Sunday, October 11, 2015

Miles Offense breaks out in big win over Central State

WILBERFORCE, Ohio -- Miles has struggled offensively for most of the season and when a team has to push its third-string quarterback into service, it does not portend to a change from what has been the norm.

But the Golden Bears, behind quarterback John McDowell, running back Jamarcus Nance and a still-stingy defense, have their most complete game of the season in a 34-9 thrashing of Central State Saturday afternoon. The win was the second in the last three for Miles (2-4, 2-0), which remains undefeated in the SIAC West Division.

McDowell - the third quarterback to start a game for Miles this season - was 14-of-21 for 160 yards passing and ran for another 58 yards. He led the offense to a 495-yard day as the Golden Bears averaged seven yards per play. Head coach Reginald Ruffin said he gave McDowell - a transfer from Missouri Southern - the same shot afforded Vincent Davis and David Whipple and thinks he may have found his triggerman for the rest of the season.

"We were 1-4 and needed to make a change," Ruffin said. "We felt like McDowell has been in some big programs. He's been very patient and waited his time. I said someone had to step up and lead this team. Had his shot and made the best of it."

Miles only led 10-9 at halftime. But the Golden Bears' issues have mostly been in the second half, where they have lost two games after enjoying leads at the break. Ruffin said he made it a point of emphasis to his team at the intermission.

"We knew last couple of weeks, we've let some games get away. We've been a first half team," Ruffin said. "So we challenged our guys this week and had our kids to be prepared for four quarters. So we told them to make sure we bring our "A" games in the second half."

The last two quarters belonged to the Golden Bears. The defense pitched a shutout and Nance put the game out of reach. The junior running back followed a Nick Christiansen 49-yard field goal with a 3-yard touchdown run near the end of the third quarter and a 4-yard scoring run early in the fourth. He finished with 14 carries for 90 yards and three touchdowns.

"He's a hard worker," Ruffin said. "We lost our two top running backs in our program. We were using a running back-by-committee approach. But he took control of that role and has provided great leadership for us."

After Nance's final touchdown, the Golden Bears capped the win on the Marauders next play from scrimmage. Caleb Duncan intercepted a pass and returned it 30 yards for the score.It was the second pick of the quarter for Miles and third of the game for a defense that has done a marvelous job this season.

"Most of our leadership is on that side of ball. They come to work every day," Ruffin said. "They have some break downs every now and then. But we can win a lot of football games when they come in to work like they did today."

Earnest Bell, Jr. (four catches, 69 yards) and Trey Smith (five catches, 36 yards) were the top receivers while Emmanuel Ray (nine tackles, eight solo) paced the defense or Miles, which is in action next Saturday when it hosts Kentucky State for Homecoming. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.

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Tuskegee Steals the Show Against Morehouse

COLUMBUS, Georgia | The Tuskegee University football team tied a school record that stood alone for 19 years, as they picked off five passes from Morehouse College en route to a 35-7 victory in the 80th annual Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic held at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.

The victory is the ninth in 10 tries under Willie Slater against Morehouse, and is the 11th victory in the last 12 meetings for Tuskegee in the series.

Tuskegee (5-1, 1-0 SIAC) started early and continued throughout the game disrupting the best offense statistically in the SIAC, as they picked off two passes in the first quarter.

The first came after a five play-40 yard drive that put the Golden Tigers ahead 7-0, when redshirt freshman Darius Holmes made an acrobatic interception at the Tuskegee 41-yard line. Holmes was able to fight through the Morehouse receiver on the play, tipping the ball in the air and coming down with it to kill a Maroon Tiger drive.

After Tuskegee went ahead 14-0 with 3:51 to play in the opening quarter, senior linebacker Jason Ashley got in on the act as he picked off a pass from Kivon Taylor and raced 29 yards for another Tuskegee touchdown just seven seconds later to push the lead to three touchdowns.

The Golden Tigers picked off two more passes in the second quarter to push their total to four for the game. Holmes picked off his second pass of the game with 8:23 to play in the half, and that was followed by an interception by Brandon Griffin – the first of his career – with just 55 seconds remaining in the half.

Just 87 seconds into the third quarter, sophomore Jonah McCutcheon picked off his fourth pass of the season and the fifth of the game for the Golden Tigers – matching a mark that was set in 1986 against Miles College.

Although the defense tied a school record for interceptions in game, there plenty of highlights for Tuskegee on the day.

Senior Tyree Brooks saw his most action of the season after missing the first three games due to injury, carrying the ball 10 times for 51 yards. He was able to score a pair of touchdowns, and narrowly missed out on a third as he was tackled inside the five as the clock was winding down in the fourth quarter.

A pair of players made their return from injury on Saturday with senior Dennis Norfleet carrying the ball five times for 31 yards, including scoring his first career touchdown as jumped over a pair of players for the seven-yard score. He also caught a pass, and returned a punt 35 yards – although he had a pair of long kick returns called back. Meanwhile junior Julian Morgan returned after missing the last three games to record four tackles and three quarterback hurries on the afternoon.

Tuskegee started early and scored often in the first half en route to building an insurmountable 35-point advantage in the first half.

The Golden Tigers jumped on top with 11:16 remaining in the opening quarter when Josh Matthews took a handoff and went up the middle for an eight-yard run and a 7-0 Tuskegee lead. The lead grew to 14-0 after Brooks' first touchdown run of the day, an eight-yard run with 3:51 remaining in the opening quarter.

After Ashley's touchdown made it 21-0 near the end of the first quarter, the Golden Tigers punched it in on the Norfleet run with 13:26 remaining in the half. The final points of the half, and the game, for Tuskegee came on a two-yard run by Brooks with 9:16 remaining in the opening half.

Morehouse (3-3, 1-0 SIAC) was able to get on the board in the third quarter when Taylor found a streaking Amyr Smith up the seam for a 42-yard score with 1:35 remaining in the quarter.

Offensively, Tuskegee was able to put up 197 yards in the air with junior Kevin Lacey connecting on 9-of-17 passing for 148 yards. Meanwhile, junior Nicholas Pope finished 5-of-8 in a back-up role for 49 yards.

Along with Brooks and Norfleet, junior Branden Wilson finished with 28 yards on four carries. Matthews finished with 26 yards on three carries, and Cameron Nash 23 yards on eight carries.

Senior Marquel Gardner led the Golden Tigers with three catches for 33 yards, while Desmond Reece led a trio of receivers with a pair of receptions.

Defensively, senior Jewell Ratliff finished – for the fifth consecutive game – with double digit tackles as he recorded 12 in the victory, on his way to being the Golden Tigers' Most Valulable Player of the Game. He finished with a sack and two tackles for loss.

Jose Sanchez added six tackles, while Devonta Ramseur finished with five. The Golden Tigers finished with a pair of sacks, three tackles for loss, eight pass break-ups and eight quarterback hurries.

Tuskegee returns to action Saturday afternoon against Stillman in SIAC play. The game is schedule for 1 pm at Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium, and the game will count toward the division standings – the determining factor for the West Division representative in the SIAC Championship game in November.

For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on Twitter @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.

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#1-Ranked Virginia Union Panthers Crush Lincoln 66-27

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Virginia Union University, ranked #1 in the Heritage Sports Radio Network HBCU poll, scored 50 straight points in the second half to cruise to a 66-27 win over Lincoln (Pa.) University on Saturday, October 10, in Lincoln University, Pa.

VUU's Hakeem Holland opened the game by returning the kickoff 93-yards for a touchdown, then added three more rushing TDs on the day, including a 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Holland would rush for a career-high 186 yards in the game. Holland also had 173 yards in kickoff return yardage.

Virginia Union's Shawheem Dowdy completed 10 of 22 passes for 144 yards and three touchdown passes. The game marked the third time this season that Dowdy has passed for three or more touchdowns in a single game. Dowdy has passed for 12 touchdowns this season, the most by a Panther quarterback since Lamar Little passed for 14 TDs in 2008. The school record for most passing touchdowns in a single season is 28, set by Little in the 2007 season.

VUU's Rodeshawn Joseph picked off two passes, including returning one 50 yards for a touchdown. This marked the first time this season that a Panther defensive player has had two interceptions. The last VUU player to have two interceptions in a single game was Charles Davis against Fayetteville State University in 2014.

Virginia Union's Paulin Miano and Joseph Blanks had recovered two sacks apiece, with VUU have a total five sacks as a team. Miano also led Virginia Union with nine tackles. VUU's Joshua Fasavalu and Kameron Mack both recovered a fumble.

The Panther defense also continued to shine against rushing offense. Already leading the nation statistically in rushing defense, the Panthers held Lincoln to 59 total offensive yards.

On the offensive side of the ball, VUU racked up 534 total offensive yards, the fourth-highest in school history. It was the most total offensive yardage for a Panther team since VUU set a school-record of 623 yards against Norfolk State University on October 24, 1992.

Virginia Union had 390 total rushing yards, the eighth-highest in school history, and the most since VUU set a school-record of 490 yards against Virginia State University in 2009.

The win raised VUU's record to 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in the CIAA. The Panthers are tied for first place in the Northern Division of the CIAA with Bowie State University. Lincoln fell to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the CIAA.

Virginia Union returns to Hovey Field for Homecoming 2015 on Saturday, October 17, when the Panthers face Chowan University at 1:00 p.m. in Richmond, Va.

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Virginia State Trojans Outlast ECSU Vikings for a 24-23 Win

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  -- The Virginia State University took a 24-23 win over the Elizabeth City State University Vikings on Oct. 10, outlasting them in the first Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Northern Division matchup of the season. An unsuccessful 48 yard kick by the Vikings gave the Trojans the close win.

The victory gives the VSU a 4-2 overall record, 2-1 in the CIAA conference, 1-0 in the Northern Division.

The Trojans set the bar high in the first play of the game with a 74 yard pass completion from junior quarterback Tarian Ayres (Dillwyn, VA) to senior wide receiver Jaivon Smallwood for a VSU touchdown. VSU held the Vikings down the remainder of the first quarter.

ECSU rallied back in the second quarter with a touchdown with 7:20 on the clock. Freshman linebacker TyVaughan Kirby-Johnson (Richmond, VA) stepping in with a block as the Viking attempted their goal kick. Kirby-Johnson's quick thinking kept the Trojans in the lead, 7-6. A VSU fumble turned the ball over to ECSU with 7:04 in the quarter. On the 4th down and 9 with 6:04 left before halftime, the Vikings secured a 34 yard touchdown, bring the score to 13-7. The Trojans regrouped after 10 plays and clinched a 25 yard touchdown by sophomore running back Trenton Cannon (Hampton, VA). Things were looking up for VSU until ECSU made a 42 yard field goal to bring the score to 16-14, with the Trojans down going into halftime.

The Vikings made the first touchdown of the third quarter with an 81 yard pass with 5:59 on the clock. The Trojans were not going down without a fight and pressed their way to the end zone with a 1 yard run by junior running back Kavon Bellamy (Hampton, VA). At the conclusion of the third quarter, the Trojans trailed 23-21.

Putting VSU back in the lead was sophomore kicker Mathew Hillquist (Glen Allen, VA). Hillquist's 42 yard kick with 14:06 remaining in the game would eventually give VSU the win. ECSU took a chance to steal the game with 0:05 left on the clock with a 48 yard field goal attempt, but was unsuccessful.

Ayres was 10- for-21 in pass completions with 202 yards and a single touchdown. Cannon led the Trojans with 150 rushing yards and a single touchdown while Smallwood tallied 114 receiving yards and a touchdown.  Junior linebacker Geo Feggins (South Hill, VA) earned a career high with 14 total tackled in a single game, of which 13 were solo tackles. Hillquist secured a career high with his longest field goal of 42 yards.

Mark your calendars, the Trojans will take on the Bulldogs of Bowie State University on Saturday, Oct. 17 for VSU Homecoming 2015. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Rogers Stadium.

The Virginia State Department of Athletics annual 1,000 cans, 1 goal campaign initiative is underway. Canned food items collected will be donated to the local food banks. The Department encourages all fans, alumni, faculty and friends to bring a canned food item to all of the home volleyball and football games this season.

For more football information to include homecoming and tailgating, visit, govsutrojans.com, call 804-524-5030, or follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.


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Late Touchdown Lifts WVSU to Homecoming Victory

INSTITUTE, West Virginia -- The West Virginia State University football team won its first home game of the season in the most dramatic of fashions in front of 2,911 fans during a warm Homecoming Saturday at Dickerson Stadium at Lakin Field.

Sophomore quarterback Matt Kinnick hit freshman Tyrone Barber for a touchdown from 9 yards with 55 seconds remaining to lift the Yellow Jackets to a 32-29 Mountain East Conference victory over Notre Dame, giving State its fourth win in six games of 2015.

State (4-2, 4-2 MEC) averaged 18 points in home losses to Urbana (30-23) and Charleston (34-13), compared to 54.3 in road wins against Fairmont State (59-34), West Virginia Wesleyan (52-31) and UVa-Wise (52-45). The 32 points is the most State has scored at home in 14 games since Anderson took over in 2013.

"I think it's just a mindset," Anderson said. "We finally addressed that and talked about it. We needed to will that to happen. We needed to play well at home, and we did. This team's just going to have to fight and claw and scratch for everything they get. Two weeks in a row that's what they've done.

"Nobody on that sideline thought we were going to lose. That's why we won."

Anderson's team, which has doubled its win total of 2013 and 2014 combined, led 17-16 at halftime but failed to score in the third, trailing 22-17 with 15 minutes left. State finished with 497 yards of offense with only 57 coming in the third, but 128 in the fourth.

The Yellow Jackets were revived early in the final quarter when Notre Dame (1-5, 1-5), punting on fourth down at its own 5, saw the ball snapped over the head of 6-foot-6 punter Anton Vrebac and out of the end zone. The safety cut the lead to 22-19.

Return man Dionta Brown brought back the ensuing free kick 59 yards to the Notre Dame 19, leading to the second of three Barber scores to return the lead back to the hosts.

Notre Dame answered with a Malik Grove 79-yard pass to wide receiver Mitchell Shegos, who caught the ball at the Falcons' 28-yard line and outsprinted the defense for a 29-25 Notre Dame lead.
State linebacker Jesse Umah forced a fumble from Grove on the Falcons' next possession. The Yellow Jackets were forced to punt from the Notre Dame 37, but an offside penalty against the visitors gave State 1 yard to gain for a first down. A Barber run gave State a first down at the 34.
WVSU and Notre Dame traded scoreless possessions with the Yellow Jackets reaching the Falcons' 13 where the hosts came up short on a fourth-and-8 with 3:13 on the clock. Three plays netted 3 yards for Notre Dame, which punted the ball back to the hosts.

State started the game-winning drive with two timeouts and 47 yards separating its first winning streak since opening the 2008 season with five victories.

Kinnick, who leads the MEC in passing yards per game and is tied for second in touchdown passes, was 4-for-7 for 46 yards on the drive to conclude a two-touchdown, 370-yard day.

"This started back in fall camp when we talked to these guys about believing in each other and buying into each other," Anderson said. "Knowing that everybody has bought into being a State football player. That belief fosters itself and just goes."

Grove, who leads the MEC In total offense, threw for three touchdowns and 335, with 79 of those coming on one play in the third.

Barber ran for 102 yards on 22 carries and two TDs, while catching seven passes for 61 yards and another score.

State's Quinton Gray and Notre Dame's Mitchell Shegos came into the game first and second respectively in the league at catches per game. Gray caught seven for 131 yards and Shegos had five for 154 yards and two scores.

Linebacker Mitchell Rowell led State in tackles with 13.

The Yellow Jackets return to action on Saturday, Oct. 17 when it visits undefeated Shepherd in a noon contest.

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By RICH STEVENS
WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Ram Ramblings: Living, breathing history of WSSU football on display

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- There was a lot of history walking around Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Coach Kermit Blount was back on the sidelines – for Johnson C. Smith. Bill Hayes was walking around in the stands being Bill Hayes. And Pete Richardson was one of seven inducted into the Big House Gaines Hall of Fame this weekend. That’s a lot of wins and a lot of history.

By my count the three former WSSU coaches combined for 33 years and 221 wins and eight CIAA titles. According to the WSSU media guide the Rams have on record 410 wins in school history so the combination of Hayes, Richardson and Blount make up more than half of those victories.

Blount, 57, is trying to carve out his niche at Johnson C. Smith and is in his first season there.

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WSSU gets its groove back

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State found its swagger in a 37-22 rout of Johnson C. Smith in front of around 3,000 at rainy Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

In a season that hasn’t had much go right, the Rams didn’t do a lot that was wrong.

“We just had a great week of practice, and it all kind of came together today,” said wide receiver Rashan Williams, who caught one touchdown pass from quarterback Rod Tinsley. “We listened to the coaches, we prepared like we needed to, and it all worked out.”

The Rams (2-4, 2-1 CIAA) beat the Golden Bulls (1-5, 0-3) for the 15th straight time and it may have resurrected their season. The victory was also their first in the Southern Division portion of their schedule.

Coach Kienus Boulware of the Rams watched the offense have its best game of the season, piling up 481 yards. Tinsley went 17 of 27 passing for 234 yards with three touchdown passes to go along with two interceptions.



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