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Show J J V v f ?5G v EC53 Roy: Playoffs Aotv Mtsf Face Powerful Huskies G. McNabb Turns Giant In The End By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports Davis stayed with their heralded running game. Ryan Smith sometimes found the going stiff... On the day, Davis running backs sliced through the up the clock... defense, gaining yards and using Royal SALT LAKE CITY - In the closing minute of the thrilling quarterfinal clash between Roy and Davis last Friday, a giant rose to and helped his club avoid an eailiei than wanted trip home." IS Greg McNabb took to the limelight, it could have possibly been someone else. Perhaps if Roys Steve Skidmore had of had just a few seconds moie on a dropback, may be a pass of his coaid hav e found a target in the end zone. It could have BLFORE DA center of the Darts Alive And Well After Roy Victory been just about anyone. But just when the Drts needed something and someone to spark some enthusiasm and w inning streak alive, someket p their one like McNabb rose up and was counted. THE senior defensive end. simply became the Royals No. enemy as he busted through Roys offensive line and smothered Roys quarterback three times m to pull out a the Royals last victory. Skidmore just plain had nothing left to offer, after McNabb and Co. continually pinned him for losses. But the respect was there as McNabb put it, The guy (Skidmore) was tough. He just kept getting back up and trying it again. 6-- 0, 1 - SALT LAKE CITY Good football teams also find a way to win, and such was the case last Friday afternoon as Davis High preserved a 14-- 7 quarterfinal victory over a stubborn and well coached Roy High squad. YOU COULD list a dozen incidents but the more hefty reasons may be as follows: -- Despite not having their season-lon- g star- ter, Steve Sargent at quarterback, juniorCasey Lloyd fulfilled his role with excellence, passing 3 for 6 with one touchdown and while rushing for one more. -- ROYS MULTIPLE faced defenses were seemingly enough to confuse even Tom Land- ry , but Jeff Hammer, Ryan Smith, Mark Mil- ler, Dave Kinard and the offensive line were brilliant again in making the holes and pass protecting when they had to. --While the Royals were making some strong bids to tie the game late in the final period, seniors Greg McNabb, Jeff Sampson, Chris Stevenson and several others were simply bul-- v on Roys Steve Skidmore, sacking him six times in the final period alone and intercepting twice. 4-- A Davis led THE DART defense, which has allowed only one touchdown or no points at all in every game but one this year, forced the Royals to punt three times in the first half and allowed them only three first downs. That was good enough for a 0 halftime lead. To start the second half, Ryan Smith inter- cepted one of three second half interceptions line. that gave Davis the ball on Roy s From there the Darts held onto the ball for nearly six minutes and ran 14 plays before on a QB keeper L1yd finally double-reverse- d and scored from a yard out. But the key play in that drive, was the fake punt by Davis in which Jeff Hammer ran six yards and picked up the first down to keep the drive alive. Another key was Mark Miller s 11 yard run on a 3rd and long situation. Again Wardens boot was good and Davis held a 14-- 0 lead, ROY CAME right back in their next series, first having Skidmore connect with Brent Had-lis- h ley on a key 25 yard pass play. Moments later, and with 3 seconds remaining in the third quar-hiter, Roys bread and butter back, Doug Neil- son, rambled 30 yards untouched for Roys ony score of the game. Eric Westbergs kick 7-- 0. 7-- 46-ya- THOSE THLNGS and more helped keep a perfect record in tact, thus the Darts now stand ma(je it 14-11-- 0 on the season. The Royals ran almost twice as many plays Those things were also enough to send the as Darts did in the final quarter and if it Darts into the semi-finaagainst powerful hadnt been for a swarming defense, Roy could Hillcrest, this Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. have easily scored another touchdown and CASEY DID an excellent job, said Ward either tied the game up or gone for a two-poiSawley after the win, In fact I had a lot of conversion to win it. confidence in him heading into the game. Hed GREG McNABB enjoyed what he called his had a full schedule of J. V. games behind him finest game of the year. In the final quarter and had seen action in quite a few of the varsity alone, either assisted someone else or had 3 unassisted quarterback sacks. As a whole, the games late. If he could get his timing down and call the Dart defensive end sacked Skidmore six times plays in time, I knew hed be alright. jn the finai 12 minutes of play. LLOYD took the place of senior Steve Sar-Others in on all of that ransacking were Jeff y gent who suffered a severely sprained ankle on Sampson, Chris Stevenson and Mike prior to the game. (At this writing, ward. Andy Keck had two interceptions alone there is a chance that Sargent will be playing jn the fourth quarter to thward some Roy this week against Hillcrest.) drives that had driven themselves deep in As the game progressed in the beginning, Davis territory. Lloyd s primary purpose was to move the team OF ROYS three possessions in the final 12 in the running game, and he did just that as minutes, two were stopped by interceptions Davis ran off 20 consecutive rushing plays be- - and another proved unsuccessful with a long fore Lloyd attempted his first pass play. But goa attempt, when that first pass came, it was a The victory was especially nice for Saw-rigto senior Mike Woodward that resulted in jey who as a head coach in the past five t years, a scoring play. Woodward was wide- - had neVer gone further than the quarterfinals, open on the play, no one within 10 yards of gut this time it was to be while Roy was sent him. James Warden s PAT proved good and home to hand in their gear. 7. THE GIANT effort in the closing minutes was enough to preserve the 14-- 7 lead and give state semi-finathe Darts a ticket into the against Hillcrest this Friday. Things just get better and better the further you move into the playoffs, said McNabb a couple of days after the win. The quality of teams are better, the linemen in front of you ai e better and your performance gets better if you want it to. That was the case last Friday, just like the coaches predicted. 4-- ls THE GUY I played over on the line was the best Ive went up against this year and Roy as a team gave us our best game of the year. As far as myself, I think Im on a roll nght now. The coaches expect each of us each w eek to strive for a personal best, but until the Highland game, I dont think I was doing that. ls nt Wood-Tuesda- AND OH HOW McNabb has improved Against the Rams he was awesome and last week against Brighton he did even better. Now after the Roy game, Greg says, That was my best game of the year. McNabb, who also plays an offensive tackle position, just hopes this kind of upward trend continues for at least two more weeks. ' McNABB IS also a fa ly decent w restler and But baseball player. perhaps if not for a lucky roll of the dice, his health may have never permitted him to compete like he does today. Greg nearly died as a young baby, after failing to breathe for a couple of minutes. They thought it may have caused some brain damage, said Greg, But neverreally knowingfor sure. But something did catch up with me in 1972 when I inherited an epiletic condition. I LIVED with that condition for nearly Continued on page 2 sports ''. V I Ari a- a iw , , lt (h Weber Rsr Lomond .Cteart3af0 -iv EcJl Journal Sports Assistant coach, Fred Thompson, who leads the Roy High defense described the Roy-Dav- is is quarterfinal clash as what playoff football all about. The following article tells of the evening to the game, events through the game and (Editors Note: leading up events after.) - Roy High School, SALT LAKE CITY with a football tradition a mile deep and a mile wide, usually takes losing in November playoffs pretty hard. Maybe for awhile after Davis 14-- 7 1983 quarterfinals victory, they were a time, but according to the for disappointed man who led their impressive defensive stand, Fred Thompson, losing to Davis wasnt all 4-- A that bad. forget that. He hears that once, and IT DIDNT hurt us bad to lose because of who we lost to, said Thompson who assists a successfully run program under the reigns of Ernie Jacklin. Were sorry we lost, but I do believe the best team won on that day. Hey, those Davis kids were incredible, gentlemen all the way. makes everything worthwhile. THOMPSON continued to say, Ive said a couple of times before now, but I seriously dont know when Ive been more impressed with how a coaching staff treated our coaching staff before a game. The sportsmanship they communicated before and after, in my opinion, is what playoff football is all about. Too often you prepare for some folks with vengence in your heart because you don't like the people across the field. Its probably because they don't teach their kids very much, maybe winning and losing and thats all. But Friday afternoon was a pleasure, despite the fact we didnt win. AS ME WERE helping our quarterback (Steve Skidmore) off the field, I think it was that (Jeff) Sampson kid, who ate us alive, who was the first one to come up to Steve and tell him how great he was for sticking in there to the end. You know something, a player will never I thats what r AND THOSE who attended last Fridays close battle, would probably agree with Thompson that it was a beautiful game to watch. The Roy coach commented that no one quit on either side which helped to make the game a lot closer than some thought it would be. One reason the contest was in question of a victor to the very end, was the intense preparation on either side. Thompson said the Royals take pride in preparing for opponents which was a good indication they were 2 entering the game. Had the Royals scored a touchdown when they were deep in Davis territory with Vt - a v ,v wi By KEITH DUNCAN AlftfrffaH&WWfc i. tJbn til fri . Mtf -- - - A lnur V- -"' j ..J jw&f.r,ii'iTnnptf 1 XC-ZX- , 21 -i 8-- Continued on page 2 sports .Mott Vsr It? Kscrr--s 6 , . I 10 years before the last EEG test in April of 1982 proved that Id completely outdone any condi- - Viewmoot 8 StyMne 0 |