winning tally.
Austin benefited on the winning drive from an illegal procedure
penalty called against it on an incomplete pass on a
third-and-goal play. The flag was thrown before the play began,
resulting in a five-yard mark-off against Austin, giving the
Texans two more shots at the touchdowns and more yardage.
"That moved us out of our goal line defense and into a regular
defense and the free safety was not at home on the next play,"
said Steamer coach Jim Williams.
Williams said that the officials told his captain, Curley White,
there was no motion on the illegal procedure play. The Steamer
would have been able to force Austin into opting a game-tying
field goal or going for the winning score with less yardage to
work with in the end zone.
But Williams went back to the discrepancy in time of possession
for the game which included the Steamer offense on the field for
only 3:03 in the third period.
"You can't have your defensive team on the field like that,"
said Williams, who had his defensive team on the field for over
39 minutes in the contest.
"We worked up to this loss," said Williams. "I think we made
great strides toward it last week and we didn't take Austin any
more seriously than Fort Worth."
The Steamer coach also harped back to a 19-7 loss to Tulsa last
year which knocked the
Steamer out of the unbeaten ranks. |
|
Even after Austin scored, the Steamer had 22 seconds in
which to get back in the contest. After two plays resulted in
losses, quarterback Ken Smith fired deep to Greg Lazarro for a
62-yard gain to the Austin 35, but that was the last play of the
game. The final minute of the contest was played without the
electric clock operating, leaving both teams to wonder how much
actual playing time remained.
"I was behind him just a hair," said Lazarro, who looked
for a moment as if he might break loose. "But (Smith) was
scrambling for his life.
"I honestly don't know what happened," Lazzaro said when
the offense had not been able to control the ball in the second
half. "We got so many points in the first half, we just quit. We
thought the defense could hold them again."
Williams pointed out that the Steamer set up all of its
touchdowns with defensive plays but "we didn't function well on
offense."
Austin narrowed the Steamer lead to 23-20 early in the
fourth period when defensive back Daryl Wiley intercepted a
Smith pass and returned it 35 yards to the one-yard line. Two
plays later, Kim-Juan Watts went in for the touchdown from one
yard out and Billy Shott's extra point failed.
The loss marked the first time this season the Steamer was
unable to take charge in the second half and brought to an end a
nine-game winning streak dating back to last season for
Shreveport. Shreveport is now 4-1 and still leading the AFA's
Western Division while Austin is 2-3.
Austin dominated most of the third quarter with a 17-play
drive which consumed nine minutes. The drive, however, netted no
points as Sam Coaxum got a hand on Schott's 31- yard field goal
attempt with just over four minutes left in the third period.
The Steamer was unable to move the ball and Austin took
over again showing ability to move on the weakening Shreveport
defense.
Mike Washington hit Whaylon Gay with a five-yard scoring
pass to end a 41-yard, six-play drive for Austin's next score.
Schott's conversion cut the Steamer lead to 23-14 with only 45
remaining in the period.
Both teams appeared sluggish offensively early in the first
half, but late in the first quarter, the Steamer defense began
to set up some scoring opportunities. |
|
With 1:50 left in the first period, defensive tackle Sam
Coaxum recovered Washington's fumble at the Austin 31.
The Steamer moved to the 11-yard line, but the drive
stalled, bringing Jerry Pope to kick a 28-yard field on the
first play of the second quarter.
Just 33 seconds later, Shreveport punched across its first
touchdown.
Defensive tackle Richie Bosiacki recovered another
Washington fumble at the Austin 8 and on the next play, Odell
Smith swept right with some nice footwork for the touchdown.
Pope's kick made it 10-0 with 13:54 left in the half.
The Steamer defense came with yet another turnover on the
next Austin series leading to another touchdown. This time, A.T.
Banks intercepted a Washington pass and returned it to the
Shreveport 47.
On a broken play, Shreveport quarterback Ken Smith hit
tight end Greg Lazzaro for 42 yards to the Austin 11. Smith
fumbled the snap and was forced to roll right before he tossed
long to Lazzaro who had beaten his man.
Four plays later, Smith rolled right and hit Rod Foppe with
a 12-yard scoring pass. Austin cornerback Charles Washington got
a hand on the toss, but Foppe showed good concentration in
hauling it in. Pope missed the conversion, leaving Shreveport
ahead 16-0 with 11:01 to go in the half.
Austin took the ensuing kickoff at its 37 and moved to a
touchdown in 13 plays with David Smith scoring off tackle on
fourth down from two yards out. Shott added the conversion to
cut Shreveport's lead to 16-7.
On the first play of Shreveport's next possession, Smith
fumbled at the Shreveport 24 and Texan defender Ray Mack
recovered for Austin.
Washington then hit Larry Carter for a 16-yard gain to
Shreveport 8, but Derrick Battle intercepted Washington's next
pass and returned it 78 yards to the Austin 20 with 1:41 left in
the half.
Smith hit Vernon Wells for 12 yards to the eight-yard line
and four plays later, Smith kept the ball on a sneak to score
from one yard out on fourth down with 20 seconds left in the
half. Pope's conversion upped the Steamer lead to 23-7 at the
half. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Austin |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
13 |
|
- |
|
27 |
| Shreveport |
|
0 |
|
23 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
23 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
AU |
|
SH |
| First downs |
|
18 |
|
9 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
51 - 183 |
|
26 - 66 |
| Passing yards |
|
109 |
|
174 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
12 -
22 - 3 |
|
8 -
18 - 1 |
| Punts - avg |
|
3 - 29 |
|
5 - 39 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
6 - 2 |
|
5 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
10 - 56 |
|
10 - 106 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SH |
|
Pope 28 field goal |
| SH |
|
Smith 8 run (Pope kick) |
| SH |
|
Foppe 12 pass from Smith (kick
failed) |
| AU |
|
Smith 1 run (Schott kick) |
| SH |
|
Smith 1 run (Pope kick) |
| AU |
|
Gay 5 pass from Washington
(Schott kick) |
| AU |
|
Watt 1 run (kick failed) |
| AU |
|
Gay 10 pass from Washington
(Schott kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
![Photograph]](1980/photo%20004.jpg) |
|
Austin:
Mike Washington (??) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Chargers cool
Rocket rally |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
It was hot, sloppy, and hard to analyze.
But afterward, when the Carolina Chargers had beaten the West
Virginia Rockets 26-22 in an American Football Association game
at Memorial Stadium, one thing was clear.
All that heat and confusion somehow boiled down to the clean
slapping sound of the football hitting Jeryl Todd square in the
chest.
With 1:52 left in the game, West Virginia seemed to be moving
toward its first lead of the game, and considering the time
left, a victory.
But on first-and-10 from Carolina's 27, Chargers' defensive back
Todd stepped in front of a Mark Hutsell pass to Buddy White.
Todd hugged the ball, was tackled, and Carolina took over on its
21.
Todd said the play was a simple matter of positioning:
"If I'm standin' in the 'post,' he can't run the 'post.' I just
stepped up and the ball was there."
West Virginia had no timeouts, so after a 5-yard loss on a
running play and a delay-of-game penalty, Carolina quarterback
Ellsworth Turner took the snap, fell on the ball, and the final
35 seconds ticked away.
The final play was symbolic of the second |
|
half, in which Carolina held on like a boxer covering up through
the late rounds.
The Chargers led 26-10 at halftime, and had 228 total yards
to West Virginia's 129. But while West Virginia picked up 12
points and 195 yards in the final two quarters, Carolina tried a
ball-control attack netting no points and 36 total yards.
Carolina's defense spent most of the second half on the
field, and several Chargers blamed West Virginia's offensive
success on defensive fatigue. Contributing factors were evening
temperatures well over 80 degrees and several key penalties
boosting Rockets' drives.
"We played a hell of a whole lot of defense tonight," Todd
said. "The heat was bad... I was crampin' up a lot. That's why I
was in and out so much."
Defensive tackle Lawrence Faulkner and linebacker joe
Crosby also missed part of the action because of heat-related
cramps.
But Chargers' running back Randy Bolton, who watched from
the sidelines with a three-week-old back injury, saw something
other than heat and fatigue figuring in Carolina's troubles.
Bolton gestured across the field to former |
|
Chargers' coach Perry Moss, now the Rockets' head coach:
"They're just like a Perry Moss-coached team. They don't give up
when they get behind. We were just like that last year."
Moss had nothing but praise for the Chargers, who handed
West Virginia its first loss in four games and moved into first
place in the AFA East with a 4-1 record. West Virginia defeated
Carolina 44-38 in both teams' season open- er in Charleston a
month ago.
Moss said it was Carolina's ball-control orientation that
kept the Chargers from scoring in the second half, more than his
defensive strategies.
Carolina might not have sweated it so much at the end, had
kicker Mike Cox not been injured in the second quarter.
Cox made a kickoff return tackle on the sideline and
sustained a mild concussion. He lay on the field for about 10
minutes before being strapped to a stretcher and taken to
Presbyterian Hospital, where he was treated and released. Cox
returned to the stadium late in the game, dressed in a blue knit
shirt and jeans. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| West Virginia |
|
0 |
|
10 |
|
6 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
22 |
| Carolina |
|
14 |
|
12 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
26 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
WV |
|
CA |
| First downs |
|
22 |
|
12 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 144 |
|
? - 66 |
| Passing yards |
|
180 |
|
198 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
15 -
32 - 1 |
|
16 -
28 - 3 |
| Punts - avg |
|
2 - 39.8 |
|
3 - 33.9 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 3 |
|
1 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 90 |
|
10 - 89 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Duke 6 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
McNeill 24 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| WV |
|
Snodgrass 26 field goal |
| CA |
|
Reed 9 pass from Turnter (kick
failed) |
| WV |
|
Hutsell 1 run (Snodgrass kick) |
| CA |
|
McNeill 17 pass from Turner
(pass failed) |
| WV |
|
Hutsell 16 run (pass failed) |
| WV |
|
White 17 pass from Hutsell
(pass failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
West Virginia: Larry McGee |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Wranglers fall to
pass-happy San Antonio, 19-6 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Mike McAllister
- Fort Worth Star-Telegram |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
For the fans it was curiosity, dedication, and the love of
sport that brought them out to the Fort Worth Wranglers' home
opener Saturday night.
For the players, it was pride and a way of earning a living.
And for San Antonio Charros quarterback Randy Johnson, it was
sweet revenge.
Johnson, who missed the season opener against the Wranglers with
an injury, guided his teammates to a 19-6 American Football
Association victory to spoil the Fort Worth home debut.
In front of a sunbaked but surprisingly vocal crowd liberally
estimated at around 1,000, the Wranglers showed the home folks
plenty of hitting. Still, the defeat dropped them to 0-5 on the
season.
"We played one good quarter," said Wrangler coach John Holland,
"but then after we had the scuffle, things went downhill." |
|
That scuffle occurred midway through the second quarter
after a Charro punt. No Duran-Leonard fights broke out, but
Wrangler player-assistant coach Willie Hall was ejected from the
game, putting a dent in both the secondary and the leadership
departments for Fort Worth.
This was after the Wranglers had taken a 6-0 lead at the
12:35 mark in the second quarter. On third down Bobby Jackson,
who along with the rest of the Fort Worth offense had been
almost completely shut down, went on a draw up the middle. He
broke two tackles and raced 54-yards down the left sideline to
dent the scoreboard. Although the conversion attempt failed, the
Wranglers appeared to be in good shape.
Fort Worth's secondary, led again by Steve Beck, Steve
Kloza and Andre Johnson, had shut down Johnson in the first
quarter, but the former NFL quarterback hinted of things to come
on the San Antonio scoring drive 10 |
|
minutes in the second stanza.
Johnson hit two passes, but the killers were three Wrangler
penalties totaling 22 yards. That was good enough to allow back
Anton Niles to leap for the touchdown, with Rick Landon's extra
point the eventual winner.
The Wranglers' next series told the story, as a high snap
on the punt left San Antonio with the ball on the 25. Niles got
the 7-yard TD and it was 13-6 with just 1:49 left before the
half.
Johnson's passing in the third quarter, highlighted by a
stretch in which he went 4-for-5, kept the Wranglers bottled up
in their own territory. Fort Worth quarterback Welby Ina was
forced to scramble on many a play, and hurried his passes on
several others, in going 10 of 24 for 84 yards.
The Charros put the game away as Niles, who finished with
115 yards, and teammate Buddy Byars chugged out a 35-yard drive,
with Byars tallying from 7-yards out with 6:38 left. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| San Antonio |
|
0 |
|
13 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
19 |
| Fort Worth |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
6 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SA |
|
FW |
| First downs |
|
2 |
|
12 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
27 - 58 |
|
51 - 198 |
| Passing yards |
|
84 |
|
76 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
10 -
24 - 1 |
|
11 -
20 - 2 |
| Punts - avg |
|
10 - 27.4 |
|
3 - 33.7 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
1 - 1 |
|
1 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
? - 57 |
|
? - 36 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| FW |
|
Jackson 54 run (pass failed) |
| SA |
|
Niles 2 run (Langer kick) |
| SA |
|
Niles 7 run (kick failed) |
| SA |
|
Byars 7 run (pass failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
| |
| Firebirds rally
for 49-29 win over Kentucky |
|
|
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|
|
| Earl Fannin -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
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| |
|
|
|
|
Once the Jacksonville Firebirds got untracked last might,
they had little trouble sidetracking the Kentucky Trackers.
After spotting the Trackers a 17-0 first quarter lead and then
playing two quarters of teeter-totter football, the Firebirds
erupted in the final 14 minutes for three touchdowns to register
a 49-29 victory.
The game, played before less than 1,000 fans in the
seemingly-empty Gator Bowl, was actually Kentucky's home game.
It was switched from Louisville because of the Trackers'
combined stadium and financial problems. The hordes who stayed
away - a pre-game thundershower was partly to blame for the
meager gathering - missed perhaps Jacksonville's most impressive
comeback in their two-season history.
"I thought the game was a real test of our composure and
character," Firebirds coach Bob Williams said. "It's a good
feeling to know we can bounce back like that. Our offense had
the ability to score at will, but the defense had some early
problems. Once they got their confidence, it was easy."
Kentucky thoroughly dominated the first quarter 2 Jacksonville
ran only five plays and had just 23 yards in total offense - and
scored three times, twice easily on one-yard runs by Walter
Hines and the last time on a 27-yard field goal by Ron
Slovinski.
Williams said the key to the game was when the Firebirds forced
Kentucky to settle for three points on their third possession.
The Trackers had a first-and-goal at the four, but newcomer
Marcus Whaley threw Chris Hill for a 6-yard loss and then
Kentucky quarterback Chris |
|
Vacarella (he played last year for Birmingham) misfired twice to
force the field goal effort.
"If we had fallen three touchdowns behind, we might have
been in serious trouble," Williams said, "but as it turned out,
giving up just a field goal gave us the momentum."
The Firebirds finally scored on a 5-yard pass from star
quarterback Don Gaffney to ace receiver Charlie Dorsey with
11:48 left in the second quarter and then Allan Leavitt added
the first of seven consecutive PATs (he now has hit 21 in a row
this season).
A fumble recovery by Greg Pittman set up Gaffney's second
of five TD tosses, this one 17 yards to Manzy King exactly two
minutes after the first one.
Then it was a see-saw battle with the lead exchanging hands
four times before the Birds took the lead for keeps on a
beautiful 70-yard pass from Gaffney to Dorsey - who had four
catches for 123 yards - with 13:57 left in the game. That was
the first play from scrimmage following a three-yard run by
Hill, who had 37 yards in rushing and 120 in receptions, that
gave Kentucky its last lead 29-28.
A 12-yard touchdown pass from Gaffney to Keith Jackson and
an eight-yard run by Cleo House turned it into a blowout.
The Firebirds did not miss the six players that quit the
team last week, including leading rusher Leon McQuay and a pair
of starters on the offensive line.
In climbing to 3-2 on the season, Jacksonville finally
played like last year's American Football Association
championship team - at times.
Gaffney was the Gaffney of old. Almost perfect. |
|
Gaffney, who suffered a twisted knee and a separated
shoulder in last week's 39-10 loss at West Virginia, threw for
204 yards on 11 of 20 successes, including the five touchdowns
but no interceptions. Backup Pat Padgett hit two of his attempts
for 22 yards and might have thrown for a touchdown had not time
run out. He had taken the Birds 62 yards in seven plays to the 9
in the final minute.
It was hard to notice at first, but the Firebirds ran the
ball effectively. Fullback Cleo House was the individual leader
with 54 yards on nine carries, including touchdowns of 1 and 8
yards, and Keith Jackson, promoted to the starting lineup due to
McQuay's departure, had 43 yards on an identical number of
plays.
Overall the air-oriented Birds picked up 123 yards on the
ground, their second highest total of the season, on 31 plays.
Kentucky needed 12 more snaps to pick up just 11 more yards.
Once again Kentucky came to town with a black-helmeted
quarterback. But unlike "Mike Weaver", who quarterbacked the AFA
opener for Kentucky here, and who turned out to actually be Mike
Cahill (under contract to the New England Patriots of the
National Football League), Chris Vacarella was no stranger to
the Firebirds.
In the last meeting between the two, Jacksonville took a
20-19 victory over the Trackers who now stand 0-4.
"I don't know if Kentucky was as strong as they were the
first time or whether we've improved this much," Williams said.
"I hope we won big because we've improved." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Kentucky |
|
17 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
29 |
| Jacksonville |
|
0 |
|
21 |
|
7 |
|
21 |
|
- |
|
49 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
KY |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
18 |
|
13 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
43 - 134 |
|
31 - 123 |
| Passing yards |
|
198 |
|
233 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
12 -
26 - 2 |
|
13 -
22 - 0 |
| Punts - avg |
|
2 - 28.5 |
|
1 - 36.0 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 2 |
|
7 - 3 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
5 - 44 |
|
6 - 58 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| KY |
|
Hines 1 run (Slovinski kick) |
| KY |
|
Hines 1 run (Slovinski kick) |
| KY |
|
Slovinski 27 field goal |
| JA |
|
Dorsey 5 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
King 17 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
House 1 run (Leavitt kick) |
| KY |
|
Hill 11 run (pass failed) |
| JA |
|
Prince 3 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| KY |
|
Hill 3 run (run failed) |
| JA |
|
Dorsey 70 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Jackson 12 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
House 8 run (Leavitt kick) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Austin Texans
at
Fort Worth Wranglers
July 5, 1980
- Elk Stadium - |
 |
|
| |
| Texans trample
winless Wranglers |
|
|
|
|
|
| Austin
American-Statesman |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Rallying from behind for the second week in a row, the
Austin Texans scored 21 points in the second half to defeat the
Fort Worth Wranglers, 31-13, in a American Football Association
game Saturday night.
In doing so, Austin played superbly on offense and defense -
limiting the Wranglers to only four second half first downs
while running up a Texan-team record 511 total yards. Halfback
Leonard Brantley and quarterback Mike Washington accounted for a
large chunk of that total yardage, as the Texans raised their
season record to 3-3. Fort Worth fell to 0-6.
Brantley ran for 112 yards on 17 carries to lead all running
backs in the game, while Washington passed for 217 yards and ran
for 90 more.
Although the Texans finished the night with |
|
286 rushing yards on 48 carries and a total of 225 passing
yards, Fort Worth's offense scored the first points of the game
when quarterback Welby Ina threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to
Bob Drew - giving the Wranglers a 6-0 lead in the first quarter.
Although Bill Schott's 37-yard field goal at the end of a
9-play, 60-yard drive enabled the Texans to pull within three,
6-3, early in the second quarter, Fort Worth took its biggest
lead of the game soon afterward. This time, the scoring play
covered 70-yards, as Ina hit wide receiver Marvin Parker with a
long pass to put Fort Worth up, 13-3.
With 1:50 remaining in the half, however, the Texans cut
the lead again - as Washington completed a 9-play, 85-yard
touchdown drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Schott's |
|
conversion made the halftime score Fort Worth 13, Austin 10.
In the second half, the Texan defense took over - as down
lineman Elvis Shaw, Robert Oglesby and Arthur Atwood stopped the
Wrangler running game and pressured Ina out of the protective
pocket.
Austin took the lead for the first time at the 13.56 mark
of the third quarter, when Washington hit Don Walker with a
75-yard down-and-out touchdown pass play. Walker beat the Fort
Worth cornerback easily on the play, caught the ball at his own
35 and finally outran the Wrangler defenders for the TD. With
Schott's conversion, Austin led, 17-13.
In the fourth quarter, Austin padded its lead on a 31-yard
touchdown run by Washington and a 3-yard TD run by Kim Watts. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Austin |
|
3 |
|
7 |
|
14 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
31 |
| Fort Worth |
|
6 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
13 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
AU |
|
FW |
| First downs |
|
20 |
|
9 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
38 - 239 |
|
25 - 110 |
| Passing yards |
|
196 |
|
150 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
11 -
21 - 1 |
|
10 -
16 - 1 |
| Punts - avg |
|
0 - 0 |
|
4 - 38 |
| Return yards |
|
54 |
|
105 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
1 - 1 |
|
0 - 0 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
10 - 75 |
|
6 - 48 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| FW |
|
Allen 12 pass from Ina (kick
failed) |
| AU |
|
Schott 37 field goal |
| AU |
|
Washington 2 run (Schott kick) |
| FW |
|
Portley 70 pass from Ina
(Baldwin kick) |
| AU |
|
Walker 76 pass from Washington
(Schott kick) |
| AU |
|
Washington 30 run (Schott
kick) |
| AU |
|
Watts 1 run (Schott kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Carolina holds off
Firebirds 21-14 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Frank Frangie -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Carolina Chargers' defense overshadowed a brilliant
performance by quarterback Ellsworth Turner as it held the
Jacksonville Firebirds to just 14 points and fought off a
desperate last-minute rally to preserve a 21-14 American
Football Association victory in front of an estimated 11,000
fans in the Gator Bowl last night.
The Firebirds trailed 21-7 with less than five minutes to play
when quarterback Don Gaffney, having a subpar night, almost
pulled off a brilliant comeback.
With a third down outside the Chargers' 40-yard line, Gaffney
broke loose on a scramble and darted to the 16 where he was
tackled and the ball jarred loose. The ball was batted and
kicked by both teams before Firebirds' wide receiver Alex Prince
fell on it in the end zone.
Then, after an unsuccessful onside kick, the Firebirds' defense
held and on their first play from scrimmage, Gaffney hit Manzie
King over the middle to the Charger 32. Three plays later,
Gaffney scrambled to the 5-yard line. After one incomplete pass
in the end zone, a second Gaffney pass fell incomplete with no
time left on the clock. |
|
Offsetting holding penalties gave the Firebirds one more
chance, but Gaffney's last effort was batted down by safety
Phillip Gilbert.
"I thought the defense played the best game they played all
year," said winning coach George Sauer Jr. "I think they've
really kind of taken the rap back home and they're tired of it.
They're tired of hearing how the offense scored 30 points and it
was still a close game. Tonight they came out and played well."
The Chargers' defense allowed Gaffney just 10 completions
in 34 attempts for 232 yards.
"No one ever contains Don Gaffney," Sauer said. "But we did
a better job than most. We've played against him a couple of
times now and they're just tired of him running around back
there on us. He did it tonight, but not too much."
"I just wasn't on tonight," said Gaffney, who bruised his
throwing shoulder early in the first quarter. "The shoulder hurt
a little, but I just didn't have it. I had excellent protection
and the receivers ran their routes, I just missed them."
But while Gaffney was floundering, Turner was brilliant,
connecting on 21 of 41 for 312 yards, most of which came in the
second half. |
|
"I had the adrenalin really flowing tonight," Turner said.
"And I tried not to burn myself out like I did last week. They
blitzed a lot and I thought our offensive line and backs did a
good job picking that up.
"They tried to defense us against the long pass so we went
for the short passes."
The Firebirds scored on their opening drive as Gaffney
connected deep with Charlie Brown while Keith Jackson broke two
long runs. Cleo House tallied the points from the 8.
But after that, the offense fizzled and didn't score again
until late in the game.
"I think we shut ourselves down," Firebirds' coach Bob
Williams said. "Our play selection early was one of the poorest
I've seen. We went for too many big plays instead of trying to
move the ball. Our defense also has trouble taking the ball away
from people.
"I think Don got bumped early and that threw his game off.
He's not the kind of guy who makes excuses, but he got it on the
throwing arm and I think it affected him."
The Firebirds again play in the Gator Bowl next Saturday
against West Virginia. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Carolina |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
21 |
| Jacksonville |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
14 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
CA |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
22 |
|
16 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
38 - 140 |
|
27 - 154 |
| Passing yards |
|
312 |
|
232 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
21 -
41 - 5 |
|
10 -
34 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
3 - 36 |
|
7 - 40 |
| Return yards |
|
112 |
|
126 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 1 |
|
4 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 47 |
|
9 - 64 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| JA |
|
House 8 run (Leavitt kick) |
| CA |
|
Porter 55 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 3 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Porter 13 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| JA |
|
Prince recovered fumble in end
zone (Leavitt kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| West Virginia pins
26-6 loss on Trackers |
|
|
|
|
|
| Louisville
Courier-Journal |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Kentucky Trackers still can't get untracked.
The West Virginia Rockets handed the Trackers a 26-6 defeat last
night in an American Football Association game before a crowd
estimated at 5,500. The setback was the winless Trackers' fifth
and improved West Virginia's record to 4-1.
Kentucky's defense bothered West Virginia quarterback Larry
Mayer enough that he completed only nine of 23 passes - six to
his teammates and three to Trackers defenders. |
|
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Stephen F. Austin product managed
to throw for one touchdown and run for another to lead the
Rockets to victory, though. Mayer threw to James Coleman for a
17-yard touchdown in the second quarter and scampered 15 yards
to the end zone in the third period.
The Rockets marched 48 yards for their first touchdown,
with Duck Riley scoring from four yards out with 2:33 to play in
the first quarter. Riley was the game's leading rusher with 88
yards on 11 carries.
|
|
A Trackers fumble set up a 42-yard scoring drive, which was
capped by Mayer's scoring pass.
The Trackers returned the ensuing kickoff and drove 77
yards for their lone touchdown. Mike Solomon completed a 42-yard
drive to Georgetown College product Donnie Leet to highlight the
drive. Solomon, who completed seven of 19 passes for 138 yards,
scored on a five-yard run with 10:26 left in the half. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Kentucky |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
6 |
| West Virginia |
|
6 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
26 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
KY |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
6 |
|
14 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
32 - 34 |
|
42 - 162 |
| Passing yards |
|
138 |
|
108 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
7 -
20 - 1 |
|
8 -
25 - 3 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
8 - 34.8 |
|
3 - 41.0 |
| Return yards |
|
78 |
|
78 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 4 |
|
4 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
14 - 138 |
|
7 - 67 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| WV |
|
Riley 5 run (kick failed) |
| KY |
|
Solomon 5 run (pass failed) |
| WV |
|
Coleman 17 pass from Mayer
(Snodgrass kick) |
| WV |
|
Mayer 12 run (Snodgrass kick) |
| WV |
|
Thomaselli 4 run (kick failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Charros fall to
Steamer |
|
|
|
|
|
| Harry Page -
San Antonio Express-News |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Running back Arry Moody swept left end for a 15-yard
touchdown as Shreveport deflated self-destructing San Antonio
19-14 Saturday night at Alamo Stadium.
The loss was marred by an injury to Charro defensive tackle Ken
Mills. Mills was carried off the field on a stretcher with five
minutes left in the first half with what was thought to be a
possible cracked vertebrae.
The Steamer, the American Football Association's West Division
leader with a 5-1 record, got the ball at its own nine with just
2:33 remaining in the game and trailing 14-13.
Quarterback Ken Smith hit wide receiver Vernon Wells for 16
yards to the Steamer 25. On the next play, Wells got behind
Charro defensive backs Keith Nelms and Ricky Williams to catch a
60-yard pass from Smith to the S.A. 15. Moody scored two plays
later to seal the Steamer victory.
San Antonio attempted to come back, moving to the Shreveport 25
with 31 seconds left. However, the Charros' bid for victory was
smothered by defensive end Ron Johnson, who |
|
sacked quarterback Randy Johnson for a 10-yard loss on a
fourth-down play with eight seconds remaining.
The loss dropped San Antonio to 3-3 in conference play.
S.A. had taken the lead for the first time in the third
quarter on a sensational, one-handed reception by wide receiver
Tom "Tank" Whittier on a pass from Johnson that covered 19
yards. Rich Lander's extra point kick gave the Charros their
14-13 advantage with 8:31 showing on the clock.
Shreveport scored the second and third times it had the
ball taking a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter. Both
touchdowns were buoyed by pass interference calls.
The first Shreveport score came at the 6:42 mark of the
first period on running back Donny Sutton's 2-yard run. Terry
Pope added the kick to provide the Steamer with a 7-0 lead.
Two plays earlier, Charro cornerback Mike Thierry was
called for a 32-yard pass interference penalty on Steamer wide
receiver Ron Foppe in the end zone. |
|
Cornerback Larry Hearon intercepted a Johnson pass at the
Shreveport 5 to cut one Charros threat short and start a
Shreveport scoring march. Hearon returned the theft 21 yards,
and it took the Steamer eight plays to reach the end zone.
Smith scored from 1 yard out with 14:14 remaining in the
first half. Pope's kick was wide to the right, but Shreveport
still held a 13-0 lead. Nelms was called for interfering with
wide receiver Edwin Scott at the Charro 1 (a 4-yard penalty) two
plays earlier.
Apparently, the injury to fallen comrade Mills spurred the
Charros to their first score.
The next time S.A. got the ball, Johnson hit Whitter with a
23-yard pass to the Steamer 26, connected with tight end Robert
Valdez for 11 more to the 15, and hit Whittier with the scoring
strike from the 15 with 3:04 remaining in the second period.
Lander added the kick to cut the Steamer's advantage to 13-7.
The Charros disappointed a crowd of more than 1,000 by
failing to score time after time when they had the golden
opportunities. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Shreveport |
|
7 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
19 |
| San Antonio |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
14 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SH |
|
SA |
| First downs |
|
11 |
|
21 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
24 - 18 |
|
37 - 47 |
| Passing yards |
|
199 |
|
227 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
10 -
29 - 3 |
|
17 -
31 - 3 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
6 - 32.0 |
|
5 - 32.4 |
| Return yards |
|
57 |
|
20 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
5 - 1 |
|
1 - 0 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
17 - 100 |
|
9 - 92 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SH |
|
Sutton 2 run (Pope kick) |
| SH |
|
Smith 1 run (kick failed) |
| SA |
|
Whittier 15 pass from Johnson
(Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Whittier 19 pass from Johnson
(Lander kick) |
| SH |
|
Moody 15 run (pass failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Texans crushed,
56-33 |
|
|
|
|
|
| George
Breazeale - Austin American-Statesman |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Murphy's Law zapped both teams, but Austin felt its
crushing impact in the early going and San Antonio rolled over
the Texans 56-33 Saturday night at Nelson Field to take over
second place in the American Football Association Western
Division standings.
Austin, which had played outstanding clutch defense in a 3-0
loss to the Charros June 21 in San Antonio, was hit for three
touchdowns in the first 10 minutes, two following turnovers, and
the Texans never fully recovered in dropping to 3-4 on the
season, one game behind 4-3 San Antonio and three behind 6-1
Shreveport, a 56-0 winner over Fort Worth Saturday.
Under Murphy's premise that anything that can go wrong will go
wrong, Austin suffered again in the third quarter when
quarterback Mike Washington was hit late on a 69-yard touchdown
pass to Don Walker. Washington sustained a re-injury to a
stomach muscle,
further hampering the Texans' comeback chances in the "must"
game they were playing |
|
before 4,500 onlookers.
"We just got it all together," said Charro coach George
Pasterchick. "And it's really the first time all season we have
had everything together."
San Antonio had minus rushing yardage in the previous clash
against Austin, but the Texans could never fully cope with the
Charro ground game the second time around. Running back Anton
Niles, a 195-pound ex-New Mexico State star, scored four
touchdowns and picked up 99 yards on 26 carries. His last two
scores, from 13 and one yard, were killers, because the Texans
had closed to 21-13 on fullback Kim Watts' two tallies, one on a
nine-yard Washington pass and the other on a two-yard run.
The Texans were down only 35-21 with more than 23 minutes
to play - but Charro quarterback Randy Johnson hit flanker
Thomas Whittier on a brilliant 30-yard scoring play. Then after
the embattled Texan defense, headed by end Arthur Atwood (12
tackles), |
|
tackles Elvis Shaw (10) and Leon Franks (six), took over on
downs at the Austin one, San Antonio nose guard Bucky Lampe
recovered Washington's fumble in the end zone for a touchdown
and a 49-21 lead.
Austin cornerback Charles Washington then dropped Murphy's
Law on the Charros, scoring on a 25-yard interception runback
off quarterback Glenn Penna - and only three minutes later,
picking up a fumble by James Roberts and running 80 yards for
still another score.
Earlier, the Charros had used Keith Nelms' 37-yard
interception runback plus Lampe's recovery to score directly off
Texan turnovers.
Washington's 15 pass completions set a club single game
record, but his injury, a rib injury to Don Walker and a knee
ligament tear to defensive back Jimmy Williams were all
indications that it wasn't to be Austin's night. San Antonio now
holds a 6-0 advantage in the all-time rivalry. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| San Antonio |
|
21 |
|
7 |
|
14 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
56 |
| Austin |
|
0 |
|
13 |
|
8 |
|
12 |
|
- |
|
33 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SA |
|
AU |
| First downs |
|
11 |
|
21 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
24 - 18 |
|
37 - 47 |
| Passing yards |
|
199 |
|
227 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
10 -
29 - 3 |
|
17 -
31 - 3 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
6 - 32.0 |
|
5 - 32.4 |
| Return yards |
|
57 |
|
20 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
5 - 1 |
|
1 - 0 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
17 - 100 |
|
9 - 92 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SA |
|
Niles 4 run (Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Niles 10 run (Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Nelms 37 interception return
(Lander kick) |
| AU |
|
Watts 9 pass from Washington
(Schott kick) |
| AU |
|
Watts 2 run (kick failed) |
| SA |
|
Niles 13 run (Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Niles 1 run (Lander kick) |
| AU |
|
Walker 69 pass from Washington
(Walker pass from Rigsby) |
| SA |
|
Whittier 30 pass from Johnson
(Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Lampe fumble recovery in end
zone (Lander kick) |
| AU |
|
Washington 25 interception
return (pass failed) |
| AU |
|
Washington 80 fumble return
(pass failed) |
| SA |
|
Brown 29 run (Lander kick) |
|
|
 |
|
Austin: Mike Washington (15) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Sluggish Chargers
outman Kentucky |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
When it was over, there wasn't much to do except to look up
at the rumbling night sky and try to figure how far away the
thunderstorm was, and maybe decide whether you had time to stand
around Memorial Stadium and talk awhile without getting soaked.
Not that there was much to say after the Carolina Chargers
defeated the Kentucky Trackers 41-21 in an American Football
Association game Saturday.
The Chargers, now 6-1, in first place in the AFA East, made 7
turnovers and looked bored much of the time with the Trackers,
0-6 and in last place in the AFA East, who also made 7
turnovers.
The Trackers were able to capitalize on that boredom for awhile,
taking a 6-0 lead into the second quarter and tying the game
13-13 early in the third quarter.
But eventually the Trackers' 26 players - many playing offense,
defense and special teams - got tired. And the Chargers' defense
played an exceptional second half, prompting the offense to wake
up long enough and put the Trackers away.
Even then, it wasn't pretty.
"I don't know what to say," Chargers' coach George Sauer Jr.
said afterward. "You summed it up when you asked if I had ever
seen a team |
|
play this badly and win by 20 points. The answer is no."
The atmosphere around the Carolina bench after Kentucky's
Joe Washington ran back the second-half kickoff for a touchdown
and the 13-13 tie pretty much summed things up:
"Lord how mercy!" quarterback Ells- worth Turner said,
shaking his head.
Don Stewart and Gary Stokes, who had chased Washington in
vain, convened briefly:
"What the bleep happened?" Stewart asked. "I bleeping don't
know," Stokes replied.
Turner had a few lapses - a pair of interceptions - but he
generally was on target, hitting 17 of 25 passes for 200 yards
and 4 touchdowns.
And wide receiver Bart Crawford caught 8 Turner passes for
105 yards and 3 touchdowns, the last giving Carolina a 27-13
lead with 44 seconds left in the third quarter.
For the Trackers, it wasn't so bad a showing, considering.
Head coach Harry Lander went home to San Antonio, Tex.,
Monday to attend to personal business, saying he'd return by
Wednesday. When the team bus was ready to pull out of Louisville
on Friday, Lander wasn't back and couldn't be reached.
So the team's four new owners (they bought |
|
the team two weeks ago) asked their new general manager,
ex-University of Kentucky assistant Billy Mitchell, to coach the
team for the rest of the season. He agreed and jumped on the
bus, which broke down in Knoxville, Tenn.
All of Kentucky's four assistant coaches had conflicts this
weekend, so none made the trip to Charlotte. Other than the 26
uniformed players and a few waterboys, the only people on
Kentucky's side of the field were Mitchell and part owner Bud
Stumph.
As the game wound down, Mitchell kept yelling things like:
"Come on now, keep your poise," and "We need a defensive
end out there."
Afterwards, Mitchell told Sauer: "It's been a struggle just
to line 'em up. But that wasn't bad, George. At least we got
through it."
Perhaps the game's most remarkable performance was that of
Kentucky kicker Butch Abbott. Abbott found out the Trackers
needed a kicker, got released from his contract with the
Jacksonville Firebirds, where he was a backup, and flew to
Charlotte.
"I've never worked with any of these guys," Abbott
confessed after making 1 of 3 extra point kicks and averaging
30.3 yards on 6 punts. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Kentucky |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
8 |
|
- |
|
21 |
| Carolina |
|
0 |
|
13 |
|
14 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
41 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
KY |
|
CA |
| First downs |
|
14 |
|
25 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
27 - 83 |
|
37 - 146 |
| Passing yards |
|
146 |
|
215 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
17 -
35 - 4 |
|
18 -
28 - 3 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
6 - 30.3 |
|
3 - 34.7 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 3 |
|
6 - 4 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 65 |
|
8 - 60 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| KY |
|
Hill 19 pass from Solomon
(kick failed) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 15 pass from Turner
(kick failed) |
| CA |
|
Randolph 15 fumble return (Cox
kick) |
| KY |
|
Washington 89 kickoff return
(Abbott kick) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 24 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 10 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
McNeill 17 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| KY |
|
Drake 3 pass from Solomon
(Trosper pass from Solomon) |
| CA |
|
Reed 15 pass from Porter (Cox
kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Carolina: Glenn Holland (??) |
| |
 |
|
Carolina: Harold Rudolph (45) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Steamer sailing
toward West title |
|
|
|
|
|
| Rick Thomas -
Shreveport Times |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Shreveport Steamer is sailing smoothly and picking up
speed with its course set for the championship in the American
Football Association's Western Division.
The Steamer (6-1) can clinch at least a tie for the crown with a
victory this coming Saturday night over the Austin Texans in the
Texas capital.
But beating Austin, the only team to defeat Shreveport this
year, may not be an easy task. The Steamer built a 23-7 halftime
lead over Austin two weeks ago, only to fall to the Texans in
the second half, 27-23.
Most of the Steamer players and coaches believed they took
Austin too lightly and weren't really ready to play. Steamer
head coach Jim Williams doesn't want that to happen this time
around.
"We need to beat Austin," Williams said following his team's
56-0 romp over the Fort Worth Wranglers Saturday night at State
Fair Stadium. "We'll have to play our best. Our loss to Austin
two weeks ago proved that."
Austin is currently in third place in the |
|
Western Division, sporting a 3-4 overall record. The Texans lost
56-33 to San Antonio Saturday night.
San Antonio is in second place in the West at 4-3, two full
games back with three games remaining.
While Austin is coming off a loss, the Steamer is coming
off its most impressive victory of the year in completely
dominating winless Fort Worth.
The Steamer, which played errorless ball, built up a 28-0
lead at the half and Fort Worth never made a serious challenge
in the contest. It was 56-0 with 13:47 left in the fourth
quarter before the Steamer called off the barrage.
The clock ran continuously, even on incomplete passes, in
the fourth quarter to help put the Wranglers out of their
misery. It was the most points scored by the Steamer and the
first shutout of the season by the stingy Shreveport defense.
The Steamer ground attack, led by Donnie Sutton and
Clarence Odum, piled up a season- |
|
high 303 yards while quarterback Ken Smith and backup Lorenzo
Clark completed only six passes, although four went for
touchdowns.
Sutton carried the ball 11 times for an even 100 yards
while Odum, who scored twice, gained 90 yards in only eight
trips. Odell Smith also contributed 51 yards with scoring a
touchdown.
The Steamer defense also scored its first touchdown when
defensive back Eddie Bishop returned an interception 35 yards
for a TD. Shreveport limited Fort Worth to 183 total offensive
yards, 132 rushing and 51 through the airways.
The estimated attendance for Saturday night's game was
2,000 and that figure is not even close to Steamer owner Ed
Powell's request for 7,500. The hot weather - the temperature
was 100 degrees for kickoff against the Wranglers may have
something to do with the poor attendance, although Powell and
his players are still hoping more fans will start coming to
their games. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Fort Worth |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
0 |
| Shreveport |
|
14 |
|
14 |
|
21 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
56 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
FW |
|
SH |
| First downs |
|
13 |
|
20 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
36 - 132 |
|
37 - 303 |
| Passing yards |
|
51 |
|
90 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
7 -
18 - 1 |
|
6 -
16 - 0 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
5 - 34.6 |
|
4 - 32.8 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
6 - 5 |
|
2 - 0 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
5 - 54 |
|
10 - 117 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SH |
|
Foppe 5 pass from Smith (Wells
kick) |
| SH |
|
Bishop 35 interception return
(Wells kick) |
| SH |
|
Foppe 37 pass from Smith
(Wells kick) |
| SH |
|
Scott 11 pass from Clark
(Wells kick) |
| SH |
|
Odum 30 run (Wells kick) |
| SH |
|
Lazarro 5 pass from Smith
(Wells kick) |
| SH |
|
Odum 7 run (Wells kick) |
| SH |
|
Smith 20 run (Wells kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Players unknown |
| |
 |
Shreveport: Vernon Wells (18)
Fort Worth: Randy Baldwin (35) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Big plays give
Firebirds needed win |
|
|
|
|
|
| Earl Fannin -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
A peck of big plays last night produced the Jacksonville
Firebirds' most important victory of the season.
After a mostly disappointing American Football Association
season, the Firebirds' 28-17 decision over West Virginia might
be the catalyst for another championship chase.
It was just what Firebirds coach Bob Williams ordered.
"It was a big play game," Williams said. "We'd stop them for two
plays and then they'd get the big play offensively and then
they'd stop us for two plays and then we'd get the big play.
Fortunately, we got more big plays and then started stopping
them, too.'
The victory, earned before 4,500 fans in the foggy, misty Gator
Bowl, was the first against a team which has won a game, but
more importantly put them back in the playoff picture.
Jacksonville remained in third place in the Eastern Division,
but only two games out of first. Carolina, a 41-21 winner over
Kentucky, leads at 6-1, West Virginia is second at 4-2 and the
Firebirds third at 4-3. (Jacksonville plays Carolina at
Charlotte next week.)
Like the 39-10 loss to the Rockets three weeks ago in
Charleston, the Firebirds again started shakily. But last
night's 12-0 deficit midway in the second quarter wasn't as hard
to overcome as the 16-0 first-quarter margin the Rockets grabbed
in the first of their four |
|
scheduled games.
"Early in the game they brought both outside linebackers
inside and that shut off our running game," Williams said, "and
they were playing their cornerbacks one-on-one with our wide
receivers. We weren't having much luck until our receivers
started getting open consistently."
Jacksonville quarterback Don Gaffney was superb at times,
hitting 15 of 25 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns, but he
completed only one pass in the first quarter - 17 yards to Cleo
House - and three times had to scramble.
West Virginia scored on its first two possessions - on a
2-yard run by Larry McGee and a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Mark
Hutsell - and at 8:06 of the second quarter, things looked
dismal for the Birds.
But Gaffney went to work, scrambling 35 yards for a first
down at the Rocket 37 and then hitting Charlie Dorsey on
consecutive passes, the second for 13 yards and the touchdown.
Allan Leavitt's 23rd consecutive PAT made it 12-7 and the
Firebirds quickly got the ball back when Char- lie Pickett
caught Hutsell four yards behind the line on a third-and-four at
the Jacksonville 40.
Gaffney needed only nine plays to march the 'Birds 80 yards
for the go-ahead score, hitting Keith Jackson with a 6-yard
scoring strike. Included in that drive were a 23-yard pass to
Charlie Brown and a 32-yard completion to Kenny Bogin, who made
a spectacular diving |
|
catch on the play prior to Jackson's TD.
"Getting the lead at halftime was a big boost for us,"
Williams said. "We certainly didn't want to go into the locker
room trailing again. Things started clicking for us in the
second quarter."
Jacksonville turned the ball over the first two times it
had it in the third quarter, once on a Gaffney interception and
the second on a Jackson fumble. West Virginia took advantage of
the second turnover to retake the lead, 15-14, on a 45-yard
field goal by Rick Snodgrass.
The next play might have been Jacksonville's biggest of the
season.
Alex Prince got Snodgrass' kickoff at the 10, picked up a
horde of blockers along the right sideline and scurried 70 yards
to the Rocket 20. A 19-yard pass interference call (King was the
intended receiver) set up House's first of two one-yard
touchdown runs and Leavitt's kick made it 21-15.
But the Firebirds were not safe yet.
West Virginia closed to within four when Jackson was
tackled in the end zone on a busted play, and the Rockets
appeared to have stolen the momentum as they prepared to receive
the free kick
But Wilbert Fields threw Hutsell for a 5-yard loss on
fourth-and-six at the 50 and Gaffney killed more than four
minutes in marching for the clinching touchdown, another 1-yard
plunge by House. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| West Virginia |
|
6 |
|
6 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
|
- |
|
17 |
| Jacksonville |
|
0 |
|
14 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
28 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
WV |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
16 |
|
20 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
42 - 69 |
|
35 - 112 |
| Passing yards |
|
193 |
|
232 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
14 -
28 - 2 |
|
15 -
25 - 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
3 - 35 |
|
2 - 40 |
| Return yards |
|
154 |
|
174 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 1 |
|
2 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
3 - 62 |
|
9 - 91 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| WV |
|
McGhee 2 run (run failed) |
| WV |
|
Hutsell 1 run (kick failed) |
| JA |
|
Dorsey 13 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Jackson 6 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| WV |
|
Snodgrass 45 field goal |
| JA |
|
House 1 run (Leavitt kick) |
| WV |
|
Safety Jackson tackled in end
zone |
| JA |
|
House 1 run (Leavitt kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
West Virginia: Curtis Peavey (94)
Jacksonville: Don Gaffney (1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Three Texan
mistakes provide fuel for Steamer, 21-16 |
|
|
|
|
|
| George
Breaszeale - Austin American-Statesman |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Remember all the bad things that have happened to the
Austin Texans in the first quarter of their American Football
Association games this year? Well now, they're happening in the
final periọd.
Up by nine points with only 13 minutes to go in the game against
AFA Western Division leader Shreveport Saturday night at Nelson
Field and seemingly still in control with under 10 minutes left
the Texans suddenly disintegrated and the Steamer made off with
a 21-16 victory, not only clinching a post season playoff spot
for itself, but also one for runnerup San Antonio, which overran
Fort Worth 29-7 to lock up the playoff berth as the second place
representative.
Austin, dropping to 3-5 on the season, was impaled by its own
mistakes.
With just under 10 minutes to go and the Texans leading 16-7,
Shreveport's Derrick Battle blocked a punt by Austin's Tony
DelFattio. Another Steamer, B. J. Habor, picked the ball out of
the air and Tan it in on a 37-yard touchdown play. When Vernon
Wells kicked the point, the Louisianans needed only a field goal
to win. |
|
Austin quickly offered a touchdown opportunity, however.
Leonard Brantley fumbled on the first play after the kickoff and
Ken Kelly recovered for Shreveport at the Texan 21. On the first
play, running back Clarence Odum swept right end, hugged the
sideline and went in for the winning touchdown.
Quarterback Mike Washington and the Texans still had
comeback notions. The Texans drove 56 yards, to a first down at
the Steamer 14. Washington, trying to execute a flare pass,
lateralled wildly under a fierce rush, Shreveport's Don Henry
picked up the loose ball temporarily and Ron Johnson finally
owned possession at midfield, from where the Steamer ran out the
clock.
"We just made too many mistakes, the kind that kill you,"
said Austin coach Jim Davis. "It's the kind of game that makes
you sick to lose."
Despite their fourth period miseries, the Texans didn't
totally abandon their first quarter disaster syndrome. After
Austin's defense held inside its 20 on the Steamer's first
possession, Brantley's fumble was grabbed in midair by Steamer
middle guard Walter Chapman and returned 30 yards to the Austin
six. Three plays |
|
later, Arry Moody scored from the one and Vernon Wells converted
for a 7-0 Shreveport lead.
Austin drove 53 yards in eight plays to tie at 7-7 early in
the second quarter. Dave Smith, who rushed for 39 yards and
caught three passes for 70 more, scored on a four-yard run and
Billy Schott converted.
Schott's 35-yard field goal, following a 38-yard drive,
gave Austin a 10-7 lead midway of the third quarter. Then, early
in the fourth, Austin safety Jeff Carr recovered Donnie Sutton's
fumble at the Steamer 12 and Washington's fourth down pass to
Don Walker produced an Austin touchdown. The count stayed at
16-7 when Schott missed the extra point - and Austin had seen,
really, the last of the good times.
"Austin stopped our offense early and our defense didn't
really start playing until late in the game," said Shreveport
coach Jim Williams. "Mike Washington had given us trouble in the
two previous games this year and he did again in this one.
"Austin handled our offense and our defense won it for us,"
Williams summed up. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Shreveport |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
21 |
| Austin |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
3 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
16 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SH |
|
AU |
| First downs |
|
13 |
|
15 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
28 - 61 |
|
39 - 128 |
| Passing yards |
|
144 |
|
125 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
12 -
31 - 3 |
|
10 -
21 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
4 - 44.8 |
|
4 - 20.8 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 1 |
|
4 - 3 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
11 - 96 |
|
6 - 77 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SH |
|
Moody 1 run (Wells kick) |
| AU |
|
Smith 4 run (Schott kick) |
| AU |
|
Schott 35 field goal |
| AU |
|
Walker 5 pass from Washington
(kick failed) |
| SH |
|
Harbor 37 return of blocked
punt (Wells kick) |
| SH |
|
Odum 21 run (Wells kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Shreveport: Walter Chapman (69) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Chargers win with
defense |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The next time Lawrence Faulkner calls asking for a favor,
Jacksonville Firebirds' quarterback Don Gaffney might hang up on
him.
Saturday night in Memorial Stadium, tackle Faulkner keyed the
Carolina Chargers' best defensive game of the American Football
Association season, a 30-13 victory over defending league
champion Jacksonville.
But last Monday, Faulkner needed help. Faulkner's brother, a
Jacksonville construction worker, had fallen off a scaffold and
was hospitalized.
Faulkner didn't know what Jacksonville hospital his brother was
in. Naturally, he asked himself: "Whom do I know in
Jacksonville?"
Now, the Chargers have played the Firebirds eight times -
including one exhibition game - since both teams joined the AFA
before last season. Gaffney and Faulkner are well acquainted.
So Faulkner called Gaffney, and Gaffney found Faulkner's
brother, and then Gaffney called Faulkner back to tell him the
injury wasn't serious.
But all that help didn't extend to Saturday's game, in which the
7-1 Chargers virtually locked up one of two East division
playoff
berths. Meantime, Jacksonville dropped to 4-4, |
|
three losses to Carolina.
And Faulkner, who previously has complained about not
getting his share of the limelight, got a rare chance to wrap
his taped, padded hands around the football on an important
play.
The Chargers led 27-13 early in the fourth quarter, but
Jacksonville had the ball on Carolina's 38, third-and-10.
Faulkner swatted at Gaffney's line-drive pass over the middle,
and it bounced off his fist. The ball blooped end-over-end
almost straight up, getting maybe 20 feet high, then drifted to
Faulkner's left. Faulkner, 6-2, 240, chased it down the line,
making a diving catch about 10 yards from where he originally
blocked the ball.
The Chargers then used 12 plays and nearly seven important
minutes before Mike Cox's third field goal of the evening set
the final score.
"I just put up my hand," Faulkner said. "I've been fielding
punts in practice... I can catch punts on the run."
It was the third interception - the other two were by
defensive back Jeryl Todd - of a satisfying game for Carolina's
defense. The Firebirds' points all came either on or just after
freak plays, and both Jacksonville touchdowns |
|
were scored in the first half.
Carolina led 13-0 when Gaffney's long pass to Manzy King
fell several yards short. But the pass was just right for
Carolina cornerback Steve Crittendon, trailing the play, who
went for the interception and wound up batting the ball to King
at the Chargers' 2. Cleo House scored on the next play, but
Faulkner then practiced for his deflection-interception by
blocking the extra point kick.
The Chargers' offense then drove 75 yards in 10 plays,
quarterback Ellsworth Turner passing 3 yards to tight end Carlos
Stroman III for the touchdown. It was Turner's only touchdown
pass of the night, as the Chargers also had their best running
game of the season, netting 250 yards on 37 attempts.
The Firebirds' other score came just before the end of the
half, set up by a Turner fumble giving Jacksonville the ball at
Carolina's 4.
Afterward, Chargers' linebacker Joe Crosby said the
Firebirds usually feed off plays like Crittendon's botched
interception and Turner's fumble.
"If you can take away their big plays, you can win. They
aren't going to drive on you." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Jacksonville |
|
0 |
|
13 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
13 |
| Carolina |
|
10 |
|
10 |
|
0 |
|
10 |
|
- |
|
30 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
JA |
|
CA |
| First downs |
|
16 |
|
29 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 44 |
|
? - 250 |
| Passing yards |
|
231 |
|
203 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
15 -
32 - 3 |
|
18 -
30 - 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
? - 40.3 |
|
? - 0 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
? - 1 |
|
? - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
2 - 35 |
|
4 - 64 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Holland 10 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Cox 33 field goal |
| CA |
|
Cox 42 field goal |
| JA |
|
House 1 run (kick failed) |
| CA |
|
Stroman 3 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| JA |
|
Dorsey 23 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| CA |
|
Duke 18 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Cox 29 field goal |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
Carolina: Carlos Stroman (83)
Jacksonville: Vernon James (35), Marty Hammock (31) |
| |
 |
Jacksonville: Cleo House (33)
Carolina: Tony Suber (86) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Charros whip
Wranglers |
|
|
|
|
|
| Harry Page -
San Antonio Express-News |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Charros used a little dose of N&N medicine to secure a
relatively easy 29-7 victory over Fort Worth Saturday night at
Alamo Stadium.
Defensive back Keith Nelms returned a punt for a touchdown,
returned an interception for a score, and set up still another
score with u nifty return while Anton Niles, running over and
around the Wrangler defense with reckless abandon, rushed for
144 yards in 26 carries.
But, was San Antonio the real winner?
Only 1,327 fans were officially counted through the turnstiles
for the contest.
"That is the worst attendance we've had in two years," said
Charros General Manager Roger Gill. "It is seemingly now or
never for summer football. It won't work in the fall. It looks
like never. I know its been an exceptionally hot summer and all
summers won't be like this one.
"But it takes $6,000 just to play each game and to- night
(Saturday) our intake will be less than $2,000. The AFA is
getting a little more strenuous with its terms, and more teams -
like Norfolk (Va.), Orlando (Fla.) and Mobile (Ala.) - are
wanted by it. If we can still be in our division, like a Texas
League with not much travel involved, we should be all right.
"If we make the playoffs, we won't lose as |
|
much money as we did last year," continued Gill. "We figure
we'll lose less than $10,000 - if we make the playoffs. We don't
want to keep losing money but we really want to keep football
alive in this area. It's frustrating for sure."
The Charros, despite the loss of star quarterback Randy
Johnson who went to the sidelines for good with a knee injury
with 41 seconds left in the first quarter, kept their playoff
hopes alive in running their Western Division record to 5-3.
Fort Worth dropped to 0-8.
Nelms returned an interception 33 yards for a score in the
second period and dashed 63 yards into the Fort Worth end zone
with a punt in the third quarter. The Houston native, who played
at Kansas State, finished with 149 yards on four returns and
returned two kickoffs for a total of 31 yards.
Rich Lander kicked a pair of 33-yard field goals - one in
the first quarter and the other in the third stanza - and added
three conversion kicks.
Fullback Bon Dunn, who rushed for 58 yards in eight
carries, scored on a 3-yard plunge in the third quarter.
San Antonio gained a safety for its first score when
Wrangler center Jim Godwin hiked the |
|
ball over the head of punter Gayle Grant and out of the end
zone.
Fort Worth averted a shutout when quarterback Welby Ina and
wide receiver Calvin Portley combined on an 85-yard pass-run
play. Charro corner- back Mike Thierry went for an interception
but missed at the S.A. 25. Portley caught the ball and had
nothing but burnt-green grass in front of him on the third
period TD. Grant added the kick.
"I guess it was my night," said Nelms. "We worked on that
reverse (with Frank Oakes) all week and it paid off. The
interception was thrown right at me and I caught them off guard
on the punt."
Nelms' 49-yard return in the first quarter, on the reverse,
set up the Charros' first score.
"I wanted to get more yardage than what I did," said Niles,
a former Jay star. "The line was really blocking good for me. I
hope to do even better against Shreveport next week. I plan to
do even better. I'm really saving my best for them."
San Antonio, which meets the Steamer in Shreveport next
Saturday, plays its final home game Aug. 19 against Austin. It
also could be the Charros last game ever. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Fort Worth |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
7 |
| San Antonio |
|
12 |
|
7 |
|
10 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
29 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
FW |
|
SA |
| First downs |
|
7 |
|
19 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
44 - (-7) |
|
44 - 226 |
| Passing yards |
|
141 |
|
65 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
6 -
15 - 1 |
|
5 -20
- 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
7 - 30.3 |
|
3 - 39.3 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 2 |
|
2 - 0 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
6 - 47 |
|
4 - 50 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SA |
|
Lander 33 field goal |
| SA |
|
Nelms 33 interception return
(Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Nelms 63 punt return (Lander
kick) |
| FW |
|
Portley 85 pass from Ina
(Grant kick) |
| SA |
|
Lander 33 field goal |
| SA |
|
Dunn 3 run (Lander kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
West Virginia wins 29-20 in
semi-darkness
Rockets turn out the lights on Trackers |
|
|
|
|
|
| Richard Sowers
- Louisville Courier-Journal |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
"Turn out the lights; the party's over," Don Meredith often
sings when he, Howard Cosell and crew are in the midst of a
runaway on ABC's Monday night football.
Perhaps that's the same message the West Virginia Rockets (5-2)
were trying to give the Kentucky Trackers last night.
With 9:41 to play in the third quarter of their American
Football Association skirmish at Atherton High School, the
Rockets held a 19-8 advantage when play was temporarily halted
because every light on two of the four poles on the south side
of the field suddenly went out. After power was restored, the
Trackers managed to run two plays before the lights on all four
poles on the south side went out.
A West Virginia radio announcer recalled the Rockets' last visit
to Louisville, when a severe thunderstorm and tornado warning
ended the game in the third period with West Virginia clinging
to a 13-3 lead. "Here they go again," he said. "It happens every
time we come to Louisville."
The lights went out five more times, but play continued - much
of it in semi-darkness. The West Virginia radio announcer later
reported that the Rockets continued a domination over the
Trackers that is no more thorough - just more frequent - than
that of the rest of the league.
West Virginia held on to post a 29-20 victory, dropping the
Trackers' record to 0-7. Counting an 35-14 exhibition loss, the
game that was washed out of the record books by the storm, |
|
and a 26-6 regular-season defeat at West Virginia, the Trackers
have now been on the short end of four games with the Rockets by
a combined score of 103- 43.
"It's a struggle. We're going to have to sacrifice to turn
this thing around and build a winning team for the Trackers for
the future," said Trackers split end Darryl Drake, a Western
Kentucky product who was one of the Trackers' bright spots with
five receptions for 73 yards.
"There's a number of things wrong with us," Drake added.
"We need certain players at certain positions. We need an
offensive line, a pass rush and somebody in the secondary to
intimidate their receivers. Mental mistakes (three lost fumbles
and an interception) kill us."
West Virginia punished Trackers quarterback Mike Solomon
with six quarterback sacks - three of them by Plummer Bullack -
for losses totaling 72 yards. Despite two excellent scoring
drives, the Trackers managed only 26 yards on 39 rushes.
Meanwhile, West Virginia quarterback Larry Mayer was
virtually untouched. He completed 15 of 23 passes for 203 yards
and two touchdowns and scored on a one-yard plunge. Tight end
James Coleman and split end Steve Lewis each caught five passes
for 71 yards.
"We don't get good pass rush because our secondary is not
strong, so we have to drop linebackers and defensive ends back
to help them. It hurt us tonight," said Trackers coach Billy
Mitchell, who lost for the second time since succeeding Harry
Lander. "And we won't |
|
get any better until we improve the offensive line."
The Trackers fell behind 13-0 on Mayer's 23-yard scoring
strike to Buddy White and his one-yard plunge, and had Wendell
Burton not picked off a Mayer pass inside the Kentucky five-yard
line, the Trackers would have been in a hole deeper than the
Snake River Canyon.
Solomon's seven-yard TD pass to University of Kentucky
product Chris Hill and Myron Smith's conversion run capped a
14-play, 66-yard drive and brought Kentucky to within 13-8 with
1:32 left in the first half. Mayer's nine-yard scoring pass to
Coleman gave the Rockets a 19-8 lead before the teams matched
71-yard scoring drives on ensuing possessions.
Solomon connected with Georgetown College product Donnie
Leet for a 36-yard touchdown, and Ben McGee ended the Rockets'
scoring march with a one-yard run. Ed Puhlman added a 20-yard
field goal for the Rockets before the Trackers scored a bizarre
touchdown with two seconds to play.
Solomon's pass was intercepted at the goal line by West
Virginia's Anthony Clay, who fumbled it. Leet recovered in the
end zone for his second six-pointer.
The Trackers got solid play from Hill, who carried the ball
18 times for 54 yards, completed a halfback option pass for 12
yards and caught four passes for 52 yards.
But another dismal point was the crowd; only about 200 fans
braved the heat and humidity. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| West Virginia |
|
7 |
|
6 |
|
6 |
|
10 |
|
- |
|
29 |
| Kentucky |
|
0 |
|
8 |
|
6 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
20 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
WV |
|
KY |
| First downs |
|
19 |
|
17 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
31 - 88 |
|
39 - 26 |
| Passing yards |
|
203 |
|
189 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
15 -
23 - 1 |
|
15 -
26 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
4 - 28.5 |
|
4 - 31.0 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
? - 1 |
|
? - 3 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
6 - 53 |
|
6 - 37 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| WV |
|
White 23 pass from Mayer
(Puhlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Mayer 1 run (kick failed) |
| KY |
|
Hill 7 pass from Solomon
(Smith run) |
| WV |
|
Coleman 9 pass from Mayer
(pass failed) |
| KY |
|
Leet 36 pass from Solomon
(kick blocked) |
| WV |
|
McGee 1 run (Puhlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Puhlman 20 field goal |
| KY |
|
Leet fumble recovery in end
zone (pass failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Kentucky: Chris Hill (??) |
| |
 |
|
Kentucky: Buddy White (??) |
| |
 |
Kentucky: Chris Hill (??)
West Virginia: Leon Jenkins (??) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Wranglers wringed
again
Washington leads Texans to
fourth win, third over Fort Worth, 29-14 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Kevin Edwards -
Austin American-Statesman |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Austin Texans can thank the Fort Worth Wranglers for
joining the American Football Association.
If not for that, the Texans would be in dire straits.
Austin overwhelmed Fort Worth Saturday night, 29-14, before a
sparse crowd of 1,000 at Nelson Field, mainly on the strength of
Mike Washington's passing arm. The win leaves the Texans at 4-5
on the season, with three of them coming over Fort Worth.
Washington, the Texans' all-everything quarterback, completed 15
of 24 for 298 yards and two touchdowns as the Texans ground out
458 yards of total offense in their final home game of 1980.
Austin scored first when Washington hit wide receiver
Waylon Gay on a 25-yard touchdown pass with eight minutes left
in the |
|
first quarter to cap a nine-play, 55-yard drive. Billy Schott's
kick was wide left, and the Texans led 6-0.
The Wranglers struck back on the ensuing possession,
traveling 73 yards to take the lead 7-6, with the score coming
on quarterback Welby Ina's 10-yard pass to wide receiver Bobby
Estill. Ina was 11 for 27 on the night for 129 yards.
The Texans took the lead for good on the first play of the
second quarter when Washington sneaked over from the Fort Worth
two. Schott converted for a 13-7 lead.
That was upped to 20-7 eight minutes later on a crazy
69-yard touchdown pass play from Washington to running back Dave
Smith. Washington hit Smith with the pass at the Fort Worth 40,
and Wrangler Steve Beck applied a solid lick. But Smith bounced
away, and outran |
|
everyone for the score.
Ina teamed up with wide receiver C. J. White with 2:43 left
in the half on a 38-yard pass to bring the visitors to within
20-14 after Gale Grant's kick.
The Texans struck back just before the half ended. Smith
ran in from the four to end a 62-yard drive, the big play being
a 40-yard pass from Washington to Don Walker. Schott's kick was
blocked, and the halftime score was 26-14, Austin.
The fireworks ended in the second half, with the only score
being Schott's 33-yard field goal with 7:54 left in the game.
In other AFA action, Shreveport stopped San Antonio, 20-16,
Jacksonville tromped winless Kentucky, 45-6, West Virginia
topped Carolina, 27-16. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Fort Worth |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
14 |
| Austin |
|
6 |
|
20 |
|
0 |
|
3 |
|
- |
|
29 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
FW |
|
AU |
| First downs |
|
18 |
|
24 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
37 - 95 |
|
32 - 160 |
| Passing yards |
|
129 |
|
298 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
11 -
27 - 2 |
|
15 -
26 - 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
5 - 40 |
|
3 - 38 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
1 - 0 |
|
2 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
6 - 65 |
|
7 - 78 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| AU |
|
Gay 25 pass from Washington
(kick failed) |
| FW |
|
Estill 10 pass from Ina (Grant
kick) |
| AU |
|
Washington 2 run (Schott kick) |
| AU |
|
Smith 69 pass from Washington
(Schott kick) |
| FW |
|
White 38 pass from Ina (Grant
kick) |
| AU |
|
Smith 4 run (kick blocked) |
| AU |
|
Schott 33 field goal |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Rockets roll past
Chargers |
|
|
|
|
|
| Bob Baker -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The West Virginia Rockets roared from behind with 2
touchdowns in the final four minutes, defeating the Carolina
Chargers 27-16 in an American Football Association game Saturday
night. Carolina now has a 7-2 record and leads the Rockets (6-2)
by a half game in the Eastern Division.
The Chargers took a 16-13 lead in the third quarter on a 47-yard
field goal by Mike Cox.
This lead stood up until late in the fourth quarter when the
Rockets marched 68 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
The Chargers were called for pass interference on a Larry Mayer
pass intended for tight end James Coleman, giving the Rockets a
first down on the Carolina 33. Reserve quarterback Mark Hutsell
then passed to Coleman, who made a diving catch at the Carolina
3. Halfback Mike Horton then scored on a 1 yard run two plays
later, putting the Rockets ahead with 3:10 left in the game.
Luther Palmer kicked a point for a 20-16 |
|
Rockets lead.
The Chargers had to punt after the kickoff but the ball was
touched by a Rocket player and the Chargers recovered on the
Rockets 49. That gave Carolina quarterback Ellsworth Turner a
chance to pull out the game.
However, Turner tried a screen pass that was intercepted by
West Virginia defensive end Rayfield Williams and returned 36
yards to the Carolina 9. Three plays later halfback Larry McGee
plunged 3 yards for a touchdown that wrapped the game up for the
Rockets with 43 seconds left.
The Chargers scored first in the game on a 96-yard pass
interception return by defensive back Alan Overton midway in the
first quarter. The Rockets had the ball on the Carolina 7 when
Mayer's swing pass was picked off by Overton who had a clear
field. Cox kicked the point after touchdown.
The Rockets then went ahead 13-7. They capped a 58-yard
drive with a 1-yard Mayer |
|
run. The West Virginia team then got its second touchdown when
quarterback Turner was hit by defensive end James Black and
fumbled the ball. Tackle Larry Johnson picked up the loose ball
and rumbled 7 yards into the end zone.
Carolina rallied and tied the game 13-13 in the second
quarter. Safety Tony Byrum intercepted a pass and returned 34
yards to the Rockets 15. Two plays later, Turner tossed a
13-yard touch- down pass to end Bart Crawford. Cox missed the
extra point.
Turner completed 11 of 22 passes for 77 yards. Reserve
quarterback Don Porter tried 3 passes and failed to complete
any. Glenn Holland led the Chargers' rushing with 56 yards in 7
attempts. Bruce Duke gained 34 yards in 4 tries.
West Virginia held a 269-138 edge over the Chargers in
total yardage. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Carolina |
|
7 |
|
6 |
|
3 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
16 |
| West Virginia |
|
6 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
27 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
CA |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
7 |
|
14 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 61 |
|
? - 59 |
| Passing yards |
|
77 |
|
210 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
11 -
25 - 1 |
|
11 -
29 - 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
8 - 32.7 |
|
5 - 41.0 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 1 |
|
5 - 3 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
13 - 126 |
|
10 - 90 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Overton 96 interception return
(Cox kick) |
| WV |
|
Meyer 1 run (kick failed) |
| WV |
|
John 7 fumble recovery (Palmer
kick) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 13 pass from Turner
(kick failed) |
| CA |
|
Cox 47 field goal |
| CA |
|
Cox 47 field goal |
| WV |
|
Horton 1 run (Parker kick) |
| WV |
|
Mcgee 3 run (Parker kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
Carolina: Tony Byrum (??)
West Virginia: Buddy White (86) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Firebirds look
impressive flying past Trackers 45-6 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Earl Fannin -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Jacksonville Firebirds still aren't as good as they
were last year, "but they were awfully impressive last night in
routing Kentucky 45-6 before a meager throng liberally estimated
at 2,500 in the Gator Bowl.
"We aren't as strong defensively or Son the offensive line as we
were last year," coach Bob Williams admitted, "but we are
superior in the kicking game and at wide receiver."
Eight different receivers caught passes from a trio of
quarterbacks totaling 319 yards and five touchdowns last night
in an aerial attack that baffled and bewildered the Trackers'
sieve-like secondary.
And Allan Leavitt added six straight PATs (he's now 34-of-35)
and a 38-yard field goal as the Firebirds simply overwhelmed the
winless Kentuckians.
But it was the defense that was most impressive. Kentucky gained
just 41 yards on 32 rushing plays and added a mere 126 more
yards on 8-of-28 pass completions. The Firebirds had 11 tackles
for losses of 71 yards and harassed quarterback Terry Mullens so
often that he rarely had time to set up.
Mullens was a surprise starter, replacing the again-injured Mike
Solomon. And the former University of Louisville quarterback
(the third different QB Kentucky has used against Jacksonville)
had his first pass intercepted by Malachi Henry. Many of his
other attempts were batted around like a volleyball, and |
|
probably should have been intercepted, but fell to the grass.
It was possibly Jacksonville's best overall effort of the
year, even if it was against possibly the league's worst team.
"After we got into the ball game, it was one of our best
performances," Williams said. "We were able to exploit their
secondary. We had a lot of incentive to win this game."
The victory, Jacksonville's third this season over Kentucky
and fifth in two years, boosted the Firebirds' record to 5-4.
But the outlook is still not good for the defending AFA champion
Firebirds to even make it to the playoffs. West Virginia, which
hosts Jacksonville next week, upset Eastern Division-leading
Carolina 27-19 last night. Now Carolina is 7-2, West Virginia
6-2 and Jacksonville 54 with only four games remaining in the
regular season. Only the top two qualify for the playoffs.
"If we go up there and beat West Virginia, I think we'll
get into the playoffs," Williams said. "We're get- ting better
each week."
Once again, the Firebirds got off to a slow start, fumbling
the ball away on their first two possessions and having a
48-yard touchdown pass nullified by an offsides penalty.
But once Jacksonville got airborne, it was all over.
Quarterback Don Gaffney enjoyed one of his finest nights of
the season, throwing for a pair of first-quarter touchdowns, 3
and 16 yards |
|
to Charlie Brown. Leavitt's two kicks and second-quarter field
goal made it 17-0 at the intermission.
Brown caught his third TD of the night late in the third
quarter (he had 6 receptions for 105 total yards) and shortly
after hitting Curtis Williams with a 4-yard TD toss. Gaffney
retired for the night with these impressive stats: 15-of-21 for
208 yards.
Pat Padgett hit all three of his passes for 93 yards,
including a 62-yard touchdown toss to Manzy King. and former
taxi squader Bobby Hart, making his first appearance in a game
in eight years, hit 1-of-3 for 18 yards.
"We did a good job of throwing the ball," Williams grinned.
While chief catcher Charlie Dorsey had but one reception
for 11 yards (he did however catch the called-back 48-yarder),
Richard Tyson was making an impressive debut. Subbing for the
injured (knee) Alex Prince, Tyson caught four-for-76 yards,
including successive snatches of 8 and 23 yards proceeding Cleo
House's 3-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The Firebirds' stymied all but one of Kentucky's offensive
thrusts, losing their first shutout with five minutes remaining
on Mirron Smith's 1- yard run that climaxed a 71-yard drive
following House's ninth touchdown of the year. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Kentucky |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
6 |
| Jacksonville |
|
14 |
|
3 |
|
7 |
|
21 |
|
- |
|
45 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
KY |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
10 |
|
20 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
32 - 41 |
|
38 - 127 |
| Passing yards |
|
126 |
|
319 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
8 -
28 - 1 |
|
19 -
27 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
8 - 23 |
|
2 - 39 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 1 |
|
6 - 3 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
4 - 28 |
|
6 - 67 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| JA |
|
Brown 3 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Brown 16 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 38 field goal |
| JA |
|
Brown 24 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
House 3 run (Leavitt kick) |
| KY |
|
Smith 1 run (pass failed) |
| JA |
|
King 62 pass from Padgett
(Leavitt kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Steamer turns in
typical comeback |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ron Higgins -
Shreveport Times |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
With the Shreveport Steamer, the timekeeper should skip the
first 48 minutes of and wind the clock down to the final 120
seconds.
The Steamer turned in its typical comeback, driving 65 yards in
the final two minutes with James Mosley scoring the game-winning
touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 46 seconds
remaining to help Shreveport edge past San Antonio 20-16 at
State Fair Stadium Saturday night.
"I planned to go straight over the center," said Mosley, "but it
depended on what the nose guard did. As it was, I ended up going
over the right guard."
Mosley's push over right guard capped an incredible Steamer
drive. "The last time we came back on them, they looked for us
to throw the deep ball all night," explained Mosley. "This time
around, we tried to hit them with the short pass and use our
running game. We also got a couple of penalties that helped."
The big penalty that really helped came on third and 10 at the
Charro 15 when Edwin Scott, hanging in the left corner of the
end zone while waiting for a Mosley pass, was knocked
practically into the stands by San Antonio's Mike Thierry. The
obvious pass interference call placed the ball at the one where
Mosley went in on the next play.
The Steamer's final drive started after San Antonio's Rich
Lander, son of former Steamer owner Harry, kicked a 36-yard
field goal to put the Charros up 16-14 with 2:02 left in the |
|
game.
The Charros, trailing at the half 7-3, took a 13-7 lead in
the third quarter via a Bonn Dunn 1-yard touchdown run, a Lander
extra point and a Lander 47-yard field goal.
Shreveport went ahead 14-13 on the first play of the fourth
period with Clarence Odum scoring on a 1-yard run with Jerry
Pope adding the extra point.
That all set up the fast and furious action in the game's
final minutes in which the Steamer managed to run its record to
8-1 while San Antonio fell to 5-4.
Shreveport's starting quarterback Ken Smith fumbled the
second snap of the game with San Antonio's Phil Haun recovering
at the Charro 29. But, a solid Steamer defense moved San Antonio
two yards backwards and the Charros' Rich Lander came on to
leave short a 48-yard field goal attempt.
The Steamer defense quickly returned to the field as Smith,
searching for someone to hand off to after some confusion in the
Shreveport backfield had the ball knocked loose. Dave Devore
recovered the bouncing ball at the Shreveport 22.
San Antonio went virtually nowhere again, but this time
Lander kicked through a 38-yard field goal for a 3-0 Charro lead
with 11:41 left in the first quarter.
With San Antonio failing to move on its first offensive
series of the second quarter, the Steamer offense finally got
totally untracked and it was Smith who helped. |
|
Upon taking over the ball at the Steamer 24, Shreveport's
Smith started firing passes in all directions.
First, he hit Odell Smith with a scrambling throw for a
13-yard gain to the Steamer 40. After barely missing Foppe long,
Smith came back with a 15-yard sideline throw to a leaping Edwin
Scott at the Charro 45.
Two plays later, Smith spied Lazarro cutting across the
middle right to left and fired a pass which was tipped by the
Charros' Tomasi right in front of the Steamer receiver. But
Lazzaro grabbed the deflection and rambled on to the Charro 17
for a 31-yard gain.
Smith completed a short pass to Lazzaro for seven yards to
the San Antonio 10. But it was a pass interference call on the
Charros' Dudley Keller for riding Foppe's back at the 3-yard
line that moved the ball into prime Shreveport scoring position
at the Charro 2.
After the Steamer's Odell Smith lost two yards at left end,
Donnie Sutton practically walked in for a four-yard touchdown
around right end, thanks to the blocking escort of Chuck Kelly
and Smith. Jerry Pope booted the extra point and Shreveport was
ahead, 7-3, with 9:11 left in the second quarter.
It stayed that way through half- time thanks to three
Steamer interceptions. Derrick Battle, Eddie Bishop and B.J.
Harbor all picked off passes to halt all San Antonio threats.
Harbor's interception came on the last play of the half,
reaching up and grabbing Glen Penna's pass with one hand. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| San Antonio |
|
3 |
|
0 |
|
10 |
|
3 |
|
- |
|
16 |
| Shreveport |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
13 |
|
- |
|
20 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SA |
|
SH |
| First downs |
|
10 |
|
19 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
35 - 52 |
|
33 - 16 |
| Passing yards |
|
118 |
|
237 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
7 -
23 - 3 |
|
16 -
32 - 3 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
5 - 40.4 |
|
6 - 32.5 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 1 |
|
4 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
13 - 111 |
|
10 - 89 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SA |
|
Lander 38 field goal |
| SH |
|
Sutton 4 run (Pope kick) |
| SA |
|
Dunn 1 run (Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Lander 47 field goal |
| SH |
|
Odum 1 run (Pope kick) |
| SA |
|
Lander 36 field goal |
| SH |
|
Mosley 1 run (no kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
Shreveport: Clarence Odum (??)
San Antonio: Dudley Keller (20), Tally Neal (50) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Austin Texans
at
San Antonio Charros
August 2, 1980
- Alamo Stadium - |
|
|
| |
| New QB the hero,
Charros roll, 35-14 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Mike Bruton -
San Antonio Express-News |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Charro coach George Pasterchick owes Bum Phillips a favor.
Ken Daly, a rookie quarterback out of Wake Forest who was
released by the Houston Oilers last week, threw four touchdown
passes as San Antonio ripped the Austin Texans 35-14 Saturday
night at Alamo Stadium in the regular season finale for both
teams.
The Charros were assured on a play-off berth coming into the
game since they had already clinched a tie for second place in
the American Football Association's West Division.
Their victory Saturday night left them in sole possession of
that runner-up spot at 64 and they will meet the East Division
winner, either West Virginia or Carolina, on August 30 in the
first round of the AFA post-season campaign.
Anton Niles, who scored the other San Antonio TD on a 1-yard
plunge, slithered through the Texan defense for 100 yards on 27
carries and finished as the West Division's leading rusher with
591 yards.
Daly, who completed 9 of 25 passes for 139 yards with one
interception, hit the AFA's second-leading receiver Tank
Whittier with throws of 15 and 5 yards for the Charros first two
touchdowns. Then the tall quarterback turned his attention to
Robert Tuttle in the second half, hitting him with scoring
passes of 15 and 11 yards. |
|
The Charro defense was monstrous, keeping Austin's
explosively quick quarterback Mike Washington under control
while smothering the Texan's running game. Austin had a minus
three yards on 32 attempts.
However, in the late stages, Washington went to the air and
ended up with 143 yards on a 12 of 28 night.
Jessie Dumas scored in the closing minutes of the game on a
9-yard run to take some of the sting out of San Antonio's rout.
Austin finished the year at 4 6.
Daly found Whittier twice in the end zone to help stake the
Charros to a 21-7 halftime lead.
The first San Antonio touchdown, a 15-yard deflected pass,
came at 9:46 of the opening period on the heels of a Buddy
Tomasi interception.
Tomasi returned the interception to the Austin 39 and eight
plays later, Daly threw to Whittier in a crowd. A Texan defender
got a hand on the ball but the sticky-fingered Whittier managed
to hang on for the TD.
The Charros went up 14-0 with 4:54 left in the first
quarter as Whittier beat the Austin secondary on a short out
route to score on a 5-yard pass.
Late in the second period, it looked like the Charros would
go up 21-0 after Leonard Brantley fumbled the ball away to San |
|
Antonio's Tally Neal at the Texan 29.
On second down and 16 to go, Daly lofted a pass in John
Tuttle's direction but Austin defensive back Al Mays alertly
picked the pass off and returned it 48 yards to the Charro 49.
With only 5:49 left in the half, Mays' return put Austin in
Charro territory for the first time in the game.
Washington kept on an option to the right side six plays
later to get Austin on the scoreboard.
However, it was two passes, tosses of 28 and 13 yards, to
wide receiver Wayland Gay that set up the TD, the latter leaving
the ball at the San Antonio 8.
After a 2-yard gain by Brantley, Washington darted into the
end zone untouched.
The Charros got a gift late in the half and managed to
score with 19 seconds left.
Two disastrous plays by Austin, a bad pitch by Washington
which resulted in a 13-yard loss and a 20-yard setback when
punter Tony DelFatti was nailed by Clyde Jenkins, left the ball
at the Texans' 20 with 54 seconds left.
Two plays later, Daly hit tight end Steve Pasterchick with
a 14yard pop pass to put the ball on the 2. After trying a
quarterback sneak, Anton Niles pushed it across from the 1.
The Texans had a minus 22 yards rushing in the first half. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Austin |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
14 |
| San Antonio |
|
14 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
35 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
AU |
|
SA |
| First downs |
|
9 |
|
18 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
32 - (-3) |
|
42 - 139 |
| Passing yards |
|
143 |
|
139 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
12 -
29 - 2 |
|
9 -
25 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
6 - 34.0 |
|
5 - 40.4 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 1 |
|
3 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
5 - 55 |
|
7 - 50 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SA |
|
Whittier 15 pass from Daly
(Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Whittier 7 pass from Daly
(Lander kick) |
| AU |
|
Washington 6 run (Schott kick) |
| SA |
|
Niles 1 run (Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Tuttle 15 pass from Daly
(Lander kick) |
| SA |
|
Dumas 9 run (Schott kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
San Antonio: Tom Nance (70), Anton Niles (22) |
|
|
|
|
 |
Triple Cities Jets
(Atlantic Football Conference)
at
Carolina Chargers
- EXHIBITION -
August 2, 1980
- Memorial Stadium - |
|
|
| |
| 'Riot Act' spurs
on Chargers |
|
|
|
|
|
| David Scott -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Carolina Chargers, helped by a firm halftime chat from
coach George Sauer, recovered from an early deficit Saturday and
whipped the Binghamton (N.Y.) Triple Cities Jets 42-13 in a
Memorial Stadium exhibition football game.
The Chargers had been scheduled to play Kentucky in an American
Football Association game, but the AFA expelled the Trackers
early this week. The Jets, of the amateur Atlantic Foot- ball
Conference, agreed to substitute.
And while Binghamton wasn't in the same class as the semipro
Chargers, the smaller Jets gave Carolina a first-half fit.
After Charger quarterback Ellsworth Turner tossed a 14-yard
scoring pass to Bart Crawford late in the second quarter giving
Carolina a 14-13 halftime lead, Sauer gave a lecture on the
evils of overconfidence and complacency.
"George read us a riot act," Charger center Reid Squires said
with a smile. "And he should have. We saw them get off the bus,
saw how they looked and probably got a little overconfident."
What the Chargers saw was a Binghamton team with no player
taller than 6-3 or heavier than 245 pounds. The average Jet
lineman looked to be 6-0, 200, a good cut below |
|
Carolina's crew.
And at first, it appeared the Chargers would make quick
work of the Jets, who had yielded only 18 points in six games.
The Chargers scored the first time they had the ball, when
Turner sneaked it in from a yard. The Chargers could have run
away with it.
But the Jets, which had scores of Binghamton-transplanted
supporters from Charlotte's IBM plant among the 4,810
spectators, turned any Carolina momentum their way.
Instrumental in the switch was some rustiness on the part
of Turner, who, while completing 17 of 30 passes for 188 yards
and 3 touchdowns, threw a pair of first half interceptions.
Binghamton tied the game in the first quarter on a 9-yard
run by Frank Yanuk, then went ahead 13-7 on a 6-yarder by Rob
Nearing. The Jets' conversion attempt was blocked.
"We remembered at halftime there was a great deal of pride
involved here, just playing another league," Squires said. And
reminded that the Jets hadn't given up a second-half point all
season, he added, "We really wanted to mar that record."
So, Carolina forced the Jets into turnovers |
|
the first two times Binghamton had the ball in the second half,
and the game's result was no longer in doubt.
Steve Crittendon intercepted a George Pachuchy pass at
midfield and returned it to the 7, where Turner hit Crawford for
a fourth-down, 4-yard scoring pass. Crawford twisted his knee on
the play and sat out the remainder of the game.
After that, the Chargers rolled it up. Turner lofted an
11-yard scoring pass to Donald Porter later in the third period
to make it 28-13.
Then, in the fourth quarter, Turner was shaken up and
briefly left the game. In his stead, Porter's first pass went
for a 10-yard touchdown to Barry McNeill. The scoring ended with
a 45-yard run by ex-Johnson C. Smith player Ed Johnson.
The Chargers, who remain 7-2 in the AFA, travel to
Jacksonville next week to play the Firebirds, 16-7 losers
Saturday at West Virginia.
"It was good for us to play these guys tonight." Squires
said. "And, no cut to them, if we had been playing Jacksonville,
it would have been 30-0 at the half. So we're glad we came out
of it later." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Triple Cities |
|
0 |
|
13 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
13 |
| Carolina |
|
7 |
|
4 |
|
14 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
42 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
TC |
|
CA |
| First downs |
|
15 |
|
23 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 210 |
|
? - 170 |
| Passing yards |
|
75 |
|
222 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
6 -
16 - 1 |
|
19 -
34 - 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
7 - 38.7 |
|
6 - 29.6 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 2 |
|
0 - 0 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
? - 55 |
|
? - 70 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Turner 1 run (Crittendon kick) |
| TC |
|
Yanuk 9 run (Vangura kick) |
| TC |
|
Nearing 6 run (kick failed) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 14 pass from Turner
(Crittendon kick) |
| CA |
|
Crawford 4 pass from Turner
(Crittendon kick) |
| CA |
|
Porter 11 pass from Turner
(Crittendon kick) |
| CA |
|
McNeill 10 pass from Porter
(Crittendon kick) |
| CA |
|
Johnson 45 run (Crittendon
kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
EXHIBITION
Carolina: Ellsworth Turner (15) |
| |
 |
EXHIBITION
Carolina: Ellsworth Turner (15) |
| |
 |
EXHIBITION
Carolina: Ellsworth Turner (15) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Steamer dumps
Wranglers, 20-9 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Shreveport
Times |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Long scoring strikes to flashy receivers Vernon Wells and
Rod Foppe destroyed the hopes of a Fort Worth upset and sent
Shreveport's Steamer to the American Football Association
playoffs with a 20-9 win under its belt Saturday night.
The Steamer, completing the season with a 9-1 mark, will meet an
eastern division opponent in late August when the playoffs open.
Wells had four receptions for 129 yards. Foppe added 55 on two
catches.
As have been the other matches between the teams, this one was
on the wild and woolly side. The 75-to-100 Steamer fans drew a
penalty in the contest for excessive use of an airhorn. Coach
Jim Williams of the Steamer drew a penalty for protesting and
the next several plays were followed with players pushing and
shoving.
And because of a lighting failure in the high school stadium
where the game was played, both teams worked toward one goal
most of the third period. A bank of lights at one end of the
field failed, forcing the impromptu change.
But on the field the Steamer survived with another good
defensive effort that held the winless Wranglers (0-10) and
their skitterish quarterback, Welby Ina, in check. Ina was as
much of a thorn in Shreveport's side with his scrambling as well
as his passing as Fort Worth made this one much closer than the
56-0 rout suffered in Shreveport a couple of weeks ago. |
|
Shreveport broke on top by 7-0 with the
bomb on the game's second play.
The swift Wells, who played his collegiate ball at nearby
Texas Christian University, got behind the defense and caught a
65-yard scoring pass from James Mosely.
After Wells missed a 46-yard field goal on the last play of
the first quarter, the Wranglers drew to within 7-3 on Gail
Grant's 24-yard field goal, set up by a blocked punt at the
Shreveport 30.
The ball rolled all the way to the five where it was
recovered by Fort Worth but the Steamer defense made a
magnificent stand and forced the Wranglers to settle for the
kick.
Obviously piqued by the events, Shreveport's offense struck
like lightning again on the next series. Foppe, the other half
of the Steamer's double-barreled wide receiver combine, flashed
in to take another Mosley pass and convert it into a 44- yard
touchdown play early in the second quarter.
But the winless Wranglers answered in just three plays,
first a 46-yard aerial gain off the arm of Ina, followed by a
32-yard scoring strike from the redoubtable little quarterback
to Bobby Estelle with 7:45 to go in the half to make the count
14-9.
Fort Worth ended the half camped at the Shreveport 21 and
returned to march from its 29 to the Steamer 15 in 14 plays with
the second-half kickoff.
But with eight minutes to play in the third stanza, the
Steamer blocked Grant's field goal |
|
try.
Donnie Sutton, who powered Shreveport's running attack with
73 yards on 11 carries, got the Steamer off on a 63-yard scoring
march after that, breaking a 25-yard gain. Shreveport's No. 2
quarterback, Ken Smith, used Wells for a 33-yard aerial target
to move the ball to the Fort Worth 3 and, after Sutton advanced
the ball to the one, Smith hammered in for the touchdown.
James Skinner recovered a Fort Worth fumble on the next
kickoff but the Steamer, taking over at the Wrangler 42,
couldn't capitalize. A penalty erased a five-yard reception by
Foppe in the end zone and Smith launched an illegal forward pass
above the line of scrimmage on another occasion to take the
wheels off this threat.
Shreveport will take the AFA's best record into the
playoffs.
It will play either West Virginia or Carolina, the only
teams in the AFA East with playoff chances. Both are 7-2 with at
least two games remaining.
West Virginia dropped Jacksonville to 5-5 with a 16-7
victory. Carolina beat Binghamton, N.Y., 42-13, in an
exhibition, forced when Kentucky dropped out of the league last
week.
Arry Moody gained 48 yards for Shreveport on 11 runs.
Mosley passed for 172 yards and Smith 88. Fort Worth's Kevin
Scott led his side with 15 carries for 60 yards. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Shreveport |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
20 |
| Fort Worth |
|
0 |
|
9 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
9 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SH |
|
FW |
| First downs |
|
15 |
|
18 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
22 - 120 |
|
25 - 94 |
| Passing yards |
|
185 |
|
128 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
11 -
20 - 0 |
|
10 -
25 - 0 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
1 - 27 |
|
3 - 37 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
1 - 1 |
|
3 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
12 - 136 |
|
5 - 40 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SH |
|
Wells 63 pass from Mosley
(Wells kick) |
| FW |
|
Grant 25 field goal |
| SH |
|
Foppe 44 pass from Mosley
(kick failed) |
| FW |
|
Estill 27 pass from Ina (kick
failed) |
| SH |
|
Smith 1 run (kick blocked) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| 'Birds' playoff
hopes end 16-7 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Florida
Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The West Virginia Rockets ended Jacksonville's American
Football Association playoff hopes last night with a 16-7
victory here before 7,200 fans.
The loss left the defending AFA champion Firebirds with a 5-5
record and put them three games behind both West Virginia and
the Carolina Chargers in the East Division with two games to
play. West Virginia and Carolina both have 8-2 records.
Quarterback Don Gaffney led the Firebirds on a 70-yard touchdown
drive in the first period, but that was the only serious threat
by Jacksonville. With the Rockets ahead 3-0 on a 39-yard Ed
Puhlman field goal, the Firebirds staged their only touchdown
drive midway of the first period.
The drive featured the scrambling of Gaffney, who eluded
would-be Rockets' tacklers to complete three passes. He hit
Charlie Brown for 18 and 4 yards and Keith |
|
Jackson with a 6-yard toss.
Running back Cleo House carried seven times in the march,
with his longest run nine yards. House got the touchdown on a
2-yard plunge with three minutes left in the first period. Allan
Leavitt kicked the PAT to give the Firebirds a 7-3 edge.
Carl Pennington, a former West Virginia player now with the
Firebirds, intercepted a Larry Mayer pass early in the second
quarter and returned to the Rocket 37. However, on the next
play, a long Gaffney pass was intercepted in the end zone by
Rocket cornerback Leon Jenkins for a touchback and the Firebirds
were finished offensively for the night.
West Virginia took a 10-7 halftime lead on a 55-yard drive
late in the second period. Quarterback Mike Hutsell, a former
Tennessee State player, led the drive but regular quarterback
Mayer came in to throw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Duck Riley. |
|
West Virginia chewed up 812 minutes of the third period
with a 74-yard touchdown drive with Mayer completing three
passes to Buddy White. Rich Thomaselli fumbled at the
Jacksonville 6 and cornerback Vernon James recovered for
Jacksonville, but the officials ruled the play dead. Four plays
later, Mayer sneaked 1-yard for the touchdown.
The Rockets kept Gaffney in check the second half and the
Firebirds only threat came on a freak punt play. With the ball
on the Jacksonville 41, West Virginia punter Dave Sisson got a
high snap from center. He went back to pick up the ball and
tried to kick on the run from the Rockets 30-yard line. The ball
went into the hands of Firebird Charley Dorsey at the 35. Dorsey
ran a few yards and tried to lateral, but the ball was recovered
by West Virginia's Dan Carter at the 23. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Jacksonville |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
7 |
| West Virginia |
|
3 |
|
7 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
16 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
JA |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
8 |
|
16 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
27 - 75 |
|
43 - 153 |
| Passing yards |
|
76 |
|
169 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
7 -
23 - 1 |
|
10 -
25 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
8 - 41 |
|
5 - 30 |
| Return yards |
|
79 |
|
107 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 1 |
|
2 - 1 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
5 - 36 |
|
4 - 35 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| WV |
|
Puhlman 39 field goal |
| JA |
|
House 2 run (Leavitt kick) |
| WV |
|
Riley 7 pass from Mayer
(Puhlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Mayer 1 run (kick failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Leavitt kicks
Firebirds - finally! - past Chargers |
|
|
|
|
|
| Frank Frangie -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
All season long, Jacksonville placekicker Allan Leavitt has
said the Firebirds could beat Carolina.
Last night in the Gator Bowl, he proved it by hitting four field
goals, including a 32-yarder with 11 seconds to play, to lift
the Firebirds to a 19-18 victory over the Chargers.
The win was the Firebirds' first in four tries against the
Chargers, and pushed them to 6-5 on the season.
"We're every bit as good a team as they are," Leavitt said. "And
it's very satisfying to be a part of this. They have an
excellent team, but we showed a lot of team pride and unity
tonight. This is satisfying for the whole team."
Leavitt also booted field goals of 55 and 50 yards, the former a
team record.
"I felt confident on all the kicks," he said. "I wanted to try
one from 60, but we decided to punt instead.
"But that last drive is what won the game. I'm supposed to make
the kicks. But Don Gaffney and the guys did a really fine job
getting me the chance."
That last drive began at the Firebird 34 with 1:54 to play.
Operating with one time out left, Gaffney used a draw play to
Cleo House, passes to House and Charlie Brown, and |
|
another draw play by House to set up the winning kick.
"There was a lot of pressure [in the final drive]," Gaffney
said. "But we had a lot of guys come through with awfully good
efforts. I'm really proud of the way all the guys played."
The final drive, however, was marred by controversy. On the
pass to House, the burly fullback gained 15 yards to the Charger
38 where he lost control of the ball. The officials ruled the
play dead.
"That was a perfectly obvious fumble," Chargers coach
George Sauer said. "It was a downright terrible call. I'm not
questioning anyone's integrity, and generally it was a well
officiated game. But that was awful. Everybody in the place saw
it except the guy who wasn't looking - the guy that was
responsible to make the call.
The Firebirds scored first, driving 32 yards in six plays
to the Charger 33, where Leavitt hit his 50-yarder.
The Chargers got their first two scores after intercepting
Gaffney passes. Trailing 3-0, Carolina defensive back Jeryl Todd
picked off a Gaffney pass and dashed 45 yards down the left
sideline for a touchdown.
On the next series, linebacker Gary Stokes |
|
intercepted Gaffney and returned it to the Firebird 39. Then the
Chargers moved to the Firebird 6 before stalling and settling
for Mike Cox's 23-yard field goal.
"Jacksonville has probably played Carolina more than anyone
else," Sauer said. "We've seen Gaffney nine times in the last
two years. If you play against someone that much, you're going
to figure out some things that may stop him."
Gaffney completed 12 of 23 passes for 150 yards, while the
Chargers' Ellsworth Turner, the AFA's leading passer, was 17 for
33 for 179 yards, most coming in the second half.
"I don't think we were up until the second half," Sauer
said. "I thought we drove the ball good on offense in the second
half. But they drove it real well in the first."
The loss drops the Chargers to 7-3 and leaves them a
half-game behind the West Virginia Rockets, a 27-19 winner over
the Baltimore Eagles in an exhibition game last night. The
Chargers and Rockets meet next week, and the following week West
Virginia plays at Jacksonville in a game which could decide the
Eastern Division title. Next week, the Firebirds play Mobile of
the Dixie League in Jacksonville. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Carolina |
|
10 |
|
0 |
|
5 |
|
3 |
|
- |
|
18 |
| Jacksonville |
|
3 |
|
10 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
19 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
CA |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
16 |
|
15 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
30 - 104 |
|
36 - 82 |
| Passing yards |
|
179 |
|
150 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
17 -
33 - 2 |
|
12 -
23 - 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
4 - 29 |
|
4 - 39 |
| Return yards |
|
135 |
|
166 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 2 |
|
2 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
3 - 20 |
|
7 - 63 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 50 field goal |
| CA |
|
Todd 45 interception return
(Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Cox 23 field goal |
| JA |
|
Prince 20 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| FA |
|
Leavitt 50 field goal |
| CA |
|
Safety Gaffney tackled in end
zone |
| CA |
|
Cox 24 field goal |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 26 field goal |
| CA |
|
Cox 25 field goal |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 32 field goal |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Baltimore Eagles
(Atlantic Coast League)
at
West Virginia Rockets
- EXHIBITION -
August 9, 1980
- Laidley Field - |
 |
|
| |
| Rocket rally tops
Eagles by 27 to 19 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Baltimore Sun |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
The Charleston Rockets overcame a 19 to 6 Baltimore Eagle
halftime lead and handed the visitors their first football loss
of the season, 27 to 19, last night. The Eagles who had rolled
to a 6-0 record including four straight shutouts this season,
jumped on top at
the outset as Doc |
|
Holliday returned the game's opening kickoff 95 yards for a
touchdown. James Dawkins scored a 24-yard run and Dan Kendra
connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass from James LaSane as the
Eagles built their 13-point lead after two quarters. |
|
The Rockets, now 8-2 on the season, got touchdown passes
from Larry Mayer and Mark Hutsell and an 11-yard scoring run by
Ed Harter in the closing 30 minutes of play to pull out the
victory. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Baltimore |
|
13 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
19 |
| West Virginia |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
7 |
|
14 |
|
- |
|
27 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
BA |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
? |
|
? |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Passing yards |
|
? |
|
? |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
? - ?
- ? |
|
? - ?
- ? |
|
Punts - avg |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| Penalties - yards |
|
? - ? |
|
? - ? |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| BA |
|
Holliday 95 kickoff return
(kick failed) |
| BA |
|
Dawkins 24 run (Rogers kick) |
| WV |
|
Lewis 11 pass from Mayer (kick
failed) |
| BA |
|
LaSane 20 pass from Kendra
(kick failed) |
| WV |
|
Lewis 25 pass from Hutsell
(Pohlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Harter 11 run (Pohlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Batten 26 pass from Mayer
(Pohlman kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
EXHIBITION
West Virginia: David Riley (33) |
| |
 |
EXHIBITION
West Virginia:
Larry Mayer (18)
courtesy of Jeff Creamer |
| |
 |
EXHIBITION
West Virginia:
Larry Mayer (18)
courtesy of Jeff Creamer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Chargers falter,
hold off Rockets |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
It was a game of missed opportunities, and it came down to
one last chance, a final instant in which an evening-long
pattern of one team leeching off the other's mistakes finally
could be cast aside. At last, somebody could do something to win
instead of waiting around for the other team to lose.
That final moment was Billy Schott's. In an ending consistent
with the tone of the game, Schott blew it.
West Virginia Rockets' kicker Schott shanked a 38-yard-field
goal attempt low and to the left with 55 seconds left, giving
the Carolina Chargers a 10-9 American Football Association
victory Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The score probably shouldn't have been 10-9 when Schott's kick
crashed onto the turf like a punctured balloon. West Virginia
should have had 10 points, and Carolina should have had a bunch
more than that.
Taking it from the top:
l Carolina's Mike
Cox, the league's leading scorer, a kicker many coaches say is
the league's best, missed three of four field goals and flubbed
two crucial punts late in the game. One of the punts traveled 2
yards.
"I've had bad games, but this is the ultimate," Cox said after
missing field goals of 27, 50, and 49 yards (he made one from
32), and punting five times for a 27-yard average. "This one'll
go down in the books. I can't blame anybody but myself... You
know, this was the best week of practice I ever had."
l West Virginia's Schott
lined up for an |
|
extra-point kick that would have tied the score 10-10 with 9:40
left, but the snap from center sailed over Schott's head. Schott
chased the ball to midfield before he jumped on it, and several
Chargers jumped on him. The same thing happened earlier to
Rockets' punter Dave Sisson. Sisson flagged a snap down at West
Virginia's 19 with 37 seconds left in the first half, and Cox
had his lone successful field goal 26 seconds later, giving
Carolina a 10-3 halftime lead.
l The Chargers' normally
potent offense balked and sputtered much of the evening.
Carolina finally gave West Virginia the ball on a fumble at the
Chargers' 24 with 12:14 left, leading to the Rockets' only
touchdown. Chargers' quarterback Ellsworth Turn- er, who usually
throws for about 300 yards with a 59 percent completion average,
completed 12 of 28 passes for 114 yards. He threw no touchdown
passes and was intercepted twice. Carolina didn't score in the
second half and Turner completed only 4 of 12 for 31 yards.
l West Virginia coach
Perry Moss, who founded the Chargers and coached them one year
before switching franchises in April, tried two quarterbacks and
still never got his offense going. Part of the problem was
Carolina's defense, but part of it was that neither starter
Larry Mayer nor backup Mark Hutsell could get the ball and the
receiver at the same place at approximately the same time.
Mayer completed 5 of 15 for 45 yards with 1 interception,
and didn't play after halftime. |
|
Hutsell completed 4 of 13 for 63 yards, and 1 interception.
Hutsell's interception came when his receiver turned to the
sideline and he threw to the middle, leaving Carolina cornerback
Jeryl Todd looking like a punt returner as he hauled the ball
in, all alone in the middle of the field.
Schott's missed kick kept the Chargers' 16-game home
winning streak alive - but they, too, might ultimately have
missed a big opportunity.
Here's how:
Carolina is 8-3, atop the AFA East. West Virginia is 7-3,
with a game remaining this week at Jacksonville. Carolina was
scheduled to travel to Kentucky this week, but Kentucky folded
three weeks ago. So Carolina has finished its regular season,
and probably will host an exhibition game this week against a
team from another league.
The Rockets and Chargers split four games this year, but
West Virginia had scored 13 more points in the three meetings
prior to Saturday's game. To win the East outright, the Chargers
had to win by 14 Saturday, and they didn't.
The East winner hosts a first round playoff game Aug. 30
against West runner-up San Antonio, and the East runner-up
travels to West champ Shreveport. Carolina, 21-9 since its 1979
inception, is 16-0 at home and 5-9 on the road.
"Shreveport is tough." Moss told Chargers' coach George
Sauer Jr. after Saturday's game. "The team that goes down there
might not come back." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Carolina |
|
7 |
|
3 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
10 |
| West Virginia |
|
0 |
|
3 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
9 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
CA |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
15 |
|
14 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 117 |
|
? - 71 |
| Passing yards |
|
93 |
|
84 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
12 -
28 - 2 |
|
9 -
28 - 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
5 - 27 |
|
7 - 42 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 1 |
|
2 - 0 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
3 - 20 |
|
4 - 30 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Turner 2 run (Cox kick) |
| WV |
|
Schott 21 field goal |
| CA |
|
Cox 32 field goal |
| WV |
|
Smith 2 run (kick failed) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
Carolina: Alan Overton (35)
West Virginia: Bart Batten (1) |
| |
 |
|
Carolina: Ellsworth Turner (15), Doug Banks (32) |
|
|
|
|
 |
Mobile Generals
(Dixie Football League)
at
Jacksonville Firebirds
- EXHIBITION -
August 16, 1980
- Gator Bowl - |
 |
|
| |
| Firebirds rip
Mobile 66-6 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Julian Ditto -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Jacksonville Firebirds represented the American
Football Association well by totally annihilating the Mobile
Generals of the Dixie League 66-6 last night at the Gator Bowl.
The Firebirds scored at will, eleven times in all, ran up 519
total yards on offense, and held Mobile to minus six yards
rushing and only 73 yards total offense. The two leagues are not
equal.
Firebirds' coach Bob Williams explained why the caliber of play
is so different between the two leagues. "Basically, the AFA
goes outside of its limits, through correspondents," Williams
said, "and gets players that come out of the NFL. This team
[Mobile] was probably out there playing with a bunch of local
players from Mobile."
Quarterback Don Gaffney, one of the Firebirds local
players, who was 15-20 for 279 yards and three touchdowns,
agreed. "We've got a lot of major college players and ex-NFL
|
|
players on this team. You know the other team was out there
trying, but they just didn't have the class of people we do."
The Firebirds scored three times in the opening period. The
first score came on a safety when defensive tackle Carlton Faulk
blocked a Generals' punt and it went out of the end zone.
Jacksonville scored again on a 16-yard pass play from Gaffney to
Manzy King. The third score of the period came when running back
Earl Jackson. punched in from the 5.
The Firebirds scored three more times in the second period
as running back Cleo House ran in from four yards out, Gaffney
hit wide receiver Charley Brown for a 36-yard touchdown, and
House plunged in again from the 2. That made the score 37-0 at
the half.
Jacksonville tapered off in the third period, scoring only
twice. Gaffney hit running back Mike Lee from 10 yards out, and
Allan Leavitt hit on a 31-yard field goal. |
|
The final period saw Mobile score, but not before Lee added
his second TD of the night on a two-yard plunge. The Generals
only bright spot of the evening came when defensive back Ulcie
Henderson picked off a Bob Hart pass and returned it 75 yards
for the score. Jacksonville added two more scores on House's
third and fourth touchdowns of the night: runs of 2 and 5 yards
respectively.
After House's three-touchdown night, he agreed with
Williams' comparison of the AFA and the Dixie League. "Their
problem," said the 5-foot-10, 230-pound running back from South
Arkansas State, "is that they probably draw all local players.
They're out there trying, but they're just not in the same
league.
"But they do have some talent. I took several good shots -
as good as any I've gotten in the AFA. I think we proved this
league is much better." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Mobile |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
6 |
|
- |
|
6 |
| Jacksonville |
|
16 |
|
21 |
|
9 |
|
20 |
|
- |
|
66 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
MO |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
3 |
|
20 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
29 - (-6) |
|
40 - 220 |
| Passing yards |
|
79 |
|
299 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
8 -
25 - 1 |
|
16 -
28 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
7 - 14 |
|
0 - 0 |
| Return yards |
|
234 |
|
73 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 1 |
|
7 - 3 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 79 |
|
8 - 62 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| JA |
|
Safety punt blocked out of end
zone |
| JA |
|
King 16 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Jackson 5 run (Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
House 4 run (Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Lee 10 pass from Gaffney
(Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 31 field goal |
| JA |
|
Lee 2 run (Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
House 2 run (Leavitt kick) |
| MO |
|
Henderson 75 interception
return (kick failed) |
| JA |
|
House 5 run (Leavitt kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
James Island Hawks
(Atlantic Football League)
at
Carolina Chargers
- EXHIBITION -
August 23, 1980
- Memorial Stadium - |
|
|
| |
| A cruelty joke:
Chargers romp |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Most of the approximately 2,000 Memorial Stadium spectators
greeted the feat indifferently, with yawns and thoughts of
heading for home.
But for Mac Cummings, it was a big deal. Cummings took the
second-half kickoff at his 20, cut left, and sprinted to the end
zone.
Never mind that Cummings's kickoff return represented Carolina's
final points in a 59-7 exhibition football victory Saturday over
the James Island (S.C.) Hawks.
When you've been practicing hard all year, you've dressed out
only for a handful of games, you've only a stray pass reception
or two to show for a summer of hard work, then finally you get
yourself a touchdown, well Little things like the quality of the
opposition don't matter so much.
Afterwards Cummings hugged teammate Ed "Juice" Johnson, slapped
hands, and generally whooped it up.
"It felt just great," Cummings said. "I knew we hadn't had one
broken all year for a score, so I figured, 'Why not?'"
Why not, indeed.
That seemed to be the Hawks' philosophy; they had to know they
were hopelessly overmatched from the opening series of downs,
they went into halftime trailing 52-0, yet their enthusiasm
never flagged.
Just about every time a bigger, faster Charger would roll over a
Hawk, the feisty little visitor would jump up, brush himself
off, and |
|
announce plans for revenge.
Considering how the game went for the Hawks, maybe a better
rallying cry would've been "Oh, Nooooo!" - the lament of the
unfortunate Mr. Bill on NBC-TV's Saturday Night Live.
James Island, which opens its third season in the Atlantic
League next week, is used to playing such teams as the Anderson
(S.C.) Cougars and the Augusta (Ga.) Eagles. Several Hawks,
informed that the Chargers receive 1 percent of the home gate
apiece for each game, after stadium rental and taxes are paid,
were incredulous.
"We have trouble scraping up money to buy equipment," one
player said, "let alone getting paid."
The Hawks wore white uniforms with tiny red numbers and no
insignias. From a distance, their helmets looked new, but up
close it was apparent the shine came from a recently-applied
coat of red paint.
Hawks' tight end Grady Sanner said a few of his teammates
had played in college, but most were former high school players
from the Charleston area.
The Chargers led 30-0 and many starters had retired to the
sideline by the end of the first quarter. Attention focused on
another game.
The Jacksonville Firebirds defeated the visiting West
Virginia Rockets 19-7 Saturday in Jacksonville, making Carolina
the American Football Association's East Division regular |
|
season champion.
More important to the Chargers, Jacksonville's victory
means this coming Saturday night, Carolina hosts West runner-up
San Antonio in a first-round playoff contest. If West Virginia
had beaten Jacksonville, the Chargers would have finished second
in the East and traveled to West champ Shreveport for their
playoff opener.
Since the Chargers are 16-0 at home and 5-9 on the road
through two seasons, the Jacksonville score was important.
Bulletins on that contest were aired frequently over the
public address system, and drew bigger cheers than the Memorial
Stadium action.
At halftime, Chargers' quarterback Ellsworth Turner and
linebacker Harold Randolph weren't conferring on strategy or
psyching themselves for the second half. They were discussing
the news of Jacksonville's 16-0 halftime lead.
"It's going to be beautiful to play here next week if
Jacksonville wins," Turner said.
"I sure hope Jacksonville holds on," Randolph replied.
Turner spent the second half thinking about next week,
watching Cummings and the subs mop up. But the Hawks persisted,
though their combativeness ceased to inspire much hostility in
the Chargers.
"Good hit, little fellow," Randolph said after a
munchkin-sized lineman lunged at his retreating knees. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| James Island |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
7 |
| Carolina |
|
30 |
|
22 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
59 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
JA |
|
CA |
| First downs |
|
3 |
|
20 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
29 - (-6) |
|
40 - 220 |
| Passing yards |
|
79 |
|
299 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
8 -
25 - 1 |
|
16 -
28 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
7 - 14 |
|
0 - 0 |
| Return yards |
|
234 |
|
73 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
2 - 1 |
|
7 - 3 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
8 - 79 |
|
8 - 62 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Banks 3 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Todd 30 interception return
(Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Safety ball snapped out of end
zone |
| CA |
|
Banks 23 pass from Turner (Cox
kick) |
| CA |
|
Porter 33 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Cox 23 field goal |
| CA |
|
Safety Singleton tackled in
end zone |
| CA |
|
Johnson 9 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Porter 2 run (Cox kick) |
| CA |
|
Cox 31 field goal |
| CA |
|
Cummings 80 kickoff return
(Cox kick) |
| JA |
|
Ladison 90 pass from Coulter
(Batton kick) |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
EXHIBITION
Carolina: Jerome Simmons (??) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Firebirds finish
season with victory over Rockets |
|
|
|
|
|
| Earl Fannin -
Florida Times-Union |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Jacksonville Firebirds will not get a chance to defend
their American Bowl title, but they closed out the 1980 season
in championship style last night.
The Firebirds snuffed out the West Virginia Rockets 19-7 before
about 1,500 fans in the Gator Bowl, avenging a 16-7 loss three
weeks ago that eliminated Jacksonville from playoff
possibilities.
Thus, West Virginia (7-4) finishes as runners-up to Carolina
(8-3) in the Eastern Division and will play at West champion
Shreveport (9-1) next week in the first round of the playoffs.
Carolina wilt be at home against San Antonio (6-4). If the
Rockets had won last night, they would have had the home field
advantage in the playoffs. Jacksonville, 13-3 last year,
finished 7-5.
Quarterback Don Gaffney was at his best in the first half when
the Firebirds gained a 16-0 intermission edge while the
defensive secondary - keyed by Tony Perry's three interceptions
(one in the end zone, another at the 3-yard line) - gave up a
lot of yards (307) |
|
but made all the big plays.
"We proved we're on a par with everybody in the league,"
Firebirds' coach Don Williams said with a smile. "Even though we
had no chance of defending our championship, we played one of
our best games of the season. This has to rank with the Carolina
game [19-18] as our biggest victory of the year."
Jacksonville scored the first time it had the ball, on a
9-yard run by Cleo House following a 67-yard, 9-play drive
highlighted by two Gaffney completions for first downs and a
10-yard Gaffney scramble for a first and goal at the 7.
Allan Leavitt's 36th of 37 PAT kicks made it 7-0 with not
even five minutes expired.
Leavitt later added field goals of 20, 35, 30 and 36 yards
as the Firebirds built up a 19-0 lead with 13:22 left in the
game.
Gaffney was 18 of 32 with two interceptions for 291 yards,
but he was at peak performance in the first 30 minutes. He
connected on 11 of 17 for 187 yards before intermission and had
a touchdown toss to Charlie Dorsey called back for a motion
penalty. (Gaffney also had a 51-yard |
|
TD pass to House yellow-flagged.)
But while Gaffney got the Birds airborne, it was the
defensive secondary which grounded the Rockets. West Virginia
got just 13 yards rushing and had four passes picked off. Sub
quarterback Mike Hutsell threw for 282 yards, but was
intercepted on his final two tries.
West Virginia's only touchdown - the only one allowed by
Jacksonville in the last three games - followed Leavitt's fourth
field goal (his 11th of the season). Hutsell completed passes of
24, 15 and 22 yards in that 52-yard drive, capped by Rich
Thomaselli's 1-yard run.
Even though the Firebirds were unable to move the ball on
their next two possessions, interceptions by Charles Owens (at
the 1-yard line) and Perry (in the end zone) prevented West
Virginia from closing the gap.
"The kicking game [the Rockets missed two field goal tries]
and the defensive secondary were the difference," Williams said.
"If we had played like this all season, we'd be in the
playoffs." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| West Virginia |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
7 |
| Jacksonville |
|
10 |
|
6 |
|
0 |
|
3 |
|
- |
|
19 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
WV |
|
JA |
| First downs |
|
19 |
|
22 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
22 - 13 |
|
37 - 130 |
| Passing yards |
|
307 |
|
291 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
21 -
48 - 4 |
|
18 -
32 - 2 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
2 - 42 |
|
3 - 35 |
| Return yards |
|
175 |
|
111 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
0 - 0 |
|
2 - 1 |
|
Penalties - yards |
|
4 - 38 |
|
12 - 75 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| JA |
|
House 9 run (Leavitt kick) |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 20 field goal |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 35 field goal |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 30 field goal |
| JA |
|
Leavitt 36 field goal |
| WV |
|
Thomaselli 1 run (Schott kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Playoffs |
| |
|
|
| |
| Turner guides
Chargers past Charros, into title game |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
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|
| |
|
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|
|
Measured in stark, statistical terms -
such things as yardage and pass completion percentage - it was
not Ellsworth Turner's sharpest game.
But instead, view it in terms of effectiveness. Look at putting
points on the scoreboard, controlling the ball, leading the
Carolina Chargers to a first-round playoff victory and into the
American Football Association championship game. Then you'll
conclude quarterback Turner was superb Saturday.
The Chargers defeated the San Antonio Charros 36-20 in front of
approximately 4,500 spectators Saturday at Memorial Stadium,
thus advancing to the championship next Saturday, in which they
will travel to Charleston, W.Va., to face the West Virginia
Rockets.
West Virginia defeated Shreveport 24-17 Saturday in the AFA's
other first-round playoff, at Shreveport.
The Chargers had to beat the Charros to keep their season going,
and they did. Turner, the leader, set the tone: not flashy, not
as spectacular as in some previous games, but effective. And
ultimately, dominant.
Turner finished the game with 16 completions in 31 attempts, one
interception, four touchdown passes, 190 yards.
The touchdowns weren't the 80-yard dazzlers he used to
specialize in when his receivers were Reggie "Super Gnat" Smith
(now with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, and in attendance here
Saturday) and Bart Crawford (out for the last month with an
injury).
After giving the Chargers a 7-0 lead with a 27-yard high floater
caught by Don Porter between two defenders at the back of the
end zone, Turner's touchdown throws were a 7-yard bullet over
the middle to tight end Don Stewart, a 5-yard quickie to
halfback Glenn Holland, and a short screen to fullback Doug
Banks, which Banks hauled 28 yards for the score.
Turner stayed with the same formula the
rest of the game: short-to-medium-length |
|
passes, lots of different receivers, never forcing the long
ones.
It has been a bittersweet year for
Turner. He worked hard in the offseason, and last spring coaches
marveled at his sharpness. Through the first several games he
was completing 70 percent of his passes and throwing for 300
yards per game. Then Smith left for Atlanta and Turner stayed in
Charlotte. Turner began thinking the NFL - his purpose for
coming to Charlotte, his motivation during all that offseason
conditioning work - was beyond his grasp.
And maybe it came too easy those first
few months. As the season wore on, the Chargers often won, but
Turner only needed a so-so night against most AFA teams. A
decent effort marred by a few mistakes was enough most of the
time; every now and then it wasn't, and then the Chargers lost.
Turner smiled seldom and talked of
quitting football at season's end. But the playoffs brought back
Turner's smile, and his touch.
They also provided evidence that Turner
is a better quarterback than he was a year ago, in subtle,
hard-to-measure ways.
Center Reid Squires has snapped the
ball to Turner almost every play the past two seasons. Squires
doesn't think Turner could have beaten San Antonio a year ago
with the strategy he used Saturday.
"He was looking more for the deep
ball," Squires said.
Turner said his heart still is with the
bomb, but his head knows better.
"I'd like to sling it long every play,
if it was up to me, but I'm trying to be the leader on the
field. It's tough. My hands are looking for that (championship)
ring, you know."
On Saturday, Turner's early task was
taking advantage of San Antonio mistakes. The Charros hadn't
played since ending their regular season 6-4 a month ago, and
Squires said they looked rusty. Whatever the cause, |
|
they had four turnovers in the first half, and two led to
Charger touchdowns.
Carolina took a 27-13 halftime lead and
held it through the third quarter, eventually going up 34-13
with 6:22 left on Holland's 9-yard burst up the middle.
The Charros' only notable offensive
success came on long throws from ex-Wake Forest quarterback Ken
Daly to John Tuttle. Two went for touchdowns, and a third set up
San Antonio's other score.
Down the stretch, Carolina seemed to
have more ferocity left - which Squires felt was another symptom
of San Antonio's long layoff.
Fullback Banks described it in simpler
terms.
"We just damn physically beat 'em.
That's what it is."
The Charros' long passing game kept
them close early, but it netted only one completion in the
second half. Tuttle said a change in philosophy was to blame:
"The coaches wanted us to establish the
running game and to get physical with those guys in the second
half, but I guess that didn't work out."
Carolina linebacker Joe Crosby offered
another explanation:
"We're puttin' that pressure on him
(quarterback Daly). It's hard to throw long."
The West Virginia Rockets, Carolina's
championship game foes, are familiar to the Chargers. The
Rockets, coached by former Carolina owner-coach Perry Moss,
played the Chargers four times this season. Carolina won the two
games in Charlotte and West Virginia won the two in Charleston.
Last Thursday, Carolina coach George
Sauer said he guessed he hoped the Chargers played Shreveport
for the title, since that game would have been in Charlotte, but
he'd really like to go to West Virginia and prove his team could
beat the Rockets in Charleston. Now he'll have his chance. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| San Antonio |
|
0 |
|
13 |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
20 |
| Carolina |
|
7 |
|
20 |
|
0 |
|
16 |
|
- |
|
36 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
SA |
|
CA |
| First downs |
|
18 |
|
22 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
30 - 91 |
|
38 - 177 |
| Passing yards |
|
313 |
|
204 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
17 -
36 - 2 |
|
16 -
31 - 1 |
| Punts - avg |
|
5 - 30.8 |
|
5 - 35.8 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
4 - 3 |
|
2 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
4 - 19 |
|
5 - 60 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Porter 27 pass from Turner
(Cox kick) |
| SA |
|
Tuttle 74 pass from Daly
(Lander kick) |
| CA |
|
Stewart 5 pass from Turner
(kick failed) |
| CA |
|
Holland 8 pass from Turner
(kick failed) |
| SA |
|
Tuttle 47 pass from Daly (kick
failed) |
| CA |
|
Banks 12 pass from Turner
(Porter pass from Turner) |
| CA |
|
Holland 9 run (Cox kick) |
| SA |
|
Daly 1 run (Lander kick) |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
| Players unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| Steamer sinks |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ron Huggins -
Shreveport Times |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Shreveport Steamer quarterback Ken Smith claimed it was one
of his more forgettable moments of his football career, but
Charleston Rockets tight end J.C. Coleman isn't going to forget.
After Smith fumbled on the Charleston six with 10:11 left in the
game, the Rockets drove 94 yards as Coleman caught the
game-winning 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Larry Mayer
to give Charleston a 21-17 American Football Association playoff
win over the Steamer Saturday night at State Fair Stadium.
The win advanced the Rockets to the AFA finals next week against
Carolina, a 36-20 winner over San Antonio Saturday night.
Smith's miscue came after the Steamer's Mule Henry intercepted a
tipped Mayer pass and raced down to the Charleston 10. At that
point with Shreveport desperately clinging to a 17-14 lead just
about midway through the fourth quarter.
On the first play following Henry's interception, Smith tried to
hand off on an intended fullback sweep around left end. "The
back was a little to quick on the play and I missed the
handoff," said the Steamer quarterback. "Everybody was still
looking to the left and I had the ball." |
|
Heading towards the right side with Vernon Wells attempting
to block the only Charleston defensive player in sight, back Ron
Gibbons, Smith tried to cut back to the inside at the five.
Instead of almost walking in for the score, the ball fell to the
ground with Gibbons recovering at the Rockets six.
"The ball just fell right out of my hand," Smith explained.
"My right knee has been bothering me and I tried to make a cut I
shouldn't have made. It was disgusting. I'll never forget it."
All the blame couldn't be put on Smith, however. Charleston
had a long way to go to score the game-winning touchdown, but
the Rockets stuck to their running attack, something the Steamer
just couldn't handle in the second half.
Utilizing the running of Larry McGee, who led all runners
in the game with 141 yards in 27 carries, Charleston ripped off
12 consecutive running plays. After a Steamer off-sides penalty
put the ball at the Shreveport 19, Charleston crossed everybody
up.
"All week, we noticed how their (Shreveport's) defensive
backs would react to the run," said Charleston's tight end
Coleman. The Steamer defensive backs reacted to Mayer's running
fakes to his backs |
|
and watched helplessly as Coleman slipped behind them, making a
one-handed grab of a wobbly Mayer throw and falling over the
goal line flag for the game-winner with 3:15 remaining in the
game.
It was a dismal ending for the Steamer. Shreveport had
jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead with a 47-yard Jerry
Pope field goal and an 18- yard Donnie Sutton touchdown run with
Pope converting.
West Virginia capitalized on a Smith pass which was ruled a
fumble with Mayer scrambling in for a five-yard touchdown. Ed
Puhlman's extra point kick sliced the Steamer margin to 10-7
with 9:01 left in the second quarter.
James Mosley came off the Steamer bench to loft a 37-yard
touchdown pass to Vernon Wells with 1:01 left in the first half
for a 17-7 Shreveport halftime lead.
However, Charleston returned to its strong suit, running
the ball. Duck Riley's two-yard touchdown run over right guard
to pull Charleston within 17-14 was just the beginning of the
bad things which came later for the Steamer. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| West Virginia |
|
0 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
7 |
|
- |
|
21 |
| Shreveport |
|
10 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
17 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
WV |
|
SH |
| First downs |
|
20 |
|
13 |
|
Rushing (att - yards) |
|
? - 243 |
|
? - 52 |
| Passing yards |
|
72 |
|
236 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
5 -
16 - 2 |
|
11 -
26 - 1 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
6 - 34.8 |
|
6 - 39.5 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 1 |
|
3 - 3 |
|
Penalties - yards |
|
4 - 25 |
|
10 - 73 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| SH |
|
Pope 47 field goal |
| SH |
|
Sutton 18 run (Pope kick) |
| WV |
|
Mayer 5 run (Puhlman kick) |
| SH |
|
Wells 37 pass from Mosley
(Pope kick) |
| WV |
|
Riley 1 run (Puhlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Coleman 19 pass from Mayer
(Puhlman kick) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Shreveport: Ken Smith (12) |
| |
 |
Shreveport: Rod Foppe (14)
West Virginia: Mike Siganos (24) |
| |
|
American Bowl II |
| |
|
|
| |
| Rockets deny
Chargers' bid for AFA title |
|
|
|
|
|
| Les Bowen -
Charlotte Observer |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Five months of hard work and careful
planning lay dashed on the Laidley Field turf by the end of the
third quarter, and the Carolina Chargers couldn't find words to
express their feelings.
"I can't explain it. I just don't know. I don't know, I don't
know... " said Carolina safety John Diefenbach after the
visiting Chargers lost the American Football Association
championship Sunday 42-18 to the West Virginia Rockets. The loss
left Carolina the AFA runner-up for two consecutive seasons.
Last year Carolina stumbled to a 21-7 loss at Jacksonville,
Fla., when the Jacksonville Firebirds took the title.
Sunday's loss before a crowd estimated at 14.000 was similar.
Penalties, turnovers, and a general lack of sharpness
characterized Carolina's efforts.
West Virginia scored its last points with 1:08 left in the third
quarter, halfback David Riley running 76 yards from scrimmage
for the touchdown.
As Riley and the Rockets celebrated, Carolina players stared at
the scoreboard in disbelief.
"This is a damn disgrace," said halfback Bruce Duke. "I don't
know what's happenin'."
As the final minutes passed, Carolina players began trading
goodbyes on the sidelines. Weak smiles and half-hearted hand
slaps accompanied wishes of good luck.
Resignation and quiet disappointment
weren't the only emotions displayed, however; |
|
most Chargers felt the Jacksonville-based officiating crew had a
hand in their defeat.
Carolina was penalized 21 times for 180
yards, to the Rockets' five penalties for 27 yards, and the
Chargers didn't have to struggle for words to express how they
felt about that.
"The officiating was arbitrary and
reactive," said Carolina coach George Sauer Jr. "We made our
mistakes, too, but we didn't get beat by that margin
...they just looked for things to call
on us."
By game's end, sideline conversations
took a predictable form. First, a Carolina player would say he
didn't like to sound like he was making excuses. Then he would
bitterly indict the referees. Finally, he would sum up by
admitting the Rockets probably would have won anyway.
Center Reid Squires, for example, was
incensed over a sideline personal foul call against the Chargers
he said he witnessed. Squires said the penalty should have been
against West Virginia. But then he added:
"Officials or no officials, they're
just sharper than us."
The officiating drew attention early.
Carolina drove for a 33-yard Mike Cox field goal and a 3-0 lead
seven plays after the opening kickoff, then West Virginia ran
three plays. On the third play, Carolina linebacker standout
Harold Randolph exchanged forearm shots and words with Rockets'
standout running back Larry McGee. Both players were ejected.
The Rockets, with several talented
running |
|
backs, could absorb the loss of McGee much more easily than
Carolina could afford to lose Randolph.
Veteran Sam Cook was back in Charlotte
with a shoulder injury, so Carolina replaced Randolph with
special teams performer Skip Dunham.
Losing Randolph's swagger and ferocity
seemed to disorient Carolina's defense. Normally tough against
the run, they allowed 378 yards rushing.
At halftime, Carolina quarterback
Ellsworth Turner had completed only 4 of 13 passes for 43 yards.
He finished the game 17 of 34 for 214 yards, but much of that
came after the outcome was decided.
It was hard to believe that the
Chargers defeated the Rockets 10-9 in Charlotte Aug. 16, or that
Carolina and West Virginia split four games during the season.
The Rockets, coached by former Carolina
owner-coach Perry Moss, put constant pressure on Turner and shut
down Carolina's running game.
Turner, sacked repeatedly after the
widening deficit forced Carolina away from any sort of running
game, was bruised and bitter.
"It's tough," he said as the AFA
championship eluded him yet again. "They're hittin' a lot after
the whistle, and these bleepers (the officials) ain't callin'
nothin' on them." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Score by Quarters |
| Carolina |
|
3 |
|
7 |
|
0 |
|
8 |
|
- |
|
18 |
| West Virginia |
|
21 |
|
0 |
|
21 |
|
0 |
|
- |
|
42 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Statistics |
| |
|
CA |
|
WV |
| First downs |
|
17 |
|
17 |
| Rushing (att - yards) |
|
24 - 98 |
|
50 - 378 |
| Passing yards |
|
271 |
|
118 |
| Passing (comp -
att - int) |
|
18 -
35 - 1 |
|
6 - 7
- 0 |
|
Punts - avg |
|
7 - 36 |
|
3 - 13 |
| Fumbles - lost |
|
3 - 1 |
|
2 - 2 |
| Penalties - yards |
|
21 - 180 |
|
5 - ? |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Scoring Summary |
| CA |
|
Cox 33 field goal |
| WV |
|
Mayer 1 run (Puhlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Horton 99 run (Puhlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Riley 13 run (Puhlman kick) |
| CA |
|
Diefenbach 15 block punt
return (Cox kick) |
| WV |
|
Coleman 33 pass from Mayer
(Puhlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Horton 5 run (Puhlman kick) |
| WV |
|
Riley 76 run (Puhlman kick) |
| CA |
|
Stroman 3 pass from Turner
(Foster pass from Turner)) |
|
|
 |
Carolina: Ellsworth Turner (15)
West Virginia: Calvin Parker (??) |
|
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|
|
Advertising |
|
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 |
|
Carolina Chargers |
|
|
 |
|
Jacksonville Firebirds |
|
|
 |
Carolina Chargers
PLAYOFF GAME |
|
|
 |
Shreveport Steamer
PLAYOFF GAME |
|
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|
Schedules |
|
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 |
 |
|
Jacksonville Firebirds |
West Virginia Rockets |
|
|
|
|
|
Tickets
|
|
|
 |
 |
06/07/1980
Jacksonville Firebirds
at
Carolina Chargers |
07/05/1980
Carolina Chargers
at
Jacksonville Firebirds |
|
|
|
 |
|
08/16/1980
Mobile Generals (Dixie Football League)
at
Jacksonville Firebirds
EXHIBITION |
|
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|
