NCAA Div.II Championship: ECSU ready for playoff opener

California (Pa.) Vulcans (9-2) vs. Elizabeth City State Vikings (8-3)
• When: Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011
• Where: California, Pa.
• Stadium: Adamson Stadium (6,500)
• Kickoff: 12 p.m.
• Live Radio: WCAL (91.9 FM) I WJPA (95.3 FM) I WRVS (89.9 FM)
• Live Video: Click here
• Live Stats: Click here
• Game Notes (.pdf)
• All-Time Series: First Meeting



Elizabeth City, North Carolina - Elizabeth City State’s path to a second appearance in NCAA Division II football playoffs in six years very much mirrors the first.

Both teams lost in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship game. Both were pleasantly surprised to learn the next day that their seasons would be extended, receiving No. 4 seeds. That, however, is where it ends.

Coming off a 38-18 loss to Winston-Salem State in the CIAA championship game last week, the Vikings head to California University of Pennsylvania today to face the No. 5 seeded Vulcans in the first round of the Division II playoffs. This is ECSU’s first playoff appearance since 2006 and third overall.

READ MORE



Linebackers have stepped up for Cal

California, Pennsylvania - When Brett Diamond went down for the season with a knee injury, California University's football team suddenly had a major hole in its linebacking group. Diamond was the Vulcans' leading tackler last season with 64 and tied for second in quarterback sacks with 41/2. More important, Diamond called the defensive alignments.

That's why the play of sophomore Brian Justice and redshirt freshman Spencer Lynn has been so important. Justice and Spencer have combined for 163 tackles, three quarterback sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

"We were anticipating that Brett would be the center post to our defense," said Cal head coach John Luckhardt. "(Lynn and Spencer) have gotten better and better. They both work hard and look at film all the time."

READ MORE

Tillar leads ECSU Vikings turnaround

Elizabeth City, North Carolina -- At the end of the 2005 football season, Elizabeth City State football coach sat down with then-athletic director Dr. Edward McLean to discuss the direction of the Vikings football program. Given the state of the program at the time, no one would have been surprised if the Tillar era ended after three seasons.

“The pressure was not whether I was going to win or not, the pressure was whether I was going to stay here,” Tillar said. “If there is no improvement in your situation over a three-year period it looks kind of grim.”

Tillar’s record was an uninspiring 7-23 and his teams had been shut out eight times. ECSU football, which had just one winning record in the previous 14 seasons, was barely on the football map.

READ MORE

Cooper leads Winston-Salem State to CIAA football championship

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Nic Cooper scored three touchdowns and ran for 163 yards Saturday in leading unbeaten Winston-Salem State to a 38-13 victory over Elizabeth City State in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship game at Durham County Stadium.

Cooper, a senior and former Clinton High School star, scored on a 3-yard run in the first minute of the third quarter, a 1-yard dive later in the period and a 20-yard dash in the fourth period.  Quarterback Kameron Smith threw a touchdown pass to Tehvyn Brantley. Smith completed 12 passes for 111 yards.

Defensive back Alton Keaton, a former Douglas Byrd High star, led the Rams with seven tackles, including a sack. He also recovered a fumble. Keaton was named CIAA Defensive Player of the Year earlier. The CIAA championship was the first for the Rams since 1978.

READ MORE



Rams return to glory

DURHAM, North Carolina -- It had been 11 long years since the last CIAA title, but Winston-Salem State was very comfortable on center stage Saturday in front of about 10,000 fans at Durham County Stadium. WSSU defeated Elizabeth City State 38-18 to win the school's ninth football title.

"Our theme is 'Return to Glory,' and we are back to those glory days and back to winning rings," coach Connell Maynor said. "We are back to winning championships…."

The Rams won the championship with a tough defense that put the clamps on running back Daronte McNeill and an offense that produced when it mattered most.  The Rams (11-0) held the Vikings (8-3) to a season-low 210 yards, and Nic Cooper ran for 163 yards on 24 carries and scored on a 20-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to ice the Rams' victory.

READ MORE

Will Harris: ECSU football has come a long way

Elizabeth City, North Carolina -- It’s been a crazy few weeks here with the end of fall sports and winter teams getting started. Because of that, time and space has been kind of limited, so I guess we have some catching up to do.

But first let’s start with the Elizabeth City State football team, which lost to Winston-Salem State 38-18 in the CIAA title game Saturday.

One of these days the Vikings are going to break through, but this just wasn’t the year. Seems like every time ECSU gets this far, its runs into a team with a little more to play for. Each of the three CIAA championship losses have been to teams that were ranked pretty high in the national polls and had legitimate shots at moving on the Division II playoffs. Not that the Vikings couldn’t have taken that mantle in any of those years, but the power of the opposition has been pretty large ...

READ MORE

ECSU Closes Out Regular Season with 39-14 win over Lincoln

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina - The Elizabeth City State University football team closed out the regular season slate with a 39-14 win over Lincoln University of Pennsylvania on Senior Day at Roebuck Stadium. With the win the Vikings extend their win streak to eight games, improving to 8-2 overall and 6-1 in CIAA play.

The Lions finish the regular season with a 2-5 mark in the CIAA and 2-8 overall.

Besides it being Senior Day, the occasion was made even more special when on his third carry of the afternoon Daronte McNeill picked up seven yards and subsequently became the Vikings' all-time leading rusher, passing the mark of 3,158 yard held previously by Aaron Murchinson. McNeill, who finished the day with 186 yards on 38 carries and two touchdowns, now stands at 3,332 yards in his career.

The Lion defense put up a valiant effort on Saturday, totaling 105 tackles as a team. Unfortunately for Lincoln their offense could not sustain drives to keep them off the field. ECSU dominated the time of possession with almost 40 minutes (38:45) to 20:19 for Lincoln. The Lions' average field position was their own 28 yard line.

The ECSU defense was pitching a convincing shutout 32-0 shutout until a touchdown pass from Doug Cook to Matthew Colston with 6:12 remaining in the game put the Lions on the scoreboard for the first time. When the Vikings' ensuing possession went 3-0 a bad snap on the punt attempt gave them Lincoln their best field position of the day at the ECSU 15 and two plays later Cook passed for a 2 yard score to Colston to make the score 32-14. Cook was sacked six times and picked off twice on the afternoon but ended up with a solid performance passing for 232 yards and two touchdowns.



READ MORE

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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE

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.

READ MORE

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)

ECSU Vikings win triple overtime thriller, 43-41 over Virginia Union

RICHMOND, Virginia -- It took three extra sessions however the Elizabeth City State University Vikings shook off a bye week's worth of rust to top Virginia Union University at their Homecoming 43-41 in a triple overtime win Saturday at Hovey Field.

In tailback Daronte McNeill, the Panthers saw no effects of ECSU's week off. True to form, McNeill torched the Panther defense for 235 (233 net) yards on 41 carries and a career best 4 touchdowns.

After the Vikings took a 41-35 lead on the first possession of the third overtime via a 9-yard rushing score by Kevin Swain, McNeill broke the goal line for a two-point conversion which proved to be the winning score margin.

By himself, McNeill gained one more yard than the entire Virginia Union rushing output.

For the most part, the ECSU defense kept the Panthers at bay on Saturday giving up only 232 yards of total offense. The Viking offense finished the day with a season high of 524 yards overall on 94 plays from scrimmage.

The Panther's Richard Rodwell got his only touchdown of the afternoon in the final overtime, but his follow-up rush for the two point conversion to force a 4th overtime failed and the Vikings escaped with the win.

READ MORE

ECSU Vikings wary of FSU Broncos

Fayetteville, NC - Elizabeth City State is ready to turn the corner.

After two tough losses by a combined 12 points, one in overtime, the Vikings captured their first victory of 2011 last week and intend on using that as a springboard for the rest of the season. But to carry that momentum into the heart of it Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association schedule, ECSU (1-2) will have to get past a Fayetteville State team on the road today that is in a similar situation the Vikings were in just a week ago.

“I want us to be mindful that this team is as hungry as we were in trying to turn the corner,” ECSU coach Waverly Tillar ...

READ MORE

Elizabeth City State routs Livingstone for the DEVFC victory

Rocky Mount, NC - Elizabeth City State University came into its game Saturday night expecting to win.

Starting running back Daronte McNeill felt it before the game, and coach Waverly Tillar saw it as the first half progressed. A victory was far from certain when the Vikings walked into the locker room at halftime ahead by only seven points.

Before the second half kicked off, Tillar reminded his team of three things: What they want, why they were there and where they are going.



After three touchdowns in the third quarter and two more in the fourth, the Vikings finally are headed back in the direction they wanted to go with a 49-7 victory against Livingstone College in the 14th annual Down East Viking Football Classic at Rocky Mount Sports Complex.

“Coming in, they probably had the game won already in their minds,” Tillar said. “It wasn’t like that. You have to play one snap at a time, 11 people at a time. You have to play the entire game. At the half, I got their minds straight and told them what to do.”


READ MORE

ECSU still confident despite 0-2 mark

Elizabeth City, NC - Elizabeth City State’s football team was a confident bunch heading into the season. After two games and two losses, it would be understandable if that confidence was waning. But coach Waverly Tillar says it is business as usual around the Vikings’ facility.

“They really feel like they didn’t play well Saturday night (in a 22-17 loss to Winston-Salem State) and they know they need to come out big this week to set them on the right course for an eight-game run,” Tillar said. “The attitude has been up tempo, execution has been sharp and the camaraderie has been good.”

READ MORE

Early lead holds up for WSSU

Rams Coach Connell Maynor

ELIZABETH CITY -- Winning ugly took on a whole new meaning for Winston-Salem State in its season opener Saturday night. WSSU scored three touchdowns in the first half of a penalty-marred game, then held on to defeat Elizabeth City State 22-17.

The teams combined for 22 penalties, and there was a bank of lights out at Roebuck Stadium, making the south end of the stadium more like a dungeon than a football stadium. Despite all that, the Rams won their CIAA opener.

"They had a game under their belt, and it was our first game under the lights," coach Connell Maynor of the Rams said. "We made some mistakes, and we knew we would make some, but the thing is what do you do when adversity hits? Our guys kept fighting and they hung in there."

READ MORE

A huge test: Vikings face one of CIAA favorites in home opener

Elizabeth City, NC - Elizabeth City State has watched the film. The Vikings know they left a lot of plays and, perhaps, the program’s biggest-ever win on the field in Cleveland, Miss., last week.

But that was last week and ECSU has to prove whether the 28-21 overtime loss at Delta State was a fluke, or if the Vikings are truly contenders in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

“The attitude is upbeat,” ECSU coach Waverly Tillar said. “They talked about Delta State on the bus, but by the time we got to the North Carolina line, the talk was about the next game. The attitude is they feel they can win.”

The test of that attitude comes today when ECSU hosts ...

READ MORE

Harris: Tough road ahead for the ECSU Vikings

Elizabeth City, N.C. - Less than a month away from the start of football practice and seven weeks until Elizabeth City State kicks off the season and the Vikings’ path to the CIAA championship game and playoffs is finally set. And what a tough road it is.

After getting a waiver from the NCAA to open the season a week early, ECSU now opens at Delta State, last year’s NCAA Division II runner-up. To be honest, this has loss written all over it.

Delta State has been one of the most consistent programs in the nation and a routine participant in the postseason. ECSU is traveling a long way to play in hostile territory. Not something the team cannot overcome, but a tremendous challenge — one I am sure the team and coaching staff are ready for.

The key to this game is....

READ MORE

Shaw Defense Shuts Down Elizabeth City State 71-48

CHARLOTTE, NC – The Shaw defense shut the door on Elizabeth City State, holding them to only 13 points and 21 percent shooting in the first half on the way to a convincing 71-48 victory.

The Vikings (18-10) missed 13 of their first 15 shots and connected on only six field goals in the first half en route to a 71-48 defeat to Shaw University in the quarterfinals of the CIAA Tournament Thursday afternoon. Shaw shot 52% from the floor in the first half, including 12 points from Tony Smith (Jr., Greenville, NC).

Shaw's defense never allowed Elizabeth City State, the #3 seed out of the North, to get into an offensive groove. The Vikings were forced into taking nine three-pointers and were outrebounded 24-15 in the first half. They shot only one free throw in the stanza, while Shaw (20-8) went to the line 10 times.

Raheem Smith Perfect As Shaw Rolls Over Lincoln, 67-43

CHARLOTTE, NC - A perfect day from Raheem Smith led Shaw to a 67-43 victory over Lincoln (PA.) Wednesday in a CIAA men's basketball first-round game at Time Warner Cable Arena.

With the victory, the Bears - the No. 2 Southern Division seed - heads to the quarterfinal round to square off against the winner of the Saint Augustine's College-Elizabeth City State game Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Lincoln (PA) - the No. 7 Northern Division seed - ended its season at 4-23 with its second-lowest scoring output this season.

Smith, a 6-2 senior All-CIAA guard from Greenville, NC, scored 25 points by connecting on nine of nine shot attempts from the floor, including four for four from the three-point line. He also was three for three from the free-throw line and added nine rebounds for the Bears, who upped their record to 19-8 overall.

READ MORE, CLICK EACH TITLE.