Thursday, October 4, 2007

BCU 'Cats seek redemption


By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona News Journal Staff Writer

Late loss still stings BC-U

When Delaware State rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes to defeat Bethune-Cookman 33-31 last year, few could foresee the significance the victory would have on the Hornets' rise to national prominence.

But without it, says DSU coach Al Lavan, the Hornets (3-1, 2-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) may not be where they are today -- ranked 20th in The Sports Network's Division I Championship Subdivision poll and considered by many as the top team in the conference.

"That was the type of game you must win to grow your program," Lavan said. "In my estimation, that game was second only to our game Saturday in Hampton."

Delaware State upended three-time defending conference champ Hampton 24-17 last week to take over the favorite's role in the MEAC race. The Hornets will try to avoid a letdown tonight at 7:30 when they host Bethune-Cookman in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU.

"They're probably the best team in the conference," said B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt. "I just marvel at the fact that they were able to get it done so quickly."

Lavan took over a team in 2004 that had finished 1-10 the previous season. After a 4-7 first year, his Hornets have gone 7-4 and 8-3 the past two seasons with consecutive 6-2 conference marks.

Their breakout game might have been the comeback at Daytona Beach on Oct. 7, 2006. The Hornets scored two touchdowns in the final 4:38, including Vashon Winton's 18-yard scoring pass with 1:30 left. The victory began a six-game winning streak for DSU.

"It was a tremendous win for us," Lavan said. "Once you're faced with that kind of adversity you must prove you can overcome it (in order to keep progressing)."

B-CU is now facing that kind of adversity. The Wildcats (2-3, 0-3 MEAC) have lost six straight conference games dating back to last season and are coming off a 33-9 homecoming loss to Morgan State, in which they turned the ball over five times and produced just 146 yards of offense in muddy Municipal Stadium.

"We just have to get back to the drawing board and get things right," Wyatt said. "Bad weather doesn't favor us because we have speed. We just couldn't get out of our tracks (last week). Whatever we do, we need to do it and put what happened behind us."

The Hornets, on the other hand, will try to keep rolling.

"This is another step we must take after having success Saturday," Lavan said. "It's another test. Coach Wyatt will bring a hungry, tough and skilled football team. That's a given."

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