Raul Flores Express-News Staff Writer
Publication: San Antonio Express-News
Date: October 6, 1990
Page: 6H
Marshall running back Anthony Holmes exploded for a 93-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds left in the game and finished with 227 yards rushing to lead the Rams to a 27-14 victory over Madison at Northside Stadium Friday night. Holmes, who scored all four of Marshall’s touchdowns, added TD runs of 43 and 63 yards and carried a David Sammon pass 57 yards for another score.
A crowd of 6,020 watched the Rams’ defense intercept four Madison passes, including two in the final 1:30.
Todd Siebert’s fourth interception of the year with 1:29 left stopped Madison’s potential go- ahead drive and gave the Rams possession on their own 8-yard line. Facing a third-and-12 from the seven, Holmes broke through the line and cut to the outside, then raced down the left sideline for the 93-yard romp. He got a key block from V.J. Villarreal 70 yards downfield.
Three minutes earlier, Villarreal fumbled on his own 42 and Madison’s Bill Satterfield pounced on the loose ball. The Mavs took over, trailing 20-14, with 3:49 left and moved to the Rams’ 26 before Siebert picked off Matt McGrath.
“I thought that fumble would come back to haunt us,” Marshall coach David Visentine said. “I guess he (Villarreal) was making up for the fumble.”
Despite Holmes’ big night, Visentine wasn’t impressed with his club’s offensive performance. “Our offense sputtered all night,” Visentine said. “Madison came in and made the defensive plays. But our kids hung in there. Our defense kept us in this tonight.” Marshall totaled 309 yards on the ground. Take away Holmes’ three long scoring runs and the Madison defense held Marshall under three yards per carry. Villarreal, who came in with a 7.2-yard per carry average, rushed for 34 yards on 10 carries. He picked up 23 on one play.
Madison tied the game at 14-14 with a 13-yard pass from McGrath to Herman Richardson with 4:02 left in the third. Matt Colvin kicked the PAT. Marshall went ahead to stay when Holmes busted through the line for his 63-yard score with 7:03 left in the contest. The Mavs’ blocked John Puffers’ PAT, leaving the Rams up, 20-14. The Rams moved ahead, 14-7, with a pair of touchdowns just overe a minute apart late in the second quarter, thanks to Tim Woods’ interception with 1:33 left in the first half. Holmes took a delayed draw handoff on the first play after the interception and went 43 yards up the middle untouched. Puffers’ PAT gave the Rams a 14-7 lead with 1:22 left in the half.
Marshall scored its first TD 76 seconds earlier on Sammon’s 57-yard scoring strike to Anthony Holmes, who beat defender Demetrius Peel and raced into the end zone. The score capped an 82-yard drive in five plays. Madison scored first on a 6-yard misdirection handoff to John Wallace. Colvin’s PAT put the Mavericks’ up 7-0 with 1:15 left in the first quarter. McGrath finished 9 of 18 for 137 yards, but his three interceptions proved costly. Neal Davis came in late in the game and threw the fourth interception with seven seconds left.
