PLAY-BY-PLAY OF NITRO'S CONTROVERSIAL SERIES

Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 09/28/1996
Page: P5B
Headline: PLAY-BY-PLAY OF NITRO'S CONTROVERSIAL SERIES
Byline: DOUG SMOCK

DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER

Play-by-play of the hotly disputed series during Nitro's winning
drive, as seen by the Daily Mail:

- First down, 10 to go, Ripley 18 - J.R. House hits David Bishop for a
1-yard pass.

- Second down, 9 to go, Ripley 17 - House hits Chris Martin for 8
yards.

- Ripley calls timeout with 1:31 left in the game. Sideline down
marker remains on "2." Line-to-gain chains don't move.

- Third down, 1 to go, Ripley 9 - House keeps, but is snuffed by the
Ripley defense. After the play, sideline marker flips to "3" and
referee signals third down. Chains still don't move.

- Fourth down, 1 to go, Ripley 9 - House keeps again, but is stopped
for no gain. After the play, sideline marker flips to "4" and referee
signals fourth down. Chains don't move.

- Fifth down, 1 to go, Ripley 9 - House keeps again, gaining a yard to
get the first down. Chains move.

Ripley Coach Frank Marino said the officials told him a pass
interference penalty was called during the series, but that penalty
would have given Nitro an automatic first down. The chains did not
move until after the fifth down.

There was a pass interference penalty on the next set of downs, on
fourth-and-goal from the Ripley 8. That gave Nitro a first down from
the 4, and they scored three plays later as time expired.