DODRILL MOVE PAYS OFF FORMER GUARD CATCHES 3 TDS


Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 10/06/1990
Page: P3B
Headline: DODRILL MOVE PAYS OFF FORMER GUARD CATCHES 3 TDS
Byline: DON HILL


Charlie Dodrill is listed on the St. Albans' roster as a 5-11,
179-pound junior guard. But don't believe everything you read.
Dodrill is a glue-fingered, quick receiver whose five receptions
for 84 yards and three touchdowns sparked the Red Dragons to a 34-3
victory over Nitro Friday at Underwood Field in Nitro.
- R"Why did I move him from a guard position?' said St. Albans
head coach Stan Smith. "Well, just look at him.'
"Those were my first TD catches,' said the red-headed Dodrill
. "Yeah, I was a guard at Hayes Junior High but I like it
a lot better at end.'
St. Albans (3-4) got on the board first last night in the Battle
of the Bridge after recovering a Nitro fumble. Ten plays later,
Dodrill pulled down a 25-yard scoring pass from quarterback Rick
Whitman while closely guarded by two Wildcat defenders.
"We came out in a slot formation several times and they weren't
covering it,' Smith said. "We ran Charlie on a streak, which we
normally run farther away from the goal.'
Senior Tim Allen's 80-yard punt return, aided by a block by Mark
Strickland to clear the final Nitro defender, gave St. Albans a 14-0
lead with 2:50 left to play in the first half.
Nitro, without an offensive TD in the last 25 quarters, wasted
an 82-yard drive to the Red Dragons' 3 and had to settle for a
David Stalnaker's 20-yard field goal.
"We ran a fine two-minute offense on that drive,' said Nitro.
head coach Greg Cyrus, whose team dropped to 2-5. "We're just having
a tough time getting the ball in there.'
St. Albans struck again when the Red Dragons' Adam West
recovered a Nitro fumble on the second half kickoff at the Nitro 28
.Five plays later, Whitman hit Dodrill with an 11-yard TD pass.
Dodrill's third touchdown reception _ a 9-yard toss _ came with
5:41 to play in the game.
St. Albans' defense fought off a passing explosion from Nitro
quarterback Shannon Thomas, who completed 15 of 36 passes for 121
yards. His one interception was costly as the Red Dragons' David
Watkins returned it 60 yards for a score.
"It was a fine team effort tonight,' Smith said, "but now we
have three tough ones in a row against East Bank, GW and then Logan.