DRAGONS DROP ROUT ON NITRO'S MAD BOMBERS

Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 09/16/1995
Page: 04B
Headline: DRAGONS DROP ROUT ON NITRO'S MAD BOMBERS
Byline: TOM ALUISE

NItro's quarterbacks launched more bombs than the Allied Forces during
World War II.

Their results in Friday's high school football game against St. Albans,
which lasted nearly as long as the war, weren't as impressive.

The Red Dragons, meanwhile, probably wish they would have saved a few of
their points from the 45-10 rout of Nitro at Crawford Field.

They might need them next Friday when defending Class AAA champ South
Charleston visits.

The Black Eagles have defeated St. Albans five straight years, including
19-0, 20-0 and 26-0 triumphs the past three seasons. South Charleston,
though, gave up 47 points in a loss to Cabell Midland Friday night in
Dunbar.

St. Albans defensive back/running back George Booker, who was feasting
on a postgame meal of pizza and hot dogs, said Friday night's victory
will be a shot in the arm to his team.

The 10th-ranked Red Dragons (3-1) have already played two overtime games
in the season's first four weeks.

"It will help us out some,' said Booker, whose night included two
touchdowns, one on a 40-yard run in the first quarter and a second on a
30-yard pass from QB Vance McCracken in the second quarter.

"It will get our heads back in the game and give us a little more
confidence than what we've had,' Booker said.

"It was good for the JV guys,' he added. "We got to cheer them on
instead of them cheering for us. Plus it gives us a rest.'

It was evident by the end of the first quarter that St. Albans would
avoid overtime this week.

In addition to Booker's score, Ted King ran 1 yard for a TD and Chris
Moss returned a punt 64 yards for a TD to make it 19-0 after 12 minutes.

Booker's scoring reception, King's 5-yard TD run and a safety accounted
for the Dragons' production in the second quarter. St. Albans led 35-3
at halftime, which started at about 9 p.m., 90 minutes and 27 pass
attempts after kickoff. The game ended at about 10:25.

Nitro didn't call its first running play until the 10:55 mark of the
second quarter. Freshman quarterback J.R. House was 10-for-27 for 111
yards at halftime. He finished 16-for-41 for 184 yards, one touchdown (a
41-yard hookup with Jason Redman in the third quarter) and one
interception.

Several of House's passes were dropped. The 2-2 Wildcats also failed to
connect on an uncanny number of home run heaves down the sidelines
against the speedy Red Dragons' secondary.

"It was (fun) the first half,' Booker said. "Then they started going
away from me. I was bored. They threw to my side one time in the second
half.

"The first half they were attacking me. I slipped on that one play
(Redman's TD) but that was no excuse.'

Nitro threw a total of 46 passes and ran 13 times. Wildcats tailback
Ryan Blake, who began the night as the Mountain State Athletic
Conference Gold Division scoring leader and its second-leading rusher,
carried the ball three times for 4 yards. He went out of the game early
in the second half with an injury and didn't return.

St. Albans coach Stan Smith, who beat Nitro for the 11th straight time,
complimented House, who exhibited tremendous composure for a
ninth-grader.

"He did a pretty good job,' Smith said. "I suspect there's probably a
lot of pressure on the kid.'

House transferred to Nitro this season from St. Albans' feeder Hayes
Junior High. He would have been a ninth-grader at Hayes.

"I don't like to lose a St. Albans kid,' Smith said. "I don't care how
good or how bad he is.'

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