ECSU football still has business to settle

Elizabeth City, North Carolina -- Elizabeth City State’s immediate future has been set for a few weeks now. But there is one more piece of business the Vikings have to take care of before next week’s Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football championship game.

ECSU closes out the regular season with a Senior Day home game against Lincoln today. The Vikings, who clinched their spot in the CIAA title game opposite Winston-Salem State two weeks ago, are approaching today’s game the same way they have the first nine games of the season.

“Our concentration is on Lincoln as we always try to take it one game at a time,” ECSU coach Waverly Tillar said.

While the game might be meaningless in the CIAA standings, ECSU has a bigger picture to look at. The Vikings are clinging to the fifth spot in the NCAA Division II Super Region One poll, which would put them into the playoff field if the season ended today. But the season does not end today.

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ECSU PREPARES TO SALUTE 20 FOOTBALL SENIORS SATURDAY

ELIZABETH CITY, NC - The Elizabeth City State University football team will host Senior Day on Saturday, November 5th prior to the start of the Vikings' season finale with Lincoln University of Pennsylvania.

ECSU pause pregame to salute 20 student-athletes who will be playing at their final regular season home game at Roebuck Stadium. They are; Creven Powell, Anthony Faulcon, Baron Coffin, Torri Stewart, Earnest Murphy, Larry Jones, Domonic Strand, DeAundre Barfield, Sanerivi Reupena, Kahawaiolaa Soon, Jermaine Lindsay, John Davis, Brandon White, Brandon Smith, Sean Gueringer, DeWitt Dixon, Billy Wiggins, Bryan Garnett, Tolbert Matthews and Devven Sutton.

These seniors have been an integral part of the Vikings' third appearance since 2006 in the CIAA title game. This year the Vikings will square off against Winston-Salem State University on Saturday, November 12 at Durham County Stadium in Durham, NC.

However before the trip westbound to the Bull City, the Vikings will look to run their win streak to eight games over the visiting Lions of Lincoln University.

Saturday Viking fans may also witness a bit of history as junior tailback Daronte McNeill needs only 12 yards to become ECSU's all-time leading rusher.

Courtesy ECSU Sports Information

Maynor says Rams have caught some breaks

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Coach Connell Maynor of Winston-Salem State said that a lot has gone right for his Rams this season and that's why they are 9-0 heading into Saturday's game at UNC Pembroke.

"I think the biggest thing is we've been pretty injury free with no serious injuries," Maynor said. "And we are taking care of the football. Our turnover ratio is plus-10, and any time you win the turnover battle, you've got a great, great chance of winning. "We think that if we don't turn the ball over, we can win every football game that we play."

Smith excelling at QB

Quarterback Kameron Smith, 15-2 in two seasons as Winston-Salem State's starter, said he has come a long way from his days at Navy. He transferred to WSSU before the 2010 season because he wanted an opportunity to play quarterback.

"I was on the scout team as a quarterback there, but I wasn't able to show what I could do," said Smith, who ranks sixth in WSSU history with more than 3,300 passing yards.

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GWU Runnin' Bulldogs Run Past Virginia State, 34-13

Boiling Springs, North Carolina -- Kenny Little ran for a career-high 153 yards and two touchdowns, and Ricky Rhodes added 114 yards as Gardner-Webb dominated the ground game in a 34-13 win over Virginia State.

Gardner-Webb (4-5) won its third game in a row and ran for a season-high 296 yards on 50 carries. The Runnin' Bulldogs hosted a Thursday night game in Spangler Stadium for the first time in school history - on a night that saw the weather deteriorate with cold, rainy conditions by game's end.

The Runnin' Bulldogs held Virginia State (5-5) to minus-25 yards rushing in the game, the fewest allowed in a game since Davidson rushed for minus-36 yards in 1985. The Trojans did have some success throwing the football, with Jarred Battle completing 25-of-48 passes for 282 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Gardner-Webb went up 14-0 early in the second quarter and led 14-3 at the break before Virginia State answered with 10 points in the third quarter to trim the lead to 14-13. The Runnin' Bulldogs ran off 20 unanswered points from there, with Little's 72-yard touchdown run on a third down play with 10:06 left breaking the game open for good.

Little opened the scoring with 51 seconds left in the first quarter, darting in and out of tackles for a nine-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-one play. Ivan Toomer set up the scoring drive, intercepting a Battle pass and returning it 54 yards to the Virginia State 31-yard line.

Browning capped a 74-yard march by calling his own number from one yard away, giving the 'Dogs a 14-0 lead with 9:16 to play before the half. Virginia State answered with a 25-yard field goal from William Rudd with 4:33 on the second quarter clock, the first of two short field goals for Rudd in the game.

The Trojans used a ball-control passing attack to score its only touchdown of the game, hitting several underneath routes on a 14-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in a 13-yard scoring pass from Battle to Timothy Paulk with 7:19 to play in the third quarter. The Trojans ran the football just once in the drive, which cut the 'Dogs lead to 14-10.

Another long drive, this time 10 plays for 64 yards, and with only one running play called - led to Battle's final field goal of the night to trim the lead to 14-13 with 50 seconds to play in the third.

Trever Austin answered with a 26-yard field goal of his own with 12:57 to play in the game for a 17-13 Gardner-Webb lead, and Little put the game away with his 72-yard dash - the longest of his career. Browning added another one-yard touchdown plunge with 7:04 to play after a Gianni Olivas interception - and Austin capitalized on another Olivas interception with an 18-yard field goal for the final margin with just over two minutes to play.

Gardner-Webb piled up 443 yards of total offense, averaging 6.2 yards per play in the game - which started with sunny skies and 62 degree weather and ended with a steady rain and temperatures in the low 50s.

Little's effort was encouraging, as he gained his 153 yards on just 15 carries after missing the past two weeks with an injury. He and Rhodes combined to give Gardner-Webb a pair of 100-yard rushers in the same game for the second time in 2011. The 100-yard game was Rhodes' second in the past three weeks.

Alonzo Winfield collected a career-high nine total tackles (five solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack to go with a pass break up to pace the defensive effort. Marty Patterson added seven tackles and Toomer recorded a season-high six hits (five solo), an interception and three pass break ups in a solid performance.

Virginia State had 257 yards of total offense. Battle's favorite receiver was Paulk, who caught seven passes for 44 yards. Alan Anderson had six catches for 85 yards and Corey Young hauled in six for 78 yards.

Jeremy Pruitt, the CIAA's leading tackler, posted a game-high 14 stops (five solo) and 2.5 tackles for loss to pace the Trojans' defensive effort.

Gardner-Webb will remain at home and return to Big South play next week, as it hosts league title contender Stony Brook at 1:30 on Saturday, November 12. Virginia State's season is complete.

BOX SCORE (PDF)

Courtesy: Gardner-Webb

Battle tosses for 282 yards in VSU loss

VSU aired it out for a season high 282 passing yards in a 34-13 loss to the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb University on Thursday, in Spangler Stadium. Junior quarterback, Jarred Battle completed 25 of 48 pass attempts and threw a 13 yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver, Timothy Paulk for a touchdown.

The Bulldogs rushed for 4 touchdowns and gained 296 total yards on the ground. VSU threw 3 interceptions and had a total of -3 rushing yards. The Trojans went into the half down 14-3 by two rushing touchdowns by the Bulldogs offense. Senior kicker, William Rudd made a 25-yard field goal late in the second quarter, scoring VSU's only points of the first half.

The Trojans made a statement on their first drive of the second half, by forcing a punt on defense and then scoring on a 14-play, 80-yard drive.

Battle connected with Timothy Paulk from 13 yards out cutting the Bulldog lead to 14-10 with 7:12 left in the third quarter. Battle made 10 completions on that drive hooking up with five different Trojan receivers. The Trojans cut the lead to within a single point later in the third quarter as Rudd made his second field goal of the night, scoring from 26 yards out with under a minute remaining in the quarter.

GWU extended their lead on their next possession, by nailing a 26-yard field goal with 12:57 in the fourth quarter, pushing the score to 17-13.

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Bowie State Falls in the Snow to Shepherd

Shepherd, West Virginia -- Finally … Bowie State University’s (BSU) six-week football road trip has ended. But unfortunately for Bowie, it ended with a defeat in the snow to the Shepherd University Rams, 38-17 Oct. 29.

Shepherd kicker Eric Dobratz put the first points on the board for the Rams with a 35-yard field goal at the 10:28 mark of the first quarter. Running back Kenny Williams punched it in from seven yards out to extend the Rams lead to 10-0 with 6:10 left in the opening quarter.



Bowie State senior quarterback Clifton Budd tiptoed around the right end for a six-yard touchdown and fellow senior Michael Gagne kicked the extra point, trimming the early deficit to 10-7. However, William McKenzie took the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the house, giving Shepherd a 17-7 lead.

Budd flipped a pass to junior receiver Reginald McIntyre for a seven-yard touchdown and Gagne's extra point made the score 17-14 with 12:59 remaining in the second quarter.

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WSSU Rams holds on to defeat Shaw Bears

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State's unbeaten season is alive, but barely. The Rams, ranked No. 9 in the Division II coaches' poll, needed a key defensive play in the fourth quarter to secure a 21-14 victory against the Shaw Bears in front of about 3,500 at windy Bowman Gray Stadium.

An interception by defensive back Cameron Demps with 8:21 left turned the momentum in the favor of the Rams, who improved to 9-0 overall and 7-0 in the CIAA — and posted their first unbeaten conference finish since 1999.

Coach Connell Maynor of WSSU preached all last week that the Bears, last season's CIAA champs but now 2-7, would come at the Rams hard.

"These guys are the ex-champions, and I knew they wouldn't have any quit in them," Maynor said. "We knew they would come out and fight us. And they gave us their best shot. And it was a good test, and we needed that."



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Maynor, WSSU Rams have sights set high

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Coach Connell Maynor approaches a familiar football intersection driving a John Deere utility vehicle that resembles a golf cart as it climbs the rocky hill from the Winston-Salem State practice field to Bowman Gray Stadium.

The green cart, adorned with a tiny Rams decal on the front, matches the recreational tastes of a former quarterback who shoots around par during golfing months.

On October's final Saturday afternoon, though, golf takes a back seat beside bags of workout footballs while Maynor strives to scratch out a win against Shaw. The Rams, 8-0 and No. 9 in the NCAA Division II coaches' poll, look perfectly situated, having clinched a spot in the CIAA title game.



Despite routing the field by an average score of 48-16 thus far, the Rams could still blow their NCAA ride. Cruise control remains a dangerous illusion, which WSSU discovered last season when St. Augustine's and Shaw derailed the roaring red revivalists. Shaw intercepted a disastrous screen pass and converted a short touchdown drive for the second defeat.

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WSSU Notebook: Team returns to full strength for Shaw

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State will be at full strength for the first time in weeks when it plays Shaw on Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Several players who have been held out of recent games with injuries will be available, coach Connell Maynor said. Included in that group are wide receivers Jamal Williams and Patrick Terry, defensive lineman Barry Tripp and linebacker Khendra Reid.

“We are pretty healthy, and I don’t think we’ll have to hold anybody out…,” Maynor said. “We’ve got guys with bumps and bruises, but that’s expected at this point in the season.”

Maynor said that trainers Rob Woodall and Ian Mushinski have done excellent work keeping the Rams healthy.

“They both know that we want guys back to near 100 percent because we’ve got enough depth,” Maynor said. “And the players understand we want them healthy, because it’s a long season.”

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Rams can't afford to overlook Bears

Winston-Salem State, coming off lopsided wins against Livingstone and Edward Waters, will try to remain unbeaten Saturday when it plays Shaw, last season's CIAA champion. The ninth-ranked Rams (8-0) have been steamrolling CIAA opponents and already have clinched a berth in the CIAA championship game, but Saturday's home game is important for many reasons.

To continue their drive to the Division II playoffs, the Rams must keep winning. Shaw, 2-6 and out of contention, could be viewing this as its championship game this season. Kickoff is set for 1:30 at Bowman Gray Stadium.

"It's going to be four quarters of pure football," coach Connell Maynor of WSSU said. "They are the defending champions, and there is no quit in the Shaw players because they've proven it over the years."

The Bears have won four of the last seven CIAA titles, and Maynor said they're better than their record. "The coaching staff over there didn't just wake up and forget how to coach," Maynor said.

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Hayes: WSSU fans need to step up

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Athletics director Bill Hayes of Winston-Salem State couldn't help but show his displeasure with the home crowd at Saturday's 59-7 win over Edward Waters. There were around 4,500 fans at Bowman Gray Stadium on a perfect afternoon for football, but Hayes wants and needs more.

"I'm trying to get folks in those seats; and it's funny because when I first got back here, a lot of people said they were going to get behind me and this program," Hayes said. "Now that we're winning they say we know what the result is going to be, so why go? I don't understand that thinking."

Hayes said that WSSU fans are looking too far ahead and are trying to buy tickets for the CIAA championship game on Nov. 12 in Durham against Elizabeth City State. He wants fans to make it a point to help during the regular season as well.

If the 8-0 Rams make it to the Division II playoffs, Hayes is hoping to play a home game but needs to have good attendance figures to show the NCAA.

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Fayetteville State 17, Livingstone 7

SALISBURY, North Carolina — Amid all the distractions and confusion surrounding Homecoming 2011 Saturday at Alumni Stadium, Livingstone’s football team made something perfectly clear. The Blue Bears can, indeed, play competitive football.

“It would have been nice to end it on a positive note,” said nose tackle Michael Haygood, one of eight seniors honored before LC fell 17-7 to Fayetteville State in its home finale. “But for all the guys coming back, this should be a spark for the rest of the year. It was a well-put effort.”

On a day filled with microphone malfunctions, a banished clock operator, incessant marching tunes and the hodge-podge aromas of fried delights, the Blue Bears (1-7, 0-5 CIAA) found reason to soldier on.

“Defensively, we were really focused today,” linebacker Tyheim Pitt said. “Offensively, we’ve still got to get it together. But it’s nothing we can’t fix.”




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WSSU Rams cruise 59-7 over Edward Waters to stay unbeaten

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State overwhelmed yet another opponent on Saturday. This time it was Edward Waters as the Rams rolled to a 59-7 win in front of about 5,000 at sunny Bowman Gray Stadium.

The Rams, ranked 11th, improved to 8-0 and have a chance to move into the top 10 on the NCAA Division II poll, thanks to an offense that scored seven touchdowns in its first nine series. The Rams are 8-0 for the first time since 1978.

"The guys really came out and were ready to play," coach Connell Maynor of the Rams said. "I thought they were focused and we jumped on them early."

Wide receiver Tehyvn Brantley caught two touchdown passes, Dominique Fitzgerald also caught one, and running back Nic Cooper ran for 120 yards on 19 carries and scored a touchdown. Quarterback Kameron Smith also had a productive day, completing 12 of 20 passes for 196 yards and running the offense with precision.

GALLERY: WSSU vs. Edward Waters




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St. Aug's christens new complex with win; JCSU 15, SAC 34

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Saint Augustine's College couldn't have wished for a better day to open its George Williams Athletic Complex. Not even a 15-minute delay waiting for the paramedics to arrive - a must-have for any college sporting event - could spoil the festivities.

And, like any good homecoming host, the Falcons sent the guest crowd away happy with a 34-15 win over Johnson C. Smith Saturday before an overflow crowd of 5,100.

"The president [Dianne Boardley Suber] stressed to us that it was on us today," St. Aug's quarterback Teddy Bacote said. "This was big. We knew we would play a very good team, and we needed to finish out and play 60 minutes."  Bacote did his part, completing 21 of 39 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. And so did the offensive line, which didn't allow a sack.

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VSU's Lyde scores 3 TDs in win over Lincoln (Pa.)

West Grove, Pennsylvania -- Senior, running back Antwain Lyde rushed for 129 total yards and scored 3 touchdowns in a 21-16 road victory for the Trojans of Virginia State University over the Lions of Lincoln University on Saturday, Oct 22 in West Grove, PA.

The Trojans snapped a two game road losing streak and improved their overall record to 4-4 and 3-3 in the CIAA conference with a great victory over the Lions. VSU held the Lions to 51 total rushing yards but allowed 316 total passing yards. The Trojans committed no offensive turnovers, forced a fumble on defense, and also blocked an extra point attempt.

After an early touchdown score by Lincoln's offense, VSU's Antwain Lyde broke out for a season long 48 yard touchdown score to tie the ball game up at 7-7. Lyde led the Trojans with 31 rushes for a total of 129 yards with 3 touchdowns.

Lincoln's Kyle Kaski knocked in a 25 yard field goal with 4:45 remaining in the first quarter that put the Lions ahead of the Trojans 10-7. The second quarter began with a Lincoln offensive turnover and a defensive fumble recovery by VSU's junior, linebacker Alandus Beggs. Beggs had 3.5 tackles and applied constant pressure to LU's quarterback forcing 3 hurries.



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Chowan Hawks Use Potent Passing Attack to Defeat Shaw, 34-32

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina – Kevin Hodrick and Robert Holland each caught one touchdown and had over 100 yards receiving as the Chowan University Hawks defeated the Shaw University Bears in thrilling fashion on Saturday, 34-32.

In front of a Homecoming crowd, Hawks quarterback Cameron Stover threw for 374 yards and four touchdowns to torch the Shaw defense, who entered tonight's action allowing a CIAA-best 92.3 passing yards per game. DaKorion DeSamme recorded two interceptions in a 29 second span, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

Chowan, who had never beaten Shaw before tonight, improves to 2-6 overall and picks up their first CIAA win of the season (1-4). Shaw, the two-time defending CIAA champions, falls to 2-6 overall and 2-3 in CIAA play.

“We have faced some adversity this year and to our guys' credit, they competed tonight,” said Head Coach Tim Place. “We showed up today. They competed for 60 minutes and that's all we can ask.”

The Bears struck first in an action packed first quarter. Following a Chowan fumble on their opening play from scrimmage, Shaw took over at the CU 11 yard line. Two plays later, Frederick Holliday rushed for a five yard touchdown to give the Bears a 7-0 lead just 2:32 into the contest. Holliday led the Bears' rushing attack with 100 yards on 24 carries.

Chowan did not wait long to respond. The Hawks forced a three-and-out on Shaw's next possession and took over on the Shaw 32 yard line. Stover found a wide open Sherman Ratliff on the first play of the drive to tie the game at seven.

Reigning CIAA Quarterback of the Week Quinshon Odom led the Bears on a five play, 71 yard drive midway through the quarter to answer the Hawks' score. Odom was 3-3 through the air on the drive, throwing for 60 yards. He found Malik Cross for a 49 yard touchdown pass with 7:03 remaining in the quarter.

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Elizabeth City Claims CIAA Crown with 23-12 Win over BSU

Elizabeth City, North Carolina -- Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) Vikings laid claim to the CIAA Northern Division title, defeating Bowie State University (BSU) Bulldogs 23-12 on Oct. 22. The loss eliminates Bowie State from a chance at playing in the conference championship game, and evens their record at 4-4 overall and 3-3 in the CIAA.

Bowie State totaled 374 yards on offense, including 204 rushing yards and 170 passing, while Elizabeth City State accumulated only 314 yards of total offense, 219 rushing and 95 passing. But the Bulldogs, the CIAA’s most-penalized team, shot themselves in the foot again as they were flagged 12 times for 82 yards. Elizabeth City State was not immune from the penalty bug either, penalized 10 times for 84 yards.

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Bowie State football team suffers loss

The Elizabeth City State football scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and notched a 23-12 victory against Bowie State on Saturday in Elizabeth City, N.C.  With the win, Elizabeth City State (6-2 overall, 4-1 league) clinched the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association North Division title. The loss eliminated Bowie State (4-4, 3-3) as a contender for a spot in the CIAA title game.

Bowie State outgained the Vikings in total offensive yardage, 374-314. But the Bulldogs were penalized 12 times for 82 yards. The Bulldogs got field goals of 38 and 27 yards from Michael Gagne in the first and third quarters and trailed 10-6 heading into the fourth quarter.

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WSSU prepares to face Edward Waters' option

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State's defense will see something it hasn't seen all season when Edward Waters visits Bowman Gray Stadium today. It will see an option-type offense, which could present problems.

"They are an option team," coach Connell Maynor of the Rams said of the 2-4 Tigers. "We look forward to the challenge because it's going to be tough facing an option team. It's assignment football, and guys can't guess — so they'll have to know their assignments…."

Kickoff is set for 1:30. The Rams, 7-0 and ranked 11th in the Division II coaches' poll, clinched the CIAA's Southern Division title last week with a 63-7 rout of Livingstone. They'll step outside of conference play for a rare home game.

"This is only our third home game ...



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St. Aug's Falcons to host Johnson C. Smith in historic game

Raleigh, North Carolina -- For the first time in over 40 years, Saint Augustine’s College will host a home football game on its campus.

History will be made Saturday (Oct. 22) when the Falcons face Johnson C. Smith University in the first game at the George Williams Athletic Complex. The CIAA contest, starting at 2 p.m., is the centerpiece of homecoming weekend, which started Oct. 20.

The stadium features a FieldTurf playing surface in addition to a state-of-the-art scoreboard and track surface befitting the person the stadium is named after – George Williams, the school’s athletic director and iconic track and field coach.

The 2004 U.S. Olympic Head Coach, Williams has led his track and field teams to 31 NCAA Division II championships and approximately 150 CIAA titles in his 35 years as St. Aug head coach.

“It is a great thing that we can play on our own campus,” Williams said. “Our students can come out of their residence halls and see the game. Give praise to our president – Dr. [Dianne Boardley] Suber - for this. We give all those involved a big round of thanks, and hope it will be an everlasting relationship between the community, the city of Raleigh and the college.”

After playing the previous three home games in Durham, N.C., Head Football Coach Michael Costa is certainly looking forward to this moment. His Falcon teams have played at various off-campus sites in Raleigh, N.C., since football was re-instituted at St. Aug in 2002.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” Costa said. “We have been waiting 10 seasons for this. We appreciate the opportunity to showcase our talents to our fans and our alumni and finally have that home field advantage.”

Football Game Notes vs. Johnson C. Smith

ECSU can clinch tie for title

Elizabeth City, North Carolina -- Even after losing its first two games of the season, Elizabeth City State did not panic. Coach Waverly Tillar preached to his players that if they continued to work and stayed on the path they were on, things would work out.

Five games and five wins later, the Vikings (5-2, 3-1 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) can win the Northern Division title and sew up a spot in the Nov. 12 CIAA championship game opposite Winston-Salem State, which beat the Vikings 22-17 on Sept. 3.

Standing in ECSU’s way is Bowie State (4-3, 3-2). The Vikings can virtually wrap up the division crown by beating the Bulldogs today.

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BSU GAME AUDIO:  http://www.herbfm.com/
12:30pm Bowie State Football Pre-Game show with Pre game interviews from Elizabeth City NC (Live)
1pm Kickoff: Bowie State Bulldogs (4-2, 3-2) at Elizabeth City State Vikings (5-2, 3-1)from Elizabeth City NC (Live)

WSSU enjoying the ride but it might get bumpy

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- About the only suffering coach Connell Maynor has had to endure so far this season is a root canal earlier this week. At 7-0 and ranked 11th in Division II there’s much to be happy about at WSSU these days.

Somebody asked me the other day what is the team’s best feature, their offense or their defense. My response was neither because I think their best attribute is their depth.

While they do have 14 Division I transfers on their roster, several of those transfers don’t start and have to battle each and every day for playing time. That’s a luxury most Division II teams would love to have.



A perfect example is defensive tackle Justin Wilkerson, who originally signed with Duke but never played for the Blue Devils. He transferred to WSSU and with Barry Tripp injured Wilkerson has made an impact.

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Lincoln's Cook continues to impress

Lincoln University, Pennsylvania -- Less than a year ago, Doug Cook was wowing college recruiters and bedeviling opposing defenses as a high school senior in Dania Beach, Florida.

Today, the 6-foot, 170-pounder is not only a starter at Lincoln University, but he has already established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the CIAA. And the sky is the limit for Cook’s future.

“He is going to be a very special player,” said teammate Brandon McElwee. “That boy is different from any other true freshman. Wait until you see him in a couple years.”

Cook’s ascent into one of the premier rookie signal callers in all of Division II is hardly a shocker. He was the third-rated quarterback in talent-rich Florida in 2010 and ranked No. 44 nationally by MaxPreps. And through seven games, Cook is second in the 12-team CIAA in total offense, averaging 242 yards per contest.

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JCSU victorious on homecoming 26-19 over Virginia Union

Charlotte, North Carolina – The Johnson C. Smith University football team defeated Virginia Union University 26-19 on Saturday afternoon inside the Irwin Belk Complex during their homecoming contest. JCSU improves to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the CIAA; while the Panthers drop to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference.

The Golden Bulls continue to make new history this season. Head coach Steven Aycock has already picked up four wins just seven games into the year. JCSU had not produced a plus three-win season since 2006; they finished 7-4 in the standings. That season was also marked the last time Johnson C. Smith had been 3-1 in the CIAA.

Aycock earns his first career victory against Virginia Union and their head coach Michael Bailey in his third season (1-2). This is also the first homecoming win for Aycock. Johnson C. Smith is 3-0 at home this year.

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