Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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'Cti e (f5amccock Watson’s performance lifts Gamecocks to victory by Chris Foy The Gamecock ^ Derek Watson had a career day Saturday afternoon as he established himself as a pivotal part of USC’s offense. Watson scored all three of South Carolina’s touchdowns as well as making several huge plays criti cal to the game’s outcome. Also, Wat son broke out three times for 19 yards or more. Watson’s performance was one of many key components Georgia overlooked going into the game. The Bulldogs hadn’t even had the op portunity to see exactly what Wat son could do, as he was only able to rush for 29 yards in last year’s matchup. “I wanted to show how much will I had to be a winner and how much • will this program has to be a win ner,” Watson said. After Georgia quarterback Quin cy Carter led a scoring drive on their opening possession, Watson was the return man for the kickoff. He re turned the ball 53 yards and gave the Gamecocks opening field position on Georgia’s 43-yard line. The return was a career high for Watson. Last year he had four returns for 75 yards with a long of 25 yards. He now has 82 return yards on the season after making only two returns. Gamecock quarterback Phil Pet ty led a drive full of trick plays on South Carolina’s first series that was capped off with a five-yard touch down run by Watson. As the Bulldogs were driving to take the lead in response to the Game cocks tying the game, Carter threw an interception to Andre Goodman who ran it 70 yards down the field. A Georgia penalty on the play put the ball on the Bulldog two-yard line. The first play on the resulting series was a hand-off to Watson which he ran in for another touchdown that put the Gamecocks up 14-7. After little offensive movement of the ball from either team in the second half, Watson finally capped off the game with a 21-ryard cutback play for a touchdown with 4:10 left in the game. It gave the game its fi nal score of 21-10. The three touchdowns scored by Watson were only one shy of the school record of four set by Mike Dingle and Stanley Pritchett. Watson finished the game with 93 yards rushing. He averaged 4.7 yards a carry. In addition, he caught four pass es for 20 yards. Over the past two games, Watson has accumulated 207 yards rushing, more than half of last year’s total. Watson’s rushing performance capped off a second straight week of an improved offensive scheme that has been enjoying considerably more success than last year’s offensive unit. Watson’s game, along with Pet ty’s and the offense, was due to sol id play from the offensive line a< well as spreading the ball oui more. Head Coach Lou Holtz certainly was impressed with Watson along with the offense. “Derek Watson had a great game. He plays well with the ball and without the ball.” Watson was certainly pleased with the end results. “Not only are we 2 0, we beat a Top 10 team. It’s a great feeling.” However, Watson won’t let the victory take away from the sea son’s focus. “We still have nine games to go. It still is a lot of confidence, though. Everyone has confidence now head ing into next week’s game.” The sports desk can be reached at gamecocksports@hotmail.com. 1__3*1-M-1 Sean Rayford The Gamecock Sophomore running back Derek Watson rushed for 166 alt-pur pose yards with three touchdowns in Saturday’s victory. 1_tZ_Z..... Travis Lynn The Gamecock Georgia quarterback Quincy Carter tries his best to escape the clutches of Gamecock linebacker Andre Offing. Offing was the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against NMSU. f---1 Georgia from page 10 it two plays later with a 21-yard gain for a first down. Watson also con verted a key fourth down on the dri ve and scored on a 5-yard run to tie the game. On the first Gamecock pos session, Watson contributed 82 all purpose yards. Carter had the Bulldogs mov ing again on the team’s second dri ve until USC defensive back Andre Goodman picked him off. Goodman returned the interception for 70 yards to the Georgia 7-yard line, where Carter made a touchdown-saving tackle. That tackle earned Carter a per sonal foul penalty, though, and put South Carolina on the Georgia 2-yard line. Watson ran it in on the first play for his second touchdown of the quar ter, and the Gamecocks took a lead that they would never relinquish. Defense was the theme of the sec ond half. Watson and the Carolina offense stalled on numerous drives as the Georgia defense adjusted to USC’s quick-strike spread offense. “I limited the offense -1 made them play with one hand,” Holtz said. “I wouldn't let us throw down the middle until we got behind. It was probably stupid in the long run, but I wanted to control the football.” Control the football they did. The Gamecock offense might have been having trouble scoring, but it could n’t compare to the difficult time that Carter and the Bulldog offense were having. The Bulldogs only had the ball for 6:13 in the second half, com pared to almost 24 minutes for the Gamecocks. Georgia’s first two possessions of the second half ended in inter ceptions, to defensive end Dennis Quinn and cornerback Sheldon Brown. On its third possession of the half, the Bulldogs went three and out and were forced to punt. The fourth quarter wasn't much better. Trailing 14-10 and needing more than a field goal, Georgia failed to convert on fourth down from the South Carolina 20. After a USC punt. Carter threw his fourth interception of the day to safety Rashad Faison, and that put the Gamecocks on the Georgia 37 yard line, where South Carolina fi nally took advantage. Watson put the game out of reach with his third score of the day, this one from 22 yards out. He finished with 166 all-pur pose yards on the day. Carter’s attempt for a comeback was short-lived, as he threw his fifth and final interception on his second throw of the next possession. The goalposts fell shortly after. “We got the job done," said USC quarterback Phil Petty. “This is a big step forward for us." The sports desk c;ut he reached at gamecocksports@hotmail.com. Men’s soccer squad beats No. 1 Virginia by Kyle Almond The Gamecock ^ For the second time in the last three years, the South Carolina men’s soccer team knocked off the No. 1 team in the nation, this time beating Virginia 2-1 on Fri day at the Maryland Soccer Clas sic Sophomore forward Jordan Quinn scored both goals for No. 22 Carolina (2-1) and, through three games this season, has already com piled three goals and two assists for eight points. Virginia (2-1) took a 1-0 lead 17 minutes into the game when Kenny Arena’s shot from 25 yards found the back of the net, but the Gamecocks didn't take long to score the equalizer. Quinn buried a shot into the ^ right corner of the net in the 19th minute, with assists coming from freshmen Ryan Daley and Robert Rosenberg. The game-winning goal came at the 29:16 mark off a Quinn free kick. Virginia goalkeeper David Comfort was called for a foul af ter handling the ball outside the penalty box, and it cost his team a goal as Quinn drilled it into the lower left corner of the net. USC endured a heavy offensive barrage from Virginia in the sec ond half. UVA had 14 shots on goal in the half, compared to Carolina’s ^ three. For the game, UVA outshot ^ the Gamecocks 23-8. With only three more points. Quinn will match his output from all of last season. The Ft. Laud erdale, Fla. native led USC fresh men last season with five goals. South Carolina had never de feated Virginia prior to Friday’s game. The Cavaliers held a 3-0-1 record over the Gamecocks, in cluding a 2-0 win over USC in the 1993 NCAA Championship game. "Virginia has a reputation of being the best in the country," Quinn said. "They are such a great dynasty. We suffered a tough loss last week (against UNC-Charlotte) and we needed to bounce back." "I am very proud of our guys for not folding after getting down early,” USC head coach Mark Berson said. In 1998, Carolina upset the No.l UCLA Bruins 2-1 at the Graveyard. Women’s soccer team crushed at Tar Heel Invitational In the opening game of the Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C., the South Carolina women’s soccer team lost 9-1 to No. 1 North Carolina. UNC senior forward Meredith Florance scored a game-high four goals in the rout. South Carolina’s lone goal came from freshman Jes sica Julin. The Gamecocks dropped to 0 4 on the season and the Tar Heels improved to 5-0. The sports desk can be reached at gamecocksports@hotmail.com. Carter from page 10 on the year already, the Gamecocks arc one away from tying their total from all of last season. “We came out ready hut their de fense outplayed us,” said Georgia of fensive lineman Kevin Breedlove, who signed with Georgia nut of Daniel 1 ligh School in South Carolina. “They Jorccd a lot of turnovers and that was Ve key. Their defense really stepped tip and played a good game.” /'arid, who decided to stay in school for his junior season rather than jump to the NFL, remained fo cused after the game despite the huge disappointment. “It’s a long season and we have to regroup," he said. “We have to stay together after this loss.” Holtz still had positive things to say about Carter. “If I started a (pro) franchise, I'd draft Quincy Carter,” Holtz said. “I le's a great competitor and a class young man. I am a Quincy Carter fan.” The sports <le\k cm he reached at gamecocksports^hotmail.com. Soon everyone will be asking Miki Barber to sign on the dotted line. Make sure you beat the rush. Congratulations to Miki Barber, Track & Field l Jniversity of South Carolina, 1999-2000 Honda Award Nominee Wait too long, ami you may have to stand in line to get her autograph. Because with her athletic talent, academic intelligence, ami community involvement, she's Imund to make a name tiir herself. It's no coincidence those same attributes are the reasons she was nominated fora 1 londa Award, lii honor her, I londa has made a donation to your schools womens athletics programs. I hat way everyone will have something to rcmemlrcr her by without having to wait in line. \,...... .1. II.. III' ,