University of Virginia Library

Cavayearling Attack Tantalizes
Porous Gobbler Front, 43-20

By DOUG DOUGHTY

Cavayearling running backs Dick
Ambrose and Jeff Stanley
bombarded the Virginia Tech
defense for 244 yards, Friday, as
the first-yearmen humbled their
Hokie guests, 43-20.

The University jumped off to a
quick 16-0 first quarter lead by
virtue of a Steve Bowler field goal
from 37 yards out and the first two
of four touchdown runs by
Ambrose.

The Gobblers mounted a
strong second-quarter offensive,
capitalizing on a dropped punt by
Mark Gruotzmacher deep in Wahoo
territory which was Bounced on in
the end zone for a Hokie TD, and a
58-yard aerial from Goblet
bomb-thrower Ricky Popp to
elusive flankerback Ricky Scales.
Except for a 6-yard touchdown run
by Stanley, the Cavayearlings were
held scoreless in the second quarter
and left the field with a scant 23-20
halftime margin.

Subduing the increasing Gobbler
momentum, the first-yearmen
clinched the victory in the third
quarter with a vicious defense that
kept the Hokies bottled up in their
own territory and a strong offense
that combined accurate passing with
the ruthless charges of Ambrose
and Stanley.

Ambrose plunged four yards
midway through the period and the
Cavalier margin raised to 30-20
after Bowler's conversion.
Rounding end for his second
40-yard run of the afternoon,
Stanley cradled the ball down to
the three-yard line late in the third
period to set the stage for
Ambrose's fourth score, his third
one-yard plunge.

Stanley picked up 164 yards on
27 carries for the day and more
than doubled his output for the
previous four games.

The final period was
anticlimactic as a running feud
between the confused officials and
an impolite and noisy crowd joined
a fight between soon-to-be-ejected
Hokie middle linebacker Tom
Shirley and Cavayearling guard
Doug Wilson as a center of
attention.

The final Cavalier tally was
achieved on a 12-yard pass from
quarterback Chris Turner to tight
end Ken Shelton for the latter's
first score of the season. Bowler's
point-after assured the final score: a
43-20 University victory over a
team that proved less troublesome
than thought after a gallant 23-20
setback to a Maryland lineup that
humiliated the Cavayearlings
earlier this season.

Statistically, the Cavayearlings
shamed the visitors from "Tech
Territory." The first year rushing
game amassed 291 yards on 59
rushes while a stout Wahoo defense
limited Virginia Tech's runners to
minus nine yards rushing. Turner
unobtrusively completed 13 of 19
throws for 145 yards while Popp
completed 6 of 17 serials before
barely escaping with his life before
a frenzied first-year pass rush.