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Blocked punts aid East Bay's win

By JEREMY RASMUSSEN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 1, 2001

TAMPA -- East Bay scored with 31 seconds remaining to upset Chamberlain 14-9 in a mistake-filled opener.

Two blocked punts proved to be the key after a slow start.

In the first half alone, the two teams combined for more fumbles (10) than points (9).

But East Bay made fewer mistakes late in the game, and that was the difference.

Indians coach Brian Thornton said he didn't mind how ugly the win was.

"If God had told me this morning, "You're going to beat Chamberlain,' do you think I'd ask him how?" Thornton said. "We made a lot of early season mistakes tonight, but if we clean those up, we could have a nice season."

Neither team could find its rhythm early, as Chamberlain missed a 44-yard field goal on its first possession, and East Bay had turnovers on its first three possessions.

The Chiefs got on the board in the second quarter when the Indians snapped the ball out of the end zone for a safety.

Chamberlain got the ball back and drove down to the Indian 20 before fumbling, but East Bay gave it right back on the next play with another fumble.

On first down from the 19, Chiefs quarterback Sidney Bryant found a leaping Brian Clark in the end zone for a score and a 9-0 lead.

Thornton told his team at halftime that as poorly as they had played, they were only down by nine points.

"Their defense gave our offense a lot of trouble, but we didn't give up," he said.

The Indian defense was not bad either, as Donte Thomas and Ryan Vanalstyne helped stuff the run for East Bay, and Jimmy Strong had a fumble recovery, an interception, and a pass defense in the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, East Bay's C.J. Owens blocked Jason Riverol's punt to set up a first-and-goal from the 8.

On the next play, Reggie Doby took it in to pull within 9-7.

East Bay blocked another punt to get back the ball with 58 seconds left. Three plays later, quarterback J.B. Garris took it in from 10 yards out on a naked bootleg.

Garris had no completions in the game but finished with 75 yards on 12 carries.

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