varsity.roanoke.com

The occasion of his apparent displeasure was a forward pass. "I hate throwing the ball," he said with an unconvincing frown. "It absolutely sickens me."

You do what you have to, though, when there are 28 yards to cover and seconds left to do it in, even in the ground-loving wing-T offense. That was the situation the Cougars faced Friday night at frenzied Dobson Stadium: down five, second-and-10 from the Fleming 28. Quarterback Ryan Dean, who had completed four passes all year, three of them to opposing players, rolled to his left and threw a pass to fullback Kevin Crouse, a 5-foot-9, 204-pound load of a sophomore. Crouse made the snag, eluded the defender, and scored with four seconds left. After three penalties on the conversion attempt, the Cougars failed on the extra point.

They didn't fail to defend a five-lateral Fleming kickoff return, though. Final: Cougars 20, Colonels 19.

"I knew I was going to catch it," said Crouse, who like just about all the Cougars skill players, battled cramps all evening. "I looked back and saw Dean had the protection. When he has the protection, I knew he'd get it out there to me.

"I turned around expecting to get crushed. It never happened, though."

It was the kind of game that left those on the short end crushed emotionally.

"They caught us man up with the linebacker and we just couldn't get it covered," Fleming coach Keith Smith said. "We played well, well enough to win, but we just didn't get it done."

The Colonels had trailed 7-0 and tied it, 14-7 and cut it to one but had the PAT blocked. They took the lead on a 34-yard pass play from quarterback Dere Hicks to sophomore Ronnie Thompson, a transfer from Liberty High School. Hicks couldn't convert the run and the Colonels were up 20-14 with 11 minutes, 52 seconds left.

Trying to rally his team, Dean heaved interceptions on consecutive possessions, the second time giving Fleming ownership at the Pulaski County 37. Eight plays and nothing to show for it after Mijuan Curtis was stopped short on a 6-yard catch from Hicks at the Pulaski County 22 on fourth down.

Curtis and Hicks had done plenty before that. The thrill-a-minute Curtis caught six passes for 57 yards and a touchdown which he'd set up with a 69-yard kickoff return. He also played defense and running back, where he gained 15 yards on three carries. Hicks had 192 yards total offense including 133 yards on 10 completions in 15 attempts with no interceptions. He threw three TD passes, two to Thompson.

"Our offensive coaches have done a great job of putting in a shotgun package this year," Smith said.

The Cougars were under the gun with 84 yards to go and 1:41 to do it in on their last possession. They kept running the ball, too. Dean for 13 on first down; Chad Thompson, who'd scored on a 54-yard sprint just into the second half, carried for 5 and 8; then Crouse, cramps and all, for 11 then 14. And there the Cougars were at the 28, then in the end zone.

"I thought we could do it," wingback Ernie Hodge said. "Well, I hoped we could do it."

"My goodness what an effort," Turner said.

William Fleming 0 7 6 6-19

Pulaski County 0 7 7 6-20

PC-Crouse 6 run (Piscura kick)

WF-Curtis 21 pass from Hicks (Dempsey kick)

PC-C. Thompson 54 run (Piscura kick)

WF-R. Thompson 6 pass from Hicks (kick blocked)

WF-R. Thompson 34 pass from Hicks (run failed)

PC-Crouse 28 pass from Dean (run failed)

WF PC

First downs 14 9

Yards rushing 167 1-9-0

Passes C-A-I 10-15-0 3-12-2

Yards passing 133 48

Penalties-yards 2-15 4-45

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0

Punts-average 3-25.6 3-46.6

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing-WF, Preist 17-74, Hicks 11-59, Lawton 4-19, Curtis 3-15; P, Thompson 8-74, Crouse 10-64, Simmons 7-33, Hodge 2-14, Dean 4-5

PASSING-WF, Hicks 10-15-0 133; P, Dean 3-12-2 48

RECEIVING-WF, Curtis 6-57, Thompson 4-75, Hicks 1-1; P, Thompson 2-20, Crouse 1-28