SENOIR BOWL : Miami’s Gary Rushes for 97 Yards to Help South Score a 13-12 Victory

Cleveland Gary from the University of Miami, said he wasn’t thinking about awards or the National Football League, but he claimed the biggest award in Saturday’s Senior Bowl game and probably helped himself in the upcoming pro football draft.

Gary, named the game’s outstanding player, rushed for 97 yards to spark the South attack in a 13-12 victory over the North.

Tulane’s Terrence Jones accounted for both South touchdowns, but Gary turned in the game’s big plays.

“I was just thinking about winning,” Gary said.

South Coach John Robinson of the Rams said: “He’s going to be a big-time player. Although everybody knew about him, I think he helped himself today. He had such a workhorse effort. He handled the ball a lot, and in key situations.”

Jones capped a 70-yard drive on the South’s first possession with a 1-yard run, then threw to Walter Reeves of Auburn with a 3-yard touchdown pass with 10:53 left.

Gary rushed for 38 yards on 4 carries in the first drive. He also caught 5 passes for 42 yards in the game, including a 10-yard catch on a fourth-and-2 at the North 41 to keep the game-winning drive going on the opening play of the fourth quarter.

“The wind was working against us, and I thought we had to make our move then,” Robinson said of the gamble.

“Our guys played real hard,” said North Coach Dan Reeves of the Denver Broncos. “I’m just sorry we came up short.”

Jones completed 6 of 8 passes for 44 yards in the 72-yard fourth-quarter drive that erased a 12-6 North lead.

Southern Mississippi’s Chris Seroka, who missed his first extra point, broke the tie.

The North first scored on a safety when Alex Stewart of Cal State Fullerton sacked Jones in the end zone.

That set up a 37-yard drive on the ensuing kickoff, which ended on a 7-yard run by Dave Meggett of Towson State.

Mike Gillette of Michigan gave the North a 12-6 lead in the third quarter with a 24-yard field goal.

Greg Jackson of Louisiana State intercepted a pass by Duke Anthony Dilweg at the South 27 with 2:22 left, stopping the North’s last threat.

The victory increased the South’s series advantage to 20-17-3.

Jones completed 14 of 21 passes for 128 yards, and Gary got his 97 yards on 19 carries.

After Meggett’s 7-yard run gave the North a 9-6 lead, the South moved from its 22 to the North 42 before Washington’s Tony Zackery intercepted a Jones pass at the 28.

Five plays later, Alabama’s Derrick Thomas intercepted a pass by Dilweg and returned it 11 yards to the South 40.

Later in the second quarter, the South stopped the North on the 3 with a 39-yard punt by Alabama’s Chris Mohr.