Offense Wins Cavalier Football Festival, 76-70

Story Links

April 20, 2002

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In the first annual Cavalier Football Festival, the Virginia offense defeated the defense, 76-70, in spring football action at the Carl Smith Center home of David Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium on Saturday.

Utilizing amended scoring rules, the squads racked up points through one half of play. The second half was canceled due to threatening weather conditions.

“I thought that wrapped up pretty well,” head coach Al Groh said of the day’s events. ” We tried to emphasize areas of the game- red zone, field goals, third downs. I thought we had some players step up.”

For the Cavalier offense, sophomore running back Alvin Pearman (Charlotte, N.C.) ran in a seven-yard touchdown for the game’s first score. He finished with eight carries and 31 yards rushing. Moments later, junior quarterback Matt Schaub (West Chester, Pa.) completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ottowa Anderson (Norfolk, Va.). Junior Kase Luzar (Williamsburg, Va.) caught a 14-yard pass for the third touchdown as the offense went ahead, 25-11.

Freshman quarterback Marques Hagans (Hampton, Va.) threw a touchdown to sophomore Brandon Isaiah (Winston-Salem, N.C.). Junior cornerback Art Thomas (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) intercepted a pass and ran for a 41-yard touch down to bring the defense within six points, 42-36.

Overall, Schaub went 7-of-16 for 89 yards passing with one interception, a touchdown, and two sacks. Hagans was 8-of-15 with one interception for 49 yards, and two touchdowns. Sophomore David de Laur?al (New Orleans, La.) went 2-of-6 for 14 yards. Sophomore Marquis Weeks (Berwyn, Pa.) rushed for 90 yards on 12 carries and scored one touchdown.

Defensively, senior Chris Williams (Newport News, Va.), junior Justin Walker (Staten Island, N.Y.), and freshman Melvin Massey (Newport News, Va.) led the squad with six tackles each. Senior Angelo Crowell (Winston-Salem, N.C.), junior Raymond Mann (Hampton, Va.), and senior Jerton Evans (Lynchburg, Va.) recorded five stops each.

As the losing squad, the defense took home the Orange and Blue Hydrant.

Prior to the scrimmage, Michael McGrew (Birmingham, Ala.), Mann, and Thomas received the Rock Weir Award as the team’s Most Improved Players through spring practice.

“We had a very nice response with a good fan turnout and reaction,” Groh added.

Virginia opens the 2002 football season at home on Thursday, August 22 with Colorado State.