Bluefield/Hoover game article...

[Bluefield_Rules 46]

http://www.bdtonline.com/articles/2004/10/23/sports/01.beavers.txt

 

Beaver defense collars Hoover Huskies

Posted: Saturday, Oct 23, 2004 - 12:59:24 am EDT

By TOM BONE

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

BLUEFIELD - Eight down and a few to go.

 

The Bluefield Beavers got their act together as the game went on, defeating Herbert Hoover High School 41-10 Friday night at John Chmara Field / Mitchell Stadium. The Beavers improved to 8-0, and Fred Simon tied the late Chmara's win total (130).

 

With at least three Bluefield players going to the sidelines with injuries, the play was ragged at times, particularly on offense. Still, Bluefield ended with 321 yards from scrimmage.

 

The Beaver defense held the Huskies to 7 net rushing yards and 55 through the air. Hoover had 40 running attempts and lost yardage on 16. Tracy Coppola tacked on the final BHS score on a sterling 52-yard interception return

 

Mike Davis, playing his last regular-season game at home, had a career night. He scored on a 42-yard touchdown reception from Rusty Coeburn on the Beavers' fifth offensive play, and added a 62-yard TD catch on Bluefield's first snap of the fourth quarter.

 

Simon said of Davis, "If he gets just a little crease in anybody's defense, I think he can go the distance. When he got the chance to do it, he did a heck of a job with it."

 

The Huskies' Alex Amick booted a 28-yard field goal on the initial play of the second quarter to narrow Bluefield's lead to 7-3.

 

On the next series, Coeburn launched a ball toward the goal line and David Perdue turned and waited for the arcing aerial, then wrestled away from a defender for the first of what would be five straight BHS scores.

 

As the first half wore down, Perdue caught a key 12-yard pass to gain a first down at the Huskies' 7. Derrick Steptoe took over on the ground, getting a one-yard touchdown with 54 seconds left. Lucas Stone's kick gave BHS a 20-3 halftime lead.

 

Near the end of the third quarter, Perdue rammed the ball down the middle for a 12-yard touchdown. It was set up by the Beaver defense forcing the Huskies into negative-18 yards on a three-play series, which then ended in a 22-yard punt.

 

There were seven fumbles in the game by the two teams.

 

Steptoe was the leading ground-gainer for the Beavers with 71 yards unofficially on 11 carries. Perdue had 39 yards unofficially.

 

Hoover's Stephen Currie managed 48 yards rushing. D.J. Taylor tallied the Huskies' only touchdown on a 9-yard sweep against the Bluefield reserves with 3:10 left in the game.

 

Simon said, "We struggled early, then got it together." He said that due to injuries, "it wasn't smooth at first ... but we found a way to win again."

 

Herbert Hoover coach Steve Stoffel said, "Bluefield's a pretty good football team ... . We didn't play very well offensively, that's for sure, but Bluefield had a lot to do with that."

 

Simon, when asked about tying the win total of his former mentor, said, "If I wasn't at Bluefield High School, I wouldn't have had any of these opportunities to win.

 

"Coach (Merrill) Gainer, Coach Chmara, those gentlemen along with the players and the other coaches who were here before me, and the assistants - it's just a great place to coach. If it hadn't been for them, this would have never happened.

 

"And I appreciate all the players I've coached over the years. They've helped me to get there.

 

"It's been a growing experience. I appreciate the people being patient with me when I first got the job. All I've done is to try to persevere and work hard, and I'm very proud to be a part of the Bluefield High School football program."

 

At Chmara Field/Mitchell Stadium

 

Herbert Hoover (4-4).........0 3 0 7 - 10

 

Bluefield (8-0).....................7 13 7 14 - 41

 

First Quarter

 

BHS - Mike Davis 42 pass from Rusty Coeburn (Lucas Stone kick), 8:30

 

Second Quarter

 

HHHS - Alex Amick 28 FG, 11:56

 

BHS - David Perdue 35 pass from Coeburn (fumble, run failed), 9:12

 

BHS - Derrick Steptoe 1 run (Stone kick), 0:54

 

Third Quarter

 

BHS - Perdue 12 run (Stone kick), 0:19

 

Fourth Quarter

 

BHS - Davis 62 pass from Coeburn (Stone kick), 8:00

 

BHS - Tracy Coppola 52 interception return (Stone kick), 6:30

 

HHHS - D. J. Taylor 9 run (Amick kick), 3:10