New Era for Loara Is a Winner : Football: Dawson helps Saxons end 11-game losing streak with 208 yards and three touchdowns in 20-14 victory over Western.

Denis Dawson spoke of a new team and a new attitude. Fortunately for Loara, it was the same old Denis Dawson.

Dawson rushed 17 times for 208 yards and scored three touchdowns to lead the Saxons to a 20-14 upset of Western in front of 1,500 Friday at the Pioneers’ Stadium.

The victory ended Loara’s 11-game losing streak. The Saxons also had lost 12 of 13 and 13 of 15 before the victory.

Needing only a sliver of a hole, Dawson scored on runs of 44 and 94 yards, and returned a kickoff 93. It was a dominating performance, one his teammates have come to expect. He was the sole bright spot in last year’s dismal 0-10 season, but showed that 1993 is a new season with new results.

“I’m proud of my teammates,” Dawson said. “It’s a whole new team with a new attitude and a lot of new energy and new leadership.”

Dawson had special praise for the blocking of fullback Carson Crucil and lineman Cameron Anthony.

“Dawson was too good for us tonight,” Western Coach Jim Howell said. “Dawson was awesome.”

Dawson’s final touchdown run, of 94 yards on a draw play, gave Loara its 20-14 lead midway through the third quarter. He said it was the play that impressed him most. He changed directions five times and broke four tackles.

He left the game with 5 minutes 58 seconds to play after twisting his ankle, but is expected to play next week.

Western had several opportunities to win. After falling behind, the Pioneers’ field position was their 39, Loara’s 35, 20 and finally, their eight. By then, it was too late.

Two clipping penalties stopped Western when it got the ball at the Loara 20 with 11:29 to play.

The score was tied at 14 at halftime. Dawson had a 93-yard kickoff return after Western’s first score, a 33-yard pass from Brandon Brennan to Marques Robinson, and Dawson had a 44-yard touchdown run with 14 seconds left in the half.

Both of Dawson’s runs were impressive, but the latter was doubly so. On a draw play, he broke two tackles, the first when it appeared he was smothered by three defenders. He managed to get outside, then broke another. It was the kind of performance that validated the Empire League voting him the league’s best back last season despite the Saxons’ 0-10 record.

Dawson’s performance salvaged a miserable half offensively for Loara. Besides his 44-yard score, the Saxons rushed for 20 yards and passed for 39.

Western took advantage of good field position. The first touchdown came after getting the ball at the Pioneer 49, the second after getting the ball at their 36.

So impressive was Western’s defense that Loara had six first-half possessions: four times the Saxons were held on downs, once they ran five plays, and Dawson scored on the fourth play of a series.

Brennan completed nine of 13 passes for 108 yards in the first half; two were dropped.