HOOVER STRUGGLES PAST NITRO, 35-28

Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 10/28/1995
Page: 04C
Headline: HOOVER STRUGGLES PAST NITRO, 35-28
Byline: JIM WORKMAN

HUSKIES RALLY IN FOURTH QUARTER TO RACK UPSEVENTH VICTORY

The fifth-ranked Herbert Hoover Huskies escaped Nitro's Underwood Field
with a 35-28 victory over the scrappy Wildcats Friday night. But the
Huskies needed late-game heroics to pull it off.

Hoover's Justin Teel booted a go-ahead 19-yard field goal with 35
seconds left to put Hoover up by a 29-28 margin.

Hoover added an insurance TD in the final seconds.

"We're glad to get out of here with a win,' said Hoover coach Joe
Cowley. "On paper, they don't look like a strong team, but they can
throw and catch the ball. (J.R.) House is the best passer we've faced.'

The game featured the Mountain State Athletic Conference's leading
passer, House, and the MSAC's leading rusher, Hoover's Chris McDonough.

House completed 14 for 24 passes for 203 yards with a TD. McDonough ran
25 times for 180 yards and two TDs.

"It's a great win for us,' added Cowley. "This kind of comeback has to
give you some confidence.'

Hoover took an early lead when McDonough carried on five consecutive
plays, beginning at his own 40 and eventually into the Wildcat end zone
from 3 yards out.

But Nitro's high-powered offense kicked into gear.

The Wildcats put together three straight TD drives: a 7-play, 65-yard
march ending with a 5-yard TD pass from House to fellow freshman Chris
Martin; a 6-play, 55-yarder with a 34-yard Ryan Blake TD run; and a
6-play, 34-yard drive in which fullback Paul Hughes carried in a 2-yard
TD.

Hoover found itself down 21-6 with 5:20 left in the first half.

McDonough's second TD, a 1-yard plunge, narrowed the lead to 21-12 at
halftime.

But then Hoover took command. Quarterback Adam Samples ran in from 14
yards out to cut the deficit to 21-19 early in the third quarter.

Nitro's Hughes answered with a 2-yard score with 4:29 left in third
quarter to stretch the Wildcats' lead to 28-19.

The back-and-forth scoring rampage continued.

Samples responded by firing a 20-yard TD to split end Robby Thompson,
cutting the Nitro lead to 28-26 with 4:58 remaining.

A controversial call on Nitro's next possession set up the go-ahead
field goal for Hoover.

Hoover was awarded a fumble recovery on the Nitro 23 when House
apparently attempted a "shuffle' pass to Blake, which fell to the
ground.

The Huskies pounced on the ball, giving Hoover new life. Teel's kick
five plays later made the difference.

Hoover linebacker Danny Vickers intercepted House and ran it in for a
25-yard TD to ice the game for Hoover, putting the Huskies ahead 35-28.

"I knew their big play was the screen, and I was looking for it,' said
Vickers, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior linebacker. "It feels great.'

"We played good enough to win,' said Nitro coach Greg Cyrus. "We're
disappointed, but I'm proud of them.'

"McDonough and Samples complement one another very well. They're a
couple of good backs. We stacked McDonough up at the line a couple of
times, but he made some nice cutbacks. We took some gambles."

Samples completed five of 11 passes for 90 yards and one touchdown. He
also ran for another score.

Nitro is at home again next week to face Poca, the No. 1-ranked team in
Class AA.

Hoover host Roane County, in hopes of securing a home field for the
first round of the AAA playoffs.