WINSTON SALEM, North Carolina - Undefeated CIAA champion Winston-Salem State kept its unprecedented run at an NCAA Div. II national championship and undefeated season alive using a prolific offense and quick, stingy defense in knocking off New Haven 27-7 in a national quarterfinal game played at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem Saturday afternoon.
WSSU (13-0) got two long touchdown receptions from quarterback Kameron Smith (19-26-1, 274 yards) to wideout Jameze Massey, running back Nicholas Cooper rambled for 132 yards and one TD and the Rams' defense stymied a New Haven offense that came in averaging 43.0 points, getting three interceptions and a fumble and holding the Chargers (11-2) to just one first-quarter score.
The Rams, under second-year head coach Connell Maynor, now advance to the national semifinals where they will host Wayne State, a 31-25 winner over Minnesota-Duluth in another quarterfinal game. The Rams, who got theirs and the CIAA’s first NCAA playoff win since 1993 in a second round win over California (Pa.), now becomes the first CIAA team to ever advance to the national semifinals. Among HBCU’s, Central State in 1986 under head coach Billy Joe was the last team to make the national semis.
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New Haven Charger Football Suffers Loss in NCAA Quarterfinals, 27-7
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The University of New Haven football team, nationally ranked No. 5/11 fell, 27-7 to No. 3/4 Winston-Salem State University Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Division II Football Championship Quarterfinal Round in North Carolina. With the loss, the Chargers conclude their 2011 season with an 11-2 overall record. The Rams improved to 13-0 overall and advance to the semifinals to take on the winner of Wayne State (Mich.) and Minnesota Duluth.
The Chargers' offense struggled to get started all day. Quarterback Ryan Osiecki (Seymour, Conn./Seymour / Univ. of Louisville) led the squad with 209 yards on 16-of-32 passing with one touchdown and two interceptions. Running back Mike DeCaro (Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay ) added 74 yards on 15 carries, while Anthony Tillman (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) added 40 yards on six carries.
The Chargers won the opening toss and took the ball right out of the gate. After one first down conversion, the Chargers were forced to punt and the Rams took over at their own 31-yard line. WSSU then took the ball 69-yards and capped a nine-play drive with a 48-yard touchdown pass. After a failed extra point, the Chargers trailed 6-0 early in the first half.
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