WSSU women's basketball team has influx of new players

Photo: WSSU Head Women's Basketball Coach Dee Stokes
http://www.coachdeestokes.com/

By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER and staff reports

Stokes, staff welcome nine fresh faces as Rams' practice starts

Dee Stokes, the coach of the Winston-Salem State women’s basketball team, has wasted little time assembling a team of her own recruits.

Stokes, whose team will begin practice Saturday, has nine new players thanks to one of the largest recruiting classes in the country.

“We actually signed 10 players, but we lost one of them to academics,” said Stokes, whose first WSSU team went 8-21 last season.

“We’ve got eight freshmen and one junior-college player among all the new players.”

The only returning player is guard Keoshia Worthy, a senior from Augusta, Ga., who averaged 6.2 points a game last season.

“I’m a lot more excited,” Stokes said of her second season at WSSU. “We’ve got our own players in now, and the kids have been hitting their preseason conditioning pretty well.”

Stokes’ new team will be on display tonight at 5:30 at the Gaines Center as part of Ram Madness, when both the men’s and women’s teams will officially begin practice.

Three players graduated, two others were cut, one transferred and another player quit. This opened several scholarships, and Stokes and her assistants went into action.

“We are a young team, but hopefully we’ll be energetic,” Stokes said. “When you teach them something new they are like sponges, they just soak it up. That’s one benefit of having such a young team.”

Among the players who might make the biggest impact, according to Stokes, is 5-8 guard Patrice Wade, a junior-college transfer. She will give the Rams needed experience after one season at Arkansas Little-Rock and at a junior-college last season.

Nora Campbell, 6-2 is expected to help the Rams in the post. But she was involved in a car accident last summer, according to Stokes, so it will take time for her to be 100 percent.

“Once she gets back and is totally healthy, I think she can do some nice things for us,” Stokes said.

Stokes says that the Rams needed to improve in the frontcourt.

She said that freshman Vontisha Woods, a 6-0 forward from Danville, Va., should help Campbell.

“If we can get her to play hard every second, then she’ll be something else,” Stokes said. “She can score and is very athletic.”

Among the other new players are Rene Rector, a 5-6 point guard from Winston-Salem who is a former star at Mount Tabor, and forward Nikki Kee, who played at Greensboro Dudley.

“Teaching young kids in a way is a little easier,” Stokes said.

“They may have some bad habits but we are trying to change those habits.”

Despite the youth of her team, Stokes has high expectations.

“We are bigger at the guard position, and we really had to be,” Stokes said. “We are still a little lean in the post, but we’ll be OK. We’ll address that in the next recruiting class.”

The Rams will play a full MEAC schedule and a challenging nonconference schedule starting with a road game at Virginia Tech on Nov. 14.

“I think staying healthy and not hitting the wall too early will be key for us,” Stokes said. “You are going to hit the wall with young kids, so how I handle that will be important as well. You have to back off some when that happens.”

Photo: WSSU cheerleaders expression shows displeasure towards 8-21 record of last season. Major improvements are expected this season for the Lady Rams.






2007-08 Lady Rams Basketball Roster

No. Name Ht. Pos. Cl. Hometown/Last School

03 Jalesa Byrd 5-10 Guard/Forward FR Charlotte, NC/Myers Park HS
11 Nikki Kee 5-8 Forward FR Greensboro, NC/Dudley HS
13 Nora Campbell 6-2 Center FR Long Island, NY/St. Anthony's HS
14 Corbin Bradford 5-7 Guard FR High Point, NC/High Point Andrews HS
15 Keoshia Worthy 5-7 Guard SR Augusta, GA/USC Upstate
20 Quintoya Mobley 5-11 Forward FR York, SC/York HS
21 Montague Austin 5-6 Guard FR Greensboro, NC/Dudley HS
22 Rene Rector 5-6 Guard FR Winston-Salem, NC/Mount Tabor HS
23 Patrice Wade 5-8 Guard JR Clarksville, TN/Chattanooga State
34 Vontisha Woods 6-0 Forward/Center FR Danville, VA/George Washington HS

Coaching Staff

Dee Stokes - Head Coach
Michelle Fortier - Assistant Coach
Kristina Baugh - Assistant Coach
Angie Abraham - Assistant Coach

Former WSSU Legends pitching in to raise money

By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER

In order to have a better future, Winston-Salem State is turning to its past for help.

Banking on the fame of the pro careers of Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Timmy Newsome, Winston-Salem State is hoping to raise money for an endowed athletics scholarship.

“It starts with money,” said Newsome, a former Dallas Cowboys’ running back who spent nine seasons in the NFL. “When you move into the next level like they are doing, you need a lot more financial resources to be competitive. It doesn’t just start with basketball and football - you have women’s sports that need financing as well.”

A Celebration of Champions banquet will be held Nov. 2 on campus at 6 p.m. at the Anderson Center. It will celebrate the 40th anniversary of WSSU’s NCAA Division II basketball championship and the 30th anniversary of its 1977 and ’78 CIAA football titles.

The cost is $50 a ticket, and there are fewer than 200 tickets available.

Monroe was the star of the 1966-67 basketball team that went 31-1 and became the first historically-black college to win a national championship.

“We’re trying to raise a little bit of money so that maybe we can attract some of those athletes who might want to go elsewhere,” said Monroe, who lives in New York.

Monroe, who was named one of the top 50 NBA players of all-time, said that giving back to the university is something that the late Big House Gaines always stressed.

“Coach used to tell us all the time, even after we were long gone from school, that giving back is the right thing to do,” Monroe said. “So when you think about Winston-Salem State competing in Division I, you have to get those top-notch players. I think this is an opportunity to try and give back and to get those kinds of players that can help this school.”

The ’77 and ’78 football teams, which were coached by Bill Hayes, were two of the best teams in school and CIAA history. They went 11-1 each season and were led by Newsome and fellow running backs Randy Bolton and Arrington Jones.

The quarterback was Kermit Blount, who ran the Veer offense to near perfection. Blount, who is in his 15th season as the football coach of his alma mater, said that recognizing past teams is important.

“This is huge,” Blount said, “because what it does is show our younger generation that nobody ever forgets what you do if you have done it in a positive way. I think this will shine a light on this football team and teams to come because we are honoring these championships.”

Newsome and Jones, who is the head coach at Virginia Union and has his team 6-0 this season and ranked 20th in the nation in Division II, were both drafted by the NFL coming out of WSSU in the late 1970s. Newsome had a nine-year career with the Cowboys and played fullback, tailback and even some at tight end.

Newsome, the second-leading rusher in school history with 3,843 yards, said that raising money for the athletics program means much more than it used to.

“It’s vitally important that we have individual giving to supplement everything else, because if you don’t you are going to put a mediocre product on the field,” Newsome said. “And that’s just unacceptable for Winston-Salem State’s athletics.”

Newsome, who lives in Dallas and is a former member of the board of trustees at WSSU, is grateful that the school is starting to recognize its athletics past more and more.

“Reaching back and going into yesteryear and bringing back players from that period is vitally important,” Newsome said. “It helps your giving, and you can’t expect former athletes to give unless you bring them back and show them your vision of where the athletic program is going. It’s like we are key stakeholders in the program, and we like coming back and seeing a winner.”

Newsome and Blount were asked who was the best back in the potent lineup of the ’77 and ’78 teams. Both tried hard to stay humble.

“My ego tells me that I was,” Newsome said. “But in all honestly, I thought Arrington Jones was a better back. He had better skills and better feet. I think in time I developed into a good runner, but he came to Winston-Salem State with a great pedigree.”

Said Blount with a laugh: “No, it was me.

“Each of those guys did something tremendously well. Timmy was a lot faster than people gave him credit for, and Randy probably ran harder than all of them. Arrington just made you miss, so they all had what it took for us to be successful.”

Newsome said: “I think clearly it was the best backfield in CIAA history. And the only reason Kermit didn’t play in the NFL was his size.”

Those Rams dominated their competition. In 1977, they went 11-0 but bypassed the Division II playoffs to play in the Gold Bowl in Richmond, Va. where they lost to S.C. State 10-7. The next season they went 11-0 again, won their first playoff game (17-0 over California State Poly) and then lost to Delaware 41-0 in the second round.

Where no SCSU team has won before: Bulldogs prepare for trip to Hampton

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer

Improved play by his team or catching an opponent having a bad day on defense?

It's an answer South Carolina State head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough hopes is proven to be the former going into Saturday's showdown at Hampton University. After putting up a season high in points (49) and total yards (611) against Florida A&M, the Bulldogs (3-3, 2-1) will look to carry over its newfound momentum into another Homecoming matchup with the Pirates (4-2, 3-2).

"I think that we found at least a method to get our offense going," he said Monday. "What we done is we simply focused on things that (quarterback Cleve McCoy) seems to do well and go to work from there. It seems to be pretty good."

McCoy's performance against FAMU (14 of 19 passing for 178 yards, 136 rushing yards) earned him his third career Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week award. He was one of four Bulldog players who won conference honors along with defensive back Markee Hamlin, linebacker Julius Wilkerson and offensive lineman James Lee.

Getting McCoy comfortable, as well as being able to work on offensive execution with key players like tight end Octavius Darby who were unavailable for practice paid off in the Bulldogs' best offensive showing in 27 years.

With Fall Break taking place, the Bulldogs held an even rarer Monday afternoon practice. Going to a place where no SCSU team has never won and playing before a national audience for the second straight week, Pough said it's important for his team to remain sharp.

"That's a concern the fact that we hadn't won there before," he said. "We just got to go in and play at least at a level that's as good or better than what we played last week. It's Homecoming, it's a great crowd. I think the most important part of the whole thing is not necessarily where we're playing but how we play. If we play well, then we should be okay."

SCSU's last visit to Armstrong Stadium saw it take a 10-0 lead, only to surrender two second-quarter touchdown passes by Antwan Smith in losing 14-10. Last year's game won by the Bulldogs 13-6 as their defense once again held the Pirates scoreless in the second half.

Although Hampton's coming off a 20-19 loss to Bay rival Norfolk State, Pough believes the Pirates will be at their best on Saturday.

"We'll see the very best that they have," he said. "Anytime your backs are against the wall, they are going to give you their best shot. You can add to the fact that this will be their largest crowd of the year at their stadium, that gives them extra incentive to play very, very well. It will be as good a Hampton team that has played all this year. It will be similar to what happened when they played Princeton (a game they won 48-27) and some of the other people they've beaten up on."

A major battle is expected upfront where Lee will line up against preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Kendall Langford. Pough hinted how Lee fares against the Pirates' athletic defensive line could have some NFL draft ramifications.

"All of the pro scouts have been in here talking...and they told us that the true measure of James Lee will be once we play Hampton because Hampton's got two guys that are possible first-round guys. Langford for sure and (Marcus) Dixon possibly and when you see (Langford) on tape, he may be as active as any defensive lineman I've seen in a long time. He ran Cleve down last year. He ran Will Ford down last year. Those guys are extremely, extremely active as far as defensive line front personnel is concerned. They don't have (Justin) Durant, but the cupboard ain't bare."

A win not only places SCSU in the race for the MEAC title, but will also give Pough a .500 record against every MEAC team since his arrival in 2002. He's 2-3 against the Pirates, accounting for the Bulldogs only wins in the series.

Another motivation for the Bulldogs is extending their 13-0 record in nationally-televised games under Pough. ESPNU carried the SCSU/FAMU game on tape delay and will do the same this past weekend at Hampton.

"Anything that we can find out at this point that gives us more incentive to win this football game, we'll try and use," Pough said. "But, our overall perspective is to win each game now as we go and hopefully, the other situations would take care of themselves favorably for us as we attempt to continue to win."

BULLDOGS vs. PIRATES

WHO: South Carolina State (3-3, 2-1) at Hampton (4-2, 3-2)
WHEN: Saturday at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Armstrong Stadium in Hampton, Va.
TV: ESPNU (tape delay at 10 p.m.) on Channel 160 on Digital Time Warner Cable, Channel 609 on DirectTV and Channel 148 on The Dish Network
RADIO: WQKI 102.9 FM

SN's FCS College Football Poll (10/15/07)

If you put stock into sports polls, here is one for you to kick around the MEAC and SWAC. Unfortunately, the Tigers, Jaguars, Spartans, Pirates, Bulldogs, and Hornets will continue to beat each other and fall off the face of the polls, especially this one controlled by Sports Network.

Why is it Appalachian State got upset by Wofford, but is ranked #5 and Wofford #7; or Norfolk State beats Hampton by 1 point in the last seconds of the game and conference power Hampton falls from #18 to #27 by the so called experts? If Delaware State is #15, then Hampton should be at least a #17 and South Carolina State #19. Grambling gave Pitt competition for a half before the depth became a factor, and it gets only a ranking of #23. What's wrong with this picture?

Congratulations to the Spartans of Norfolk State University, the new Tidewater power in the MEAC. NSU received their first ever ranking in the FCS polls which is great. NSU has played Division I football for ten years and never won anything but the opportunity to play everyone for their homecoming game. But this year--they are for real and maybe an FCS championship contender. We forgive you NSU for that 0-59 showing at Rutgers.


Sports Network's FCS College Football Poll

Team (First-place votes) Record Points Previous Rank
1. Northern Iowa Panthers (35) 6-0 2,577 2
2. North Dakota State Bison (23) 6-0 2,443 3
3. Montana Grizzlies (40) 6-0 2,431 1
4. Massachusetts Minutemen (4) 5-1 2,280 4
5. Appalachian State Mountaineers (3) 5-1 2,231 5
6. McNeese State Cowboys (2) 6-0 2,154 6
7. Wofford Terriers (3) 6-1 2,113 8
8. James Madison Dukes 6-1 1,883 9
9. Southern Illinois Salukis 6-1 1,735 7
10. Hofstra Pride 6-0 1,700 10
11. New Hampshire Wildcats 4-2 1,468 13
12. Youngstown State Penguins 5-2 1,444 12
13. Nicholls State Colonels 5-1 1,326 14
14. Delaware Blue Hens 6-1 1,275 15
15. Delaware State Hornets 5-1 1,054 17
16. Yale Bulldogs 5-0 1,006 16
17. Western Illinois Leathernecks 5-2 935 19
18. Richmond Spiders 4-2 705 20
19. Cal Poly Mustangs 4-2 633 22
20. Montana State Bobcats 4-2 584 11
21. Eastern Kentucky Colonels 5-2 514 23
22. Eastern Washington Eagles 4-2 319 NR
23. Grambling State Tigers 5-1 306 25
24. Elon Phoenix 4-2 293 NR
25. Norfolk State Spartans 5-1 237 NR
Others receiving votes: Eastern Illinois 204, Hampton 175, Alabama A&M 166, The Citadel 160, San Diego 153, Georgia Southern 64, Villanova 44, Central Arkansas 21, Holy Cross 19, Fordham 15, South Carolina State 14, Jackson State 10, Furman 8, Lehigh 8, Northern Arizona 8, Southern 8, Jacksonville State 7, Illinois State 6, Lafayette 6, Harvard 3, Missouri State 2, Sam Houston State 1, South Dakota State 1.

Gallery: Southern University Human Juke Box answers JSU Tigers

Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band and the Dancing Dolls

Gallery: JSU came, they saw and they conquered Southern University Jaguars!

Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band and The Dancing J-Settes

Southern University's Holliday savors return

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

The guy enjoying the start of Southern’s basketball season most is easily senior guard Joe Holliday.

There’s the smile. There’s the bounce in his step. There’s the command and excitement as he calls out to or congratulates teammates.

Holliday missed all of last season with a hip condition — rheumatoid arthritis amid the ball-and-socket joint.

His season ended in late January after playing in just four Southwestern Athletic Conference games.

“It’s a blessing to be back,” Holliday said. “I’m taking it one day at a time. &hellip I have to make the best of it. I should last the whole year.”

A year ago, Holliday, a former Lee High standout, had transferred from Copiah-Lincoln Community College and was expected to make a big difference.

Instead, he played in 15 games, starting just two, and averaged 5.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per game as Southern went 10-21.

“I felt like I was just taking up space last year,” Holliday said. “I’m not for that. It hurt.

“Last year, it was very painful sitting on the end of the bench. I want to just make a difference. That’s all I really want to do.”

For three months, Holliday was more out of than in the lineup, and finally the decision was made to let him rest.

“The pains were too sharp for me,” Holliday said.

Holliday started running and playing some in April and then played in a YMCA summer league.

Photo: Senior Joe Holliday is happy to be playing in 07/08.

Though Holliday, 23, likely will eventually need hip replacement surgery within a few years, he said he’s doing much better. The rest helped, and so has a disciplined regimen of stretches and hip thrusts.

“I’ve got my movement back, my coordination back,” Holliday said. “I’m extremely happy. I feel my game has gotten better.

“As long as it’s not bothering me, I’ll keep on pushing.”

He said he’s lost about 15-20 pounds from last season.

“Just to see him out doing what he’s doing right now is encouraging for me, and I’m hoping we can get him through the year, where he can play full speed,” SU coach Rob Spivery said. “If so, it’s obvious he’s going to be able to help us out. So far, so good with him.

“He’s got the quickness we’re looking for at that position. He can shoot it. That’s what we missed last year. We brought him in expecting that. When he wasn’t able to go, we lost a lot.”

SU begins Nov. 10 at Southern Methodist. The Jaguars also have an exhibition Nov. 3 against Tougaloo College.

“It’s life,” Holliday said. “You just make the best of it.”

Just once

SU, which had “Early Night Madness” on Friday night, had scheduled two two-hour practices Saturday, but Spivery instead opted to stretch the first one to three hours and not go another practice.

“I thought we working well,” Spivery said. “And any time it’s going well, you hate to quit, so we threw it all into one.”

SU returns to practice Monday.

Wollman transfers, sits

Walk-on guard McCall Wollman, a transfer from Division III George Fox University in Newbert, Ore., can practice but will not play this season.

Wollman is likely the first white men’s basketball player at Southern.

“In our recruiting, if we can find and diversify our team, that’s what we want to do,” Spivery said. “It’s just a matter of being able to identify the guys to recruit. He wanted to be here. That’s a good start.”

Talley commits

Duncanville (Texas) senior point guard Brian Talley has committed to Southern.

If Talley signs in the early period, which begins Nov. 14, that could conclude Southern’s signing class.

The Jaguars aren’t expected to have any more scholarships available for next season.

SU will lose only two seniors after this season — Holliday and center Joseph Jack. Guard Geri Guillory, listed as a senior, is expected to earn a fourth season of eligibility and return.

Talley, 5-foot-9, averaged 7.7 points and 3.5 assists as Duncanville went 39-0 and won the 5A state championship.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Talley chose SU over Boise State, Florida Atlantic, Prairie View A&M, North Texas and Wichita State.

Notes

Junior college transfer Earnest Jones, a small forward, will be out at least another week with a stress fracture in his lower left leg. Walk-on sophomore forward Derrick Richardson, a former Capitol player who went to Copiah-Lincoln Community College, will have knee surgery Oct. 19 and miss this season. He’ll get a medical redshirt.

Norfolk State's Adrian has his faster, deeper Spartans in unfamiliar territory

Photo: Norfolk State University Head Football Coach Pete Adrian.

The Virginian-Pilot, Bob Molinaro

Call Pete Adrian the Rainmaker. He's ended the drought at Norfolk State.

Five times in a row, and nine out of 10 years, Hampton University defeated the Spartans, often in relatively routine and gruesome fashion, before Saturday's turn of events.

Surprising? Not especially, Adrian said.

"Now we have guys who can make plays," he said.

Norfolk State made enough plays - just enough - to turn aside its long-time nemesis 20-19, a victory more than any other this season that adds credence to the notion that Adrian, in his third season, is building something solid and real. In the process, Norfolk State beat its first ranked opponent in 19 tries.

"Before, we didn't have guys who could make plays," he said. "Now I think you can see that we do."

The Rainmaker needed playmakers; simple as that. It's a concept that badly eluded Adrian's immediate predecessors on Corprew Avenue.

Adrian has brought in better players and done a good job of coaching those he inherited, which results in greater depth and flexibility, not to mention five victories so far this season. The last time Norfolk State won five games was 2002.

"This year," he said, "we've been able to win the fourth quarter. If we were able to win the fourth quarter last year, we could have been 8-3."

If that sounds a little far fetched, check the facts: Four of Norfolk State's seven losses last season were by nine points or less. Those Spartans lost a lot of fourth quarters.

This team has been stronger at the end because, among other things, Adrian is able to call on reinforcements for his defensive line, rotating seven players so that all are rested enough to give their best effort. The results show: The 16-yard scramble by quarterback T.J. Mitchell that brought Hampton to within an extra-point of tying the game marked the first second-half touchdown surrendered by the Spartans against I-AA opponents.

"You just can't play with 11 guys," Adrian said. "Throughout the game, we probably play 18 on defense."

Photo: r-Sr. QB Casey Hansen, 6-5/235 brings consistency to the Norfolk State offense.

This game turned on a lot of plays - most notably the blocked point after touchdown by Norfolk State's Don Carey, and Hampton's missed 49-yard field goal in the closing seconds - but the Spartans maintained control for most of the second half because of their defensive stance.

"Hampton could not run on us," Adrian said. "We knew they couldn't run the ball, so we were able to bring the heat. As soon as we had them in second-and-9, or second-and-8, we knew they were going to throw and we could bring pressure."

A fierce blitz, coming from several angles, kept Hampton's passing game at bay in this Battle of the Bay, especially near the goal line. The Spartans' defense could dictate play because, Adrian said, "We've just got more speed."

Norfolk State's pressure led to a first-half Spartan safety when Mitchell was called for intentional grounding as he was being hassled in the end zone.

Adrian's defense often felt pressure itself, thanks in large part to Norfolk State's poor special teams play.

"In the old days, with the field position we gave them, they would have scored," said Adrian.

The victory leaves Norfolk State tied for first in the MEAC, a storyline people could only have hallucinated a few weeks ago.

"It's been the Slaughter of the Bay," Adrian said of recent Hampton-Norfolk State eyesores.

But these aren't the bad old days.

The Rainmaker has made sure of that.

Alabama A&M notebook

Huntsville Times

Injured Moody, Baxter back at practice

Tight end Charles Moody and wide receiver Nate Baxter returned to practice Sunday as Alabama A&M began preparations for Thursday night's home game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Kickoff is 6:30 and the game will be televised live on ESPNU.

Moody, who injured his left arch in the second quarter more than a week ago against Southern and never returned, practiced for the first time since sustaining the injury. Meanwhile, Baxter practiced for the first time since sustaining a severely sprained right ankle against Mississippi Valley State a month ago.

"Those two guys benefited from having some time off," A&M coach Anthony Jones said. "They got through practice pretty good and hopefully they'll feel better tomorrow and by gametime they'll be close to 100 percent."

Moody is A&M's second-leading receiver with 21 catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Baxter has five catches for 48 yards and one touchdown.

Jones likes practice: After taking Friday and Saturday off, the Bulldogs practiced for more than two hours Sunday and Jones was encouraged with his team's effort.

"It was a good practice," said Jones, although a few players were late. "We put in our game plan. Everybody was attentive. It was a good start for us."

Due to the short week, Jones said the Bulldogs had to alter practice.

A&M, which usually has Monday off, will practice tonight, Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning in preparation for Thursday's game.

Jones hits links: Jones spent the early part of last week on the golf course, but despite giving the players a couple of days off, he found himself back in the office over the weekend.

"I finished the game plan Friday and I finished the practice schedule Saturday," he said. "I worked some every day, but it was nice. I got a chance to spend time with my family."

Furthermore: Five different players have scored rushing touchdowns for A&M, while seven different players have caught touchdown passes. ... A&M has scored 29 touchdowns through six games. The Bulldogs scored 40 all of last season. ... Eighteen different players have at least 10 tackles or more. ... A&M has fumbled only four times in six games and has lost only one of them. ... Quarterback Kelcy Luke threw just eight interceptions last season. He has thrown six through six games this season. ... Luke threw 16 touchdown passes last season. He has 16 already this season.

Reggie Benson

McCullough takes lead for B-CU 'D'

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona Beach News Journal

DAYTONA BEACH -- Ronnie McCullough's teammates might be enjoying an extended break of 16 days between football games, but Bethune-Cookman's leading tackler would just as soon have suited up during the bye week.

McCullough has had more than enough time off during the past year. Now he's ready to play. But that's not news to anyone who has seen him in action the past two games.

The senior linebacker covered more ground than the sprinkler systems in collecting a total of 34 tackles against Morgan State and Delaware State.

"I think I was just rusty the first couple of games," McCullough said. "I'm getting back into game shape. I'm just starting to feel like me again."

That's got to be a good sign for the Wildcats (2-4, 0-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), who will try to snap a three-game losing streak next Saturday in a home game against Winston-Salem State.

McCullough, who transferred from South Florida before his junior season, was B-CU's leading tackler for most of last year, despite missing two games and most of a third with a hyper-extended knee. He played in the final six games at less than 100 percent and sat out spring drills as a precaution.

Then just prior to preseason camp, he pulled a hamstring, forcing him to miss all of preseason practice and the season opener against Jacksonville.

"I worked out and ran in the spring, but I didn't do too much contact. Missing spring and missing summer, I pretty much only had three days of practice before South Carolina State."

McCullough still led the Wildcats with 11 tackles against the Bulldogs. But he seemed to take his game to another level three weeks later when he tallied 20 tackles -- the fifth highest game total in school history -- in a loss to Morgan State on Sept. 29. McCullough was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week for that performance.

Five days later, in a nationally-televised Thursday night game against Delaware State, McCullough collected a game-high 14 tackles, including 2.5 for losses.

Despite missing one game, McCullough leads the Wildcats with 63 tackles, 18 more than second-leading tackler Bobbie Williams. The linebacker also has a team-high eight tackles for losses.

"He's the catalyst of our defense," B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt said of the 6-foot-1, 230-pound linebacker. "He's a super athlete. He's our leader over there."

McCullough said it is no coincidence that he and the rest of the front seven have stepped up since middle linebacker Rodney Hughes returned from surgery on a fractured bone in his hand.

"Getting Rodney back has helped," McCullough said. "It's always good to have another aggressive linebacker out there with you.

"I feel like the defense is on the same page now. Everyone is flying around making plays. When you eliminate the thinking part of the game, and you're just reacting and playing to what you see, that allows everybody to pick their game up."

JSU football: Jackson State vs. Grambling

Photo: Jackson State quarterback Jimmy Oliver fights for yards in the first quarter.

Last week: Jackson State defeated Southern 32-26
Saturday: vs. Grambling State, noon (Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson)
TV: ESPN Classic
Radio: JSU Network (WOAD-1300 AM)

ON OFFENSE

For homecoming, Jackson State faces one of the league's top quarterback-running back combinations for the second consecutive week. Freshman Frank Warren ranks No. 3 in the SWAC with 88 rushing yards a game and has scored two twice. Junior Brandon Landers is No. 3 in total offense (210 ypg) and No. 3 in passing yards (1,265). Grambling State is No. 3 in scoring (26.5 ppg), No. 3 in rushing (151.1 ypg) and No. 4 in passing (212.7 ypg). The Tigers hung 359 yards on Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday.

ON DEFENSE

One of the most feared units in the SWAC. The Tigers are holding teams to 14.7 points and 283.7 total yards. Grambling State is plus-7 in turnover margin, having recovered 12-of-13 forced fumbles and picking off seven passes. Grambling State also has twice as many sacks as its opponents (12-6). Zaire Wilborn, Jeffrey Jack and DeMichael Dizer return as three of the top five tacklers from 2006. Nigel Copeland has a 28-yard interception return for touchdown.

INTANGIBLES

A matchup of the last two teams undefeated in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. The contest could be a preview of the SWAC Championship game in Birmingham on Dec. 15.This is a chance for the East and West Division leaders to make a midseason statement.

- Kareem Copeland

Morehouse 32, Savannah St. 14

ATLANTA -- Christian Green ran for 69 yards and two touchdowns to help Morehouse beat Savannah State 32-14 on Saturday night.

Green's touchdowns covered 33 yards in the second period and 2 yards with 5:16 left in the game.

The Maroon Tigers (5-2) jumped in front on Micah Straiff's 20-yard field goal in the first quarter and never trailed, although the Tigers (1-5) cut a 15-0 lead to 15-14 in the third quarter before Streiff added his second field goal, a 35-yarder.

Morehouse's other scoring came on a 3-yard run by Kelvin Moore and a 1-yard run by Richie Jones.

Greg McCrary threw a pair of touchdown passes for Savannah State in the third quarter, connecting with Justin Babb for 34 yards and Deleon Hollinger for 21 yards.

White kicker shining at historically black Morgan State University

Photo: #35 James Meade, Kicker/Punter, 5-9/180, Junior, Douglass H.S., Upper Marlboro, MD

Devan James ran for 19 of his team-high 73 yards in overtime to help setup a 23-yard game-winning field goal by James Meade as the Bears held off Howard University 36-33 Saturday at Hughes Stadium before a record homecoming crowd of 14,987.

David Duberstein, The Examiner

BALTIMORE - Being in the minority has never bothered James Meade.

He’s a white student at Morgan State University — a historically black college — a kicker on the football team, and a football player who does yoga. He may seem out of place, but Meade said he fits in just fine with the Bears.

“He’s just a cool kid,” senior defensive back Dakota Bracey said of Meade, who is one of just two white players on the 81-man roster. “We don’t do the whole black-white thing. He’s one of the fellas — he blends in just fine. He’s always joking with us, telling us how strong he is, even though he’s a kicker.”

But being a minority is nothing new to Meade, who was a standout at Douglass High in Upper Marlboro — a school which students are predominantly black. But Meade has always stood out more on the football field. The junior worked his way into Morgan State’s starting lineup after kicking a 43-yard field goal against Winston-Salem State to put the Bears ahead 17-16 with 1:13 remaining. It would have been a game-winner, but Morgan State surrendered a last-second score.

“I’m from a predominantly black area, so it isn’t a big change for me,” Meade said. “I didn’t have a tough time adjusting [attending Morgan State] because I was around all the guys from the team.”

Photo: James Meade makes lasting impression on Morgan State fans and alumnae/i, with the winning field goal in overtime to pull out a victory over Howard University Bison.

Last year, Meade was a backup place-kicker and punter, and knew he needed to change his routine if he wanted to become the starter. He began doing yoga with former Bears coach Sid McNairy, who now operates the I Do Yoga studio in Towson. Meade attends about two or three sessions a week and works with McNairy on his strength, flexibility and focus.

“I took a lot of pride in James because I was a special teams coordinator (at MSU),” McNairy said. “He wasn’t getting the opportunity to kick because they had another kicker who was doing well. As time passed, he would come in and it was almost like sports psychology on the mat — giving him the power to stay focused on just kicking well and letting go of how much time he is getting.”

Aside from the physical benefits, the focus and work ethic Meade learned from yoga was evident in his performance. He says yoga helped him develop the attitude he needed to make big kicks. Meade has converted 8-of-12 field goals through six games.

“When he wasn’t starting, he was still working,” Bracey said. “He was coming to practice early - like an hour early - and he was the last one to leave. He was just kicking balls every chance he got. He’s still working hard and now he’s making plays in the game, kicking the ball through the uprights, and that’s what we need.”

ABC NEWS: Persons of the Week--Darrell Watson and Ballou Senior High School Band

Congratulations Mr. Watson for bring positive press to an almost impossible situation in South East Washington, D.C. and to the students and community you serve.

Morgan State University crowd savor OT win over Howard

Photo: Chad Simpson turns simple screen play into 84 yard TD run.

By Ken Murray, Baltimore Sun

Morgan State 36, Howard 33

Bears outlast Howard after losing star back Simpson, 10-point lead

After Morgan State treated a record homecoming crowd to a roller-coaster ride of an afternoon against Howard yesterday, Bears coach Donald Hill-Eley proposed taking this rivalry to a bigger stage.

Like M&T Bank Stadium.

"I hope this game goes down to the Ravens' stadium," a drained Hill-Eley said after Morgan slipped past Howard in overtime, 36-33, on James Meade's 23-yard field goal.

A Hughes Stadium crowd of 14,987 watched Morgan squander a pair of 10-point leads on a crisp, fall day only to regain control in overtime.

The Bears (4-3) improved to 3-1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to earn a showdown game with first-place Delaware State next week in Dover.

Morgan beat Howard (2-4, 0-3 MEAC) with role reversal. Byron Selby threw for 216 yards and a touchdown in a two-man quarterback rotation after the Bears lost tailback Chad Simpson and much of their vaunted running game to a sprained ankle.

They also won with a pass rush that disrupted Brian Johnson's prolific passing game for Howard. Johnson had averaged 194.4 passing yards but left on a frustrating 103-yard note.

The key to stopping Johnson, defensive tackle Justin Lawrence said, was getting "our defensive ends upfield. As soon as [Johnson] feels pressure, he's going to run."

Morgan lost Simpson and defensive tackle Anthony Young (shoulder) at halftime and had linebacker Jerrell Guyton (ankle) for a limited time in the second half.

If necessity is truly the mother of invention, the Bears discovered a few more players they can count on.

Lawrence, who has five sacks this season, played fullback in short yardage and goal-line situations for the Bears. His double duty grew out of an injury to fullback Jephte Cherenfant two games ago, and Lawrence made a nifty catch on a 2-yard touchdown throw from Mario Melton in the second quarter.

The Bears also had to rely on Devan James to supply the running game. James pounded for 73 yards on 19 carries, the biggest a 35-yard touchdown sprint in the fourth quarter that gave Morgan a 33-23 lead.

In the first half, Simpson produced his 10th rushing touchdown of the season but was held to a season-low 15 yards. His biggest contribution came in the passing game, when he took a screen pass from Selby 84 yards for Morgan's first touchdown.

"We are three or four deep at tailback," Selby said. "We lose something when he's out of the game, but we have one of the finest rushing attacks in the conference."

Selby completed 11 of 20 passes in a rotation with Melton, who completed three of seven for 60 yards.

"I'm cool with it," Selby said of splitting time. "I'm a senior and Mario's a junior. It's not about one person. We're taking care of business now, but we've got to think about the future."

Business got tricky when Howard erased a 10-point deficit in the last 3:30 of regulation. After the Bison missed a 39-yard field goal on their first possession of overtime, Morgan stayed on the ground as James carried five straight times to reach the Howard 6-yard line.

Then Meade hit the game-winner, his third field goal of the day. Knowing Meade's dedication to the job, the Bears had no worries he'd deliver in the clutch.

"If you ride by the field at 4 a.m., Meade might be out there kicking," Selby said.

First quarter
Morg-Simpson 84 pass from Selby (Meade kick), 13:33.
Morg-FG Meade 38, 9:06.
How-Johnson 10 run (Wiehberg kick), 8:40.
How-Whittaker 46 run (Wiehberg kick), 7:19.
How-FG Wiehberg 34, 3:38.
Morg-Simpson 2 run (Meade kick), :19.

Second quarter
How-Harper 32 pass from Johnson (kick failed), 8:55.
Morg-Lawrence 2 pass from Melton (kick failed), 4:11.
Morg-FG Meade 43, :29.

Fourth quarter
Morg-James 35 run (Meade kick), 8:20.
How-FG Wiehberg 21, 3:30.
How-Williams 12 pass from Johnson (Wiehberg kick), :46.
Overtime
Morg-FG Meade 23.
A-14,987.

How Morgan State Performed

First downs 18 19

Rushes-yards 46-198 50-154

Passing 103 276

Comp-Att-Int 7-16-2 14-27-0

Return Yards 0 21

Punts-Avg. 3-33.7 5-30.2

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-Yards 6-38 9-79

Time of Possession 30:00 30:00

RUSHING-Howard, Perry 25-117, Whittaker 9-71, Johnson 11-10, Means 1-0. Morgan St., James 19-73, Selby 13-31, J.Wilson 1-20, Simpson 13-15, Melton 2-11, Jones 1-3, Moore 1-1.
PASSING-Howard, Johnson 7-16-2-103. Morgan St., Selby 11-20-0-216, Melton 3-7-0-60.
RECEIVING-Howard, Williams 3-36, Harper 1-32, Whittaker 1-15, Blake 1-10, Duncan 1-10. Morgan St., Baptiste 5-75, Surratt 3-61, Simpson 2-106, James 1-13, Wolfe 1-12, R.Sykes 1-7, Lawrence 1-2.

DSU's defense too much for Aggies

By BRIAN JOURA, Special to The News Journal

Hornets score on opening kickoff to set tone for shutout over N.C. A&T

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Brandon Hudson made sure that 17th-ranked Delaware State would not suffer a letdown against winless North Carolina A&T.

He returned the opening kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown, giving the Hornets an electrifying start to a 27-0 rout of the host Aggies on Saturday afternoon in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game.

“I’m certainly happy to get out of this football game,” DSU coach Al Lavan said. “The opening kickoff obviously set the tone for us. On one hand, you’re happy about the return, but immediately you’re concerned if your team will get too giddy and not play football the way it should be played.”

Lavan had no worries, as the Hornets defense dominated the game. The defense held the Aggies to just 36 yards of total offense in the first half, helping DSU (5-1, 4-0) take a 20-0 halftime lead.

“It was devastating for us to open the ballgame up like that,” said A&T coach Lee Fobbs. “Especially coming off playing last week as well as we played.”

The Aggies (0-7, 0-4)believed they had built momentum entering this game after last week’s strong play in a five-point loss to Morgan State.

But the Hornets defense quickly took charge. DSU followed up the opening TD by forcing three consecutive three-and-out series.

Delaware State had its troubles moving the ball but the offense still managed to add 13 points before intermission.

Two field goals by Peter Gaertner surrounded a 1-yard TD dive by quarterback Vashon Winton.
Gaertner’s second field goal came with 1:32 left in the first half. His 45-yard attempt hit the crossbar and bounced over for his longest kick of the season.

The Aggies came out strong in the third quarter and embarked on a 14-play drive. Facing fourth down-and-3 at the Hornets 4-yard line, A&T bypassed a field goal attempt and came away empty when Ryan Robinson stripped the ball from the intended receiver.

DSU’s ensuing drive stalled, and an 11-yard punt gave the Aggies another excellent scoring chance.




On the second play of the drive, A&T picked up yard-age with a four-receiver formation. They lined up in the same set on the following play.

Quarterback Shelton Morgan faked right and threw left but defensive back Akeem Green jumped in front of the receiver and returned the interception 86 yards for the game’s final score.

“Those things are a matter of a defensive player able to execute the defensive coverage that’s called,” Lavan said of Green’s interception. “We had seen [the formation] before, but it’s one thing to see it and it’s another thing to stop it.”

The Aggies padded their stats after the interception but did not seriously threaten to score the rest of the game. A&T ended up outgaining Delaware State, 182-156, but that did not accurately reflect how well the Hornets played defensively.

“Coming into the ballgame, they were winning off defense and special teams,” Fobbs said. “[Saturday], they scored defensively and their defense played well. That’s their M.O.”

Lavan was not as happy with his team’s performance but was relieved to leave Greensboro with a win. It was the 23rd loss in a row for the Aggies, the nation’s longest losing streak.

“We achieved our objective in winning the football game,” Lavan said. “All along the way, we weren’t always as good in terms of performance levels necessary from all three units – offense, defense, special teams – to contend and play against a team that’s maybe a little bit stronger.”

The Hornets will face that kind of stronger team when they play host to Morgan State (4-3, 3-1 MEAC) next Saturday.

Snake, Rattled and Rolled: SCSU blasts FAMU

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer

It was a made-for-TV performance of historic proportions produced Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium by South Carolina State.

Playing in front of the fourth-largest audience in stadium history and the omnipresent cameras of ESPNU, which taped the game for airing later in the evening, the Bulldogs once again shined before a national audience in routing Florida A&M 49-14.

The win before 21,525 fans was a school-record fifth straight in the series for the Bulldogs (3-3, 2-1). It was the eighth-straight victory at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium and improved SCSU's record to 13-0 in nationally-televised games.

"We had a chance to finally get our offense going, just generally get some confidence," SCSU Oliver 'Buddy' Pough said. "You score (63) points in six ball games, there's not a whole lot going on for you. I'm excited as I can be about our performance today because it looks like we hit on something. I'm just happy for what happened today."

Just as important for SCSU's confidence was seeing the offense break out of its season-long slump by amassing the most single-game yards posted against the Rattlers (2-4, 1-2) in their 101-year history. Quarterback Cleveland McCoy had another stellar performance before the bright lights by accounting for more than half of the Bulldogs' 611 yards of offense and leading them on five-straight scoring drives.

The Baptist Hill graduate threw for a season-high 178 yards and two touchdowns on 14 of 19 passing. He also rushed for 136 of the team's 405 yards, one of three Bulldogs to surpass the century mark on the ground.

"We came out with a more offensive attack," McCoy said. "The offensive coordinator (Joe Blackwell), Coach Pough, he sat me down. We sat down as an offensive unit and came out with some great ideas this week."

Will Ford led the way with 142 yards, 131 coming in the first half, and a touchdown and also caught three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, his backfield mates had career days as backup tailback Jonathan Woods rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown, and senior fullback Evans "Boo" Capers had the first three carries of his collegiate tenure which all went for touchdowns.

"We had more of a sense of urgency," Capers said. "We had a harder practice. On Tuesday, we came out flying around. Everybody came out like they should and everything just came together today. The players were rolling. All the guys were rolling. The o-line did their best. That's all you can ask for. All you're going to get is positive results when everybody thinks positive, be positive and get positive results."

So dominant was the Bulldogs' effort that it allowed freshman Malcolm Long to see his first significant action. The former South Carolina "Mr. Football" played most of the second half and completed 4 of 8 passes for 28 yards.

Meanwhile, his Gaffney teammate and fellow freshman, linebacker Julius Wilkerson, took advantage of his extended playing time with a team-high six tackles for an SCSU defense which collected three turnovers, two on interceptions by Markee Hamlin, and held FAMU to 198 total yards.

"Mistakes killed us today," said FAMU head coach Rubin Carter, who's now 0-3 against SCSU. "Take nothing away from South Carolina State, but we dug ourselves a big hole early on offense and didn't recover."

After opening the game with two unproductive drives, the floodgates began to open for the SCSU offense. A 48-yard run by Ford brought SCSU into Rattler territory, followed by a 11-yard reception by Young from McCoy that moved to the FAMU 13. The very next play saw McCoy find a wide open Octavius Darby in the back of the end zone.

An interception by Hamlin with 59 seconds remaining in the first quarter put the Bulldogs in position for its next score. After a 30-yard reception by Young, Woods took the handoff and burst through a huge hole in the Rattler defense untouched for a 29-yard touchdown with 16.7 seconds left.

FAMU answered back early in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Anthony Edwards to cap a six-play, 85-yard scoring drive aided by 45 yards of SCSU penalty yards.

Following a 35-yard kickoff return by Dusten Dubose, it only took SCSU 70 seconds to respond with three-straight plays to Ford. He had a 3-yard run, then caught a 12-yard pass and finished with a 39-yard scamper through the Rattler defense to extend SCSU's lead to 21-7 with 11:50 remaining in the first half.

Continuing to move the football with near-ease, SCSU drove 87 yards on 10 plays for its next score, a 3-yard touchdown by Capers. He would get the call again 11 seconds before halftime, bulldozing his way in from 2 yards to make it 35-3.

SCSU finished the first half with 402 total yards, 302 coming on the ground, and McCoy was 11 of 13 passing for 100 yards.

"With the offense that we have, 11 guys have to do their job and we had a couple of guys not doing their job," McCoy said. "It's hard because the fans and media don't see it as that and it's rough. But we came in, we got our confidence back and that's the thing we needed."

The scoring onslaught continued for the Bulldogs in the second half. McCoy used his legs and arm to orchestrate an eight-play, 64-yard scoring drive to set up Capers' 2-yard score.

A week after dropping a potential go-ahead touchdown pass, Ford made amends on the Bulldogs' next series. From the FAMU 39, McCoy lofted a pass to a wide-open Ford who made the catch and tip-toed down the sidelines for the touchdown.

FAMU got a 3-yard touchdown pass from backup Eddie Battle to Mykel Benson with 2:26 remaining in the game. The Rattlers subsequently recovered a fumble at the SCSU 16, only to turn the football over on downs which allowed the Bulldogs to run out the clock.


SCSU now turns its attention to next week's critical showdown at Hampton where it has never won. While last season's motto was "Win or Go Home," Pough plans to take a more relaxed approach to this "make or break" contest.

"We're going to go pretty much with this approach I think," he said. "We're not going to try to put any extra pressure on ourselves. We'll go up and have fun and hopefully, we can beat Hampton. If Hampton beats us, we'll get on the bus and get on back home and cry like we usually do and all that kind of stuff. But we'll get over it. But I would like to think, though, that we'll play better because of the fact that we have some confidence that we didn't have going into that game."

BULLDOG NOTES: The most single-game yards amassed by an SCSU team is 682 set in 1980 against Johnson C. Smith. Ironically, Pough was the Bulldogs' defensive coordinator at the time under Bill Davis...The previous record for most yards allowed by Florida A&M was 583 in a 1992 game against Morgan State...The largest crowd for a football game inside Oliver C. Dawson Stadium is 24,577 set in 1999 when SCSU faced Benedict College...Markee Hamlin now has four interceptions on the season, moving one ahead of his older brother Michael, a senior safety at Clemson. The two have a competition going in which the winner has to wear the other brother's jersey at the end of the season...SCSU improved to 39-5 under Pough when leading or trailing at halftime...SCSU was penalized 12 times for 114 yards.

NSU Spartans serve stuffing

By Tris Wykes

NORFOLK - Eric Bullock chuckled and shook his head Saturday after he and his Norfolk State teammates knocked off Hampton 20-19, the Spartans' first defeat of their arch-rival since 2001. No, the lineman said, he and his mates in the defensive trench haven't settled on a group nickname, though a few are under consideration.

How about the Magnificent Seven?

Sure, it's stolen from the 1960 Western film of the same name that starred the likes of Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and Yul Brynner. But NSU's defensive front has been outstanding this year and it includes the correct number of hombres.

"We're just nasty right now," said Eric Bullock, one of three starters who are frequently spelled by a group of four reserves. "We ballin' and comin' off the line and we can't be stopped. They rushed for how many yards today? That was crazy good, and they had to go to the air. Then the slimmer guys come in and do their pretty pass-rush moves, but they don't get in there unless we do our jobs first."

Keyed by the stalwart play of Bullock, Dennis Marsh and Brandon Daniels and backups Rameses Rose, Ray Jennings, A.J. Harris (Bethel High) and Shawn Childress (Hampton High), Norfolk State held Hampton to 82 rushing yards on 32 attempts for an average of 2.4 yards per carry. The Pirates entered averaging a yard better than that and 134 yards per game.

"They did a good job of stuffing the lanes," said Hampton coach Joe Taylor, adding that Norfolk State displayed increased athleticism from a year ago. "Those kids are going to make plays by running to the ball and that's as important or more important than Xs and Os."

Said NSU coach Pete Adrian:

"Hampton just couldn't run on us today. The fact we knew they couldn't run really helped us eat them up a lot with pass blitzes."

Two strong recruiting classes clearly have aided NSU's defense, giving it speed and depth the Spartans lacked in going 4-7 each of the last two seasons. But Adrian also cited the players' increased understanding of his systems. He pointed to inside linebacker Maguell Davis, a Woodside High product and defensive signal-caller, as a prime example.

"We have 18 different blitzes and two years ago, he maybe knew three of them," said Adrian, who estimated he used 18 or 19 defensive players Saturday. "But he knows them all now, so we're able to change things up on teams. We blitz out of six different fronts and we make you work and when you miss an assignment, that's when we make a play."

Hampton's longest run of the first quarter was four yards and it ran for more than three yards only four times in the first half. Leading rusher Kevin Beverly gained 41 yards on 19 carries and seemed continually buried under a gang of green jerseys.

Bullock said that while none of Norfolk State's defensive linemen seek to leave the field, they know it makes sense to spread their efforts out over 60 minutes so they're fresher for the fourth quarter and situations like Saturday's wild finish.

"We're built to stop the run and take on and smash through double teams," he said. "When you do that back-to-back plays, you need someone else to come in and take over for a little while. Everybody wants to play the whole game, but there comes a time when, if you do that, you're not going 100 percent every play because your legs get a little weak."

The Spartans' defensive front combined for four solo tackles and 13 assists Saturday. It was a strong performance in a big victory.

The Spartans face Florida A&M University in Tallahassee on Thursday night in their next conference game. FAMU was walloped by SCSU 49-14 on Saturday.

Norfolk State University Spartan Legion Marching Band (10/13/07)

HU is caught short on margin call

Dave Fairbank, Daily Press

NORFOLK - Last-second drama and emotional swings aside, the annual Hampton-Norfolk State border conflict Saturday was about margins for error.

The Pirates, circa 2007, have a much smaller margin than recent versions that sacked and pillaged the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Norfolk State, meanwhile, has greatly improved its ability to withstand all manner of deficiencies.

Thus, as we steam down the backstretch of the MEAC season, Hampton already has as many conference losses as in the previous three years combined and sits in the middle of the pack.

The Spartans, a punchline of a program until very recently, sit unbeaten atop the league standings after their 20-19 exorcism Saturday at Dick Price Stadium.

"They made one more play than we did," HU coach Joe Taylor said.

He was correct, but the Pirates have rarely been in a position where one or two plays were decisive as they rolled through the regular season -- especially where Norfolk State was concerned.

The Pirates and Norfolk State were rivals the way mudslides and hillside homes were rivals. HU had won nine of the past 10 games in the series and the past five by an average of 37.4 points.

It was apparent early that there would be none of that on this day.

The Spartans were game and better equipped to compete, while Hampton was unable to overcome 112 yards in penalties, three empty trips into the Norfolk State red zone, the lack of a running game …

Oh, and just for grins, a brain-lock safety in the first half that only turned out to be the decisive points.

Granted, it's unfair to single out Hampton quarterback T.J. Mitchell for his two-point transgression of intentionally grounding the ball while in his own end zone.

He delivered a championship-caliber performance much of the afternoon, especially given that the Pirates couldn't muster a consistent rushing attack and that he was under duress from the Norfolk State pass rush for most of the second half.

In fact, Mitchell almost pulled this one out -- twice -- in the final minute. He led the 41-yard touchdown drive, scrambling the final 16 yards himself, that pulled HU within one point with 27.7 seconds remaining.

Norfolk State's Don Carey caused joy on one sideline and dismay on the other when he knifed in and blocked the tying extra point to preserve the Spartans' one-point lead.

But HU's perfectly executed onside kick and recovery gave the Pirates one more chance. And Mitchell got his team 24 yards closer with a completion to Justin Brown that gave freshman kicker Carlo Turavani a fighting chance at a game-winning field goal that drifted wide in the dying moments.

As sweet as the victory against Hampton, some within the Spartan camp viewed the game more as another step in the program's resurrection under third-year coach Pete Adrian.

"I just think it feels great that we're playing to our potential," said linebacker and Woodside High product Maguell Davis, who along with twin brother Marquez patrol the middle and help provide a physical and effective presence on defense that had been lacking.

"We don't really worry about who we're playing," Davis said. "We just emphasize the fact that if we play how we play, then we're pretty competitive. And that's what we've been doing a good job at: playing to our potential."

Norfolk State is 3-0 in games decided by one score or less, with victories over the three-time defending league champion Pirates and preseason favorite South Carolina State.

Hampton, meanwhile, is 2-2 in games decided by one score or less. That Norfolk State has ascended and the Pirates have come back to the pack was never more evident than Saturday.

"It hurts," HU defensive end Marcus Dixon said. "Being senior year (and) losing two games hurts. We have to take this pain to the next game and the game after that and win out and not worry about what anybody else is doing. We have to take care of ourselves."

HU loses Battle of Bay to NSU

By Marty O'Brien, Daily Press

Don Carey’s extra-point block helps Norfolk State end years of futility against rival Hampton.

NORFOLK - The Battle of the Bay had become so one-sided in Hampton University's favor the past four years, Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian had renamed it "The Slaughter of the Bay."

But the Spartans' 20-19 victory over Hampton on Saturday not only rejuvenated the rivalry, it produced the most exciting ending in the 45-year history of the series. NSU did not clinch the victory until the Pirates' Carlo Turavani missed wide right on a 48-yard field-goal attempt with 2.1 seconds left in the game.

The first NSU victory in the series since 2001 has huge implications in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference race. The Spartans (5-1, 4-0 MEAC) remain tied with Delaware State for first in the league.

Hampton (4-2, 3-2) saw its hopes of winning a fourth consecutive conference title dashed during an electric final 30 seconds. The Pirates had dominated the Spartans the past four meetings, winning by an average score of 52-9.

"Coach Adrian (joked), 'I can finally smile. I finally beat your behind,' " Pirates' coach Joe Taylor said. "People are going to come after the three-time defending champion. We did some good things but didn't make enough plays.

"They just made one more play than we did; that's the bottom line."

The final half-minute featured four huge plays. The first was T.J. Mitchell's 16-yard touchdown run to pull the Pirates within a point.

What was arguably the game's biggest play came next. NSU's Don Carey burst through the middle of the line and blocked Turavani's extra-point attempt as the score remained at 20-19.

"I had a clean shot at it," Carey of his block. "On another kick, I recognized that (Hampton's Carson Byrd) was stepping out before I stepped in. So I told our guys to take him out wide.

"I can't describe it. I was in tears."

Photo: Justin Brown makes a catch that gives Hampton a first down and gets the Pirates closer to field-goal range. The 48-yard game-winning field-goal attempt, though, was wide right, giving Norfolk State the 20-19 victory.

























The Pirates nearly turned them into tears of agony. James Butts recovered the ensuing onside kick at his own 44-yard line to give the Pirates a final shot at victory.

Mitchell passed to Justin Brown (seven receptions, 152 yards) for 22 yards to move the Pirates to the NSU 32 with 22 seconds left. But Mitchell's next two passes were incomplete before Turavani trotted onto the field with 7.1 seconds remaining. Turavani's field-goal attempt was long enough, but drifted wide of the upright.

The Pirates and Spartans entered the game as the MEAC's top two scoring teams, but the contest was dominated by defense.

Neither could establish the run and generated only 143 total yards on the ground.

Quarterbacks Mitchell (23-of-48 passing 277 yards) and Casey Hansen (17-of-33, 233 yards) of NSU were responsible for much of the offense. The Pirates led 10-5 at half, thanks in part to Mitchell's 10-yard TD pass to Jeremey Gilchrist (8 catches, 73 yards).

But Mitchell was called for intentional grounding while passing from his own end zone early in the second quarter, giving the Spartans two points on a safety. The score would come back to haunt the Pirates.

The Spartans scored twice in the second half on 1-yard TD runs. The second made it 20-10 NSU with 10:24 left in the game. Dario Walker's spectacular leaping catch for 26 yards set up the first one.

Hansen passes of 13 yards to Jeremy Wicker and 16 yards to Dexter Bailey set up NSU's next touchdown.

The 50-yard drive followed Eric Bullock's tackle of Hampton's Kevin Beverly for no gain on fourth-and-inches at midfield.

Earlier in the game a Hampton drive ended at the NSU 16 as Anthony Olumba stopped Beverly for no gain on fourth-and-inches.

"They clogged everything up," Hampton offensive guard Dennis Conley said. "It seemed like they had our number on everything we tried to do."

Turavani's 31-yard field goal and Mitchell's TD run gave the Pirates hope in the waning moments.

But Carey produced the biggest of the big plays in the final 30 seconds.

"Hampton was a school I was looking at and their coach told me I couldn't play college ball," Carey said. "To come out and get this block today to win it, that just sent me over the top.

"It's gratifying to let him know he was wrong."

Hampton Pirates are probably playoff purged

Photo: r-Sr. QB Casey Hansen #3, r-Jr. Center and Brandon Nance #63.

By MARTY O'BRIEN, Daily Press

NORFOLK — It's not the kind of thing players are fond of talking about, but Norfolk State's 20-19 victory over Hampton University on Saturday had important Football Championship Subdivision playoff implications.

The loss means that the Pirates have almost no chance of defending the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title they've won the past three seasons. The MEAC usually receives only one playoff berth, so it is unlikely the Pirates (4-2, 3-2 MEAC) could get an at-large berth to the FCS playoffs even if they win their final five games. The Pirates reached the playoffs the previous three seasons.

"We have to take care of our business," HU defensive end Kendall Langford said. "We just have to win out and let everything take care of itself."

Winning out would give the Spartans (5-1, 4-0) their first MEAC title and first FCS playoff berth. They are currently tied for first in the MEAC with Delaware State. But NSU linebacker Maguell Davis says it is to early to starting thinking playoffs.

"I definitely feel we have the potential to be a playoff team," he said. "But if you're focusing on something like playoffs, that's distracting you from your opponent the next week and they can come and sweep the carpet from under you.

"The way I look at it, we keep playing hard and look back and we'll be pretty happy with the results."

STILL IN FRONT

The Spartans' victory means they will remain ahead in the Battle of the Bay series for at least the next two seasons. NSU denied Hampton a chance to tie the series and now leads 23-21-1.

Norfolk State won the first five games in the series, beginning with a 42-0 victory in 1963, and has been ahead ever since. The Spartans' six-game winning streak against HU from 1969-74 also remains a series high. HU carried a five-game winning streak against NSU into Saturday's game.

Photo: r-Jr. WR Dario Walker

BIG CROWD

Attendance was 27,756, the second largest gathering in the history of Dick Price Stadium. The attendance record at Dick Price is 34,000, set in 1997 for the stadium opener against Virginia State.
NSU quarterback Casey Hansen attributed the crowd to the importance of the matchup.

"This was a big-time win," he said. "You can feel the rivalry. Here it's so much greater. It makes you want to play to the best of your ability. It feels great and it's going to feel great for one night.
"The reality is that we have to come back and Monday and get ready for another game."

THIS AND THAT

Norfolk State's win over No. 18 HU is its first against a team ranked in the Sports Network's top 25. The Spartans were 0-18 against nationally ranked teams. … Hampton defensive end Kendall Langford, the MEAC's highest rated NFL prospect, did not have a sack entering the NSU game. He had 2.5 sacks and 11 total tackles on Saturday. … NSU plays at Florida A&M at 7 p.m. Thursday. Hampton hosts South Carolina State for homecoming at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Norfolk State University Spartan Legion Marching Band(10/13/07)

NCCU freshmen deliver on Senior Day

By MIKE POTTER, The Herald-Sun

On a day dedicated to honoring experience and longevity, it was the young folks who got the job done for N.C. Central.

Freshmen scored every point and came up with the biggest defensive play of the game as the Eagles held off North Greenville 17-14 on homecoming and senior day Saturday at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

True freshman Corey Harris' first career catch was a touchdown reception, redshirt freshman Tim Shankle scored the other TD and true freshman kicker Taylor Gray added the other five points including his first field goal for NCCU.

The win for NCCU, in its first season in the Football Championship Subdivision, improved the Eagles to 5-2 and assured that this senior class will be the first since 1989 to graduate without enduring a losing season.

Division II North Greenville is 1-6 after losing three straight games, all to FCS opponents.

Stadford Brown completed 14 of 33 passes for 174 yards for the Eagles, including five completions to Will Scott for 73 yards. True freshman Justin Campbell carried the ball 12 times for 64 yards, while Shankle added 11 for 37.

"The freshmen had a great day today," first-year NCCU coach Mose Rison said. "It's been kind of a process, but they're starting to grow up.

Photo: NCCU Head Football Coach Mose Rison

"Corey made a big catch, and we had been telling him [that] he's overdue. Justin Campbell has missed several days of practice through Monday with that bug that's been going around, and he did a great job coming in when Shankle got tired. And Taylor Gray's kick was huge, particularly since it won the game for us."

Eric Moeller completed 19 of 32 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions for NGU, which both scored and allowed its lowest point totals of the season.

"It's tough to play three [FCS] teams in a row, but as a Division II independent, that's the kind of thing you have to do," North Greenville coach Mike Taylor said. "Defensively, that was one of the best games we've played. We did well on offense, but we didn't have the ball that much. They like to slow the game down, and they did a good job of that."

The Crusaders got on the board first on their second possession, going 60 yards in 11 plays with Travis Shaw going in from 1 yard out. Michael Sears' conversion attempt was wide right, and it was 6-0 with 4:59 left in the quarter.

NCCU quickly responded with a drive to take the lead. The Eagles went 66 yards in nine plays, with Brown finding Harris at the goal line from 22 yards out for the freshman's first career catch. Gray added the kick and NCCU was up 7-6 with 14:54 left in the half.

"I knew the linebacker was on me, so I could beat him," Harris said. "Then I got hit hard at the goal line and got my first touchdown and my first concussion on the same play."

The Eagles increased the lead with 1:45 left in the half, when Shankle went in from 4 yards out. The touchdown capped a four-play, 28-yard drive that started after freshman Rakeem Vick intercepted a Moeller pass at the NCCU 49 and returned it 23 yards.

"That touchdown felt great," said Shankle, who has three touchdowns on the season. "It was a long time coming. Coach said he was going to give me the ball this season, and I got it a lot more since [Jeff] Toliver got injured [and was out for the season after two games].

"It was great to see what Justin did today. Now we've got a one-two punch." Gray attempted a 52-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, but it came up short after a shaky snap.

NGU evened the score on its first possession of the second half, going 70 yards in nine plays with Moeller hitting Jarvis Garrett from 9 yards out at the 10:59 mark. Moeller passed to Travis Talbert for the two-point conversion to tie it at 14.

Gray gave the Eagles a 17-14 lead with 14:52 to go, hitting from 22 yards out to finish a 14-play, 92-yard march.

"We've gotten snap-hold-kick together a lot better now," said Gray, an Orange High alumnus who replaced senior Brandon Gilbert after he was injured two games into the season. "This one was for the seniors. They've done all the hard work and deserve this."

The Crusaders had a chance to tie with 9:18 left, but Adrian Escalona's field-goal try was short.

"It was great to see the way the freshmen played today," said Eagles linebacker Derrick Ray, who was in on nine tackles including two for losses with a sack, an interception and four deflections in his final home game. "They helped win homecoming for us. It's easy to see the program is going to be in good hands."

NOTES -- Attendance was a sellout of 11,327, which was the largest crowd ever to see North Greenville play. … Saturday's contest was NCCU's last of the season against a Division II opponent. The Eagles visit Savannah State on Oct. 20, then travel to Western Kentucky -- which is transitioning from the FCS to the Football Bowl Subdivision -- on Oct. 27. NCCU ends its season on Nov. 10 at Winston-Salem State.