SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES IN NITRO'S 34-28 WIN

Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 09/04/1999
Page: P1B
Headline: SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES IN NITRO'S 34-28 WIN
Byline: TOMMY R. ATKINSON

Nitro High School's game against Hurricane Friday night was no
different than the last few years.

The Wildcats used big plays and had to hang on to defeat the pesky
Redskins 34-28 as a crowd of approximately 800 attended the home
opener on a humid evening.

Last year, Nitro barely escaped Redskin Stadium with a 27-26 win. In
that game, Nitro unveiled its running attack and rode it to victory.

The Wildcats did the same Friday, pounding out 336 yards on 46
carries, while passing for 11 yards.

Nitro senior running back Chris Creamer, who transferred from St.
Albans during the summer, gained 155 yards on 17 rushes and had three
touchdowns, including the winning 27-yard run with 40 seconds
remaining in the game. Wildcat junior fullback Chuck Pauley added 118
yards on 17 attempts and a TD.

"We've never had a team with two running backs run over 100 yards,'
said Wildcat offensive coordinator Scott Tinsley, who replaced head
coach Robert Burdette who had to sit out Friday's contest after being
ejected from last Thursday's 20-7 loss against George Washington at
Laidley Field.

"Those running plays have always been a part of our offense. It's the
same plays with different formations. I can't say enough about the
offensive line. For four years now, they went backwards, but now we
have them going good forward.'

The Wildcats used a quarterback tandem of junior Jason Ward and
freshman Derek Midkiff.

Midkiff completed 3-of-4 passes for 11 yards and directed the winning
drive and Ward missed on his only attempt of the game. Nitro senior
wideout Jeff Clark caught only two passes for seven yards.

For the Redskins (0-2), junior quarterback Travis Jones threw for 254
yards on 21-of-41 passing and three TDs, all in the fourth quarter,
and two interceptions.

Hurricane senior wide receiver Ty Chapman caught 11 passes for 114
yards and a score and senior wideout Jonathan Estes hauled in six
passes for 101 yards and two TDs.

The Wildcat defense held the Redskins to 26 yards on 21 carries for a
1.2 yard average and recorded two sacks. Hurricane had minus-27 yards
rushing in the first half.

Nitro's rushing attack grinded out 182 yards rushing on 24 tries in
the opening half, and passed for all 11 of its yards on 3-of-4 passes.

"We were planning on it all week,' said Creamer of Nitro's running
game. "It feels really good. I'm really excited about it.'

Chris Daniel opened up Nitro's scoring with a 25-yard run in the
second quarter and Creamer tacked on scoring runs of 8 and 31 yards as
the Wildcats jumped out to a 21-0 halftime lead.

Hurricane finally broke through in the third period as sophomore
backup quarterback John Stephens tossed a 34-yarder to Estes off a
lateral from Jones.

The Wildcats struck right back, marching 50 yards on six running plays
in less than three minutes. The drive was capped by Pauley's 1-yard
plunge for a seemingly invincible 28-6 lead with 6:46 remaining in the
third.

The Redskins, however, came to life in the final period, outscoring
the Wildcats 22-6.

Jones connected on a 19-yarder to Chapman and hit junior split end Wes
Spradlin streaking across the middle for a 56-yard scoring strike on a
fake punt to rally the Redskins to within 28-20.

"I think we got a little bit conservative,' said Tinsley of his
team's fourth-quarter lapse. "You can't do that when there's a quality
quarterback like Travis Jones on the other side. You've got to stretch
the defense out. I think they adjusted to some of our formations.'

Hurricane wasn't finished.

After a Nitro punt, the Redskins engineered a nine-play drive for the
tying score. Facing fourth-and-goal at the Nitro 8, Jones hit Estes on
a quick, diving slant in the end zone as the Redskins crept to within
28-26.

Jones then hooked up with Estes, who tip-toed the sidelines on the
right side of the end zone for the two-point conversion and tie at 28.

The Wildcats (1-1) went to work and took over at their own 27 with
2:06 left in the game.

"I told them we're going to keep pounding at them,' said Tinsley. "We
felt we could move right down field on them. Chris [Creamer] did a
heckuva job and Rob Henson did a heckuva job on the last TD play.'

Nitro advanced the ball to the Hurricane 27, all on five running plays
for 44 yards.

On second-and-3, Creamer took a handoff and headed to the right side,
slipped a few would-be tackles and scooted into the end zone for the
win.

"He didn't have to tell us anything,' said Creamer. "We knew we had
to get in. We all sucked it up. We have the best coaches in the state
and nobody gives up on this team.'

"Without [Robert] Burdette there, it was really hard,' said Tinsley.
"We have been together so long. He calms me down. We make such a good
team. We feed on each other.

"We have good skill people and last week we just didn't get them the
ball enough.'