Lewis Leaves Mark on Bruins : Huskies: Tailback recovers after a violent tackle and fools UCLA defense with a 10-yard run for winning score.

Cary Conklin released the ball, and Greg Lewis looked back for it as he headed up field. He didn’t see Matt Darby coming.

“As soon as I caught the ball, though, I felt him,” Lewis said.

Darby realized the dream of every defensive back who has ever played. He got a one-on-one tackle in the open field with a running back three inches shorter and five pounds lighter--and didn’t blow the opportunity.

Lewis caught the screen pass from Conklin, the Washington quarterback, three yards behind the line of scrimmage and turned up field. Darby made contact and lifted Lewis off the ground. He stuck his helmet in Lewis’ stomach and laid him out on the Rose Bowl grass.

Lewis stayed down for a few moments, the wind having been knocked out of him and his injured hands hurting.

“About nine fingers are sprained now,” he said.

The Huskies’ starting tailback sat out only one play before going back in, his chance to do damage only moments away.

Capping a day in which he rushed for 112 yards in 24 carries, Lewis crossed up the entire Bruin defense and scored on a 10-yard draw play with 1:02 remaining. When John McCallum added the extra point, Washington had a 28-27 victory Saturday, and the 5-foot-11 junior tailback had something besides aspirin to make to the Darby-induced hurt go away.

“I saw the end zone,” Lewis said afterward, recalling the play that resulted in Washington’s first road win over UCLA since 1979. “I saw a lot of open space.”

Just enough to bury the Bruins and their six defensive-back alignment. The pass they all expected never came.

“There was nothing we could do about it,” UCLA cornerback Carlton Gray said. “We were so spread out. I was shocked. Everybody on the field was shocked.”

The play worked to perfection, as much because of the previous nine calls as the last one. The Bruins were set up for the final play by the entire 78-yard, 2-minute, 10-second drive. It was sort of like a batter who sees one curve- ball after another before the pitcher fools him with a fastball.

First-and-10 on the Washington 22-yard line: Conklin connects with split end Mario Bailey over the middle for a 16-yard gain.

First-and-10 on the 38: Darby puts Lewis out of the game with the hit. Lewis holds onto the ball but losses three yards.

Second-and-13 on the 35: Lewis sits this one out. Conklin loops a pass over the middle to Bailey, good for 26 yards.

First-and-10 on the UCLA 39: Lewis bursts through the line for a 14-yard gain.

First-and-10 on the 25: Conklin connects with Bailey in the right flat for a four-yard gain. Washington calls a timeout with 1:45 left.

Second-and-six on the 21: Conklin throws incomplete.

Third-and-six on the 21: Conklin, trying to hit Bailey in the front of the end zone, throws incomplete.

Fourth-and-six on the 21: With the crowd on its feet, Conklin hits Bailey over the middle despite tight coverage by safety Eric Turner for a seven-yard gain and a first down.

“That was obviously No. 1 on the hit parade on the drive,” Washington Coach Don James said.

Said Conklin, who was 20 of 36 for 183 yards, including six passes for 80 yards to Bailey: “Mario wanted the ball. You could see it in his eyes.”

First-and-10 on the 14: Conklin scrambles for four yards.

Washington calls a timeout with 1:04 remaining. James huddles with Conklin and runs through the possibilities for the next play. They decide to put three receivers wide left and have flanker Orlando McKay slant across the middle. Conklin heads back to the huddle. . . but James changes his mind. Fifty draw, he shouts. The draw to Lewis.

Second-and-six on the 10: After watching Washington pass on seven of the drive’s nine plays, UCLA defenders are on their heels as the Huskies come to the line. Lewis makes them regret it.

“That last drive,” Conklin said, “it was the greatest feeling I’ve ever had.”

Lewis wasn’t feeling so bad himself. The hurt lingered, but his condition was being upgraded with every moment, thanks to 50 draw.