Hines' fourth-down run lifts James Madison into semis
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Raymond Hines' fourth-down, 1-yard touchdown run with 28 seconds left lifted James Madison to a 14-13 victory over Furman and the NCAA Division I-AA semifinals on Saturday.
The Dukes (11-2) had never won more than one game in five previous playoff trips. Now, they'll face William & Mary next week for a spot in the championship game at Chattanooga on Dec. 17.
William & Mary defeated defending national champion Delaware, 44-38, in double overtime earlier Saturday.
It looked like a long shot for the Dukes as Furman's Scott Beckler lined up for the clinching 43-yard field goal with five minutes remaining. But James Madison's Demetrius Shambley blocked the low kick -- it was the Dukes' second block of the game -- and set up a final chance at victory.
Quarterback Justin Rascati completed 5 of 8 throws on the winning 74-yard drive, including passes of 16 and 11 yards to D.D. Boxley when the Dukes faced second-and-22. Rascati's 14-yard throw to Ardon Bransford brought James Madison to Furman's 8 with 54 seconds left.
Hines was stopped at the 1 on third down and James Madison called timeout to go over the last play. Hines took the ball from Rascati and moved left into an open end zone. David Rabil converted the extra point and sent the James Madison side into hysterics.
Florida transfer Ingle Martin could drive the Paladins after the kickoff. His final throw, a line drive into a pack of about six Dukes, fell incomplete and Furman (10-3), the second seed and Southern Conference champion, was done.
Hines had a 5-yard run touchdown run in the second quarter to start James Madison's scoring.
Besides the blocked field goal, Beckler missed an extra point after Furman's third-quarter score.
Rascati completed 16 of 22 for 176 yards. He also was James Madison's leading rusher with 67 yards.
Martin was far from the player who threw four TD passes a week ago in Furman's opening, 49-7 playoff win over Jacksonville State. Martin fumbled twice and his poor pitch led to a third giveaway.
Tailback Cedrick Gipson had a chance to extend Furman's 13-7 lead in the third quarter, but fumbled the ball away on James Madison's 1.
Martin finished 13 of 22 for 190 yards. The Paladins were held to 141 yards rushing, nearly 100 shy of their average (233.3 yards) coming in.
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press

