FAMU Football Special Teams Prep for Duel with NCA&T

Tallahassee, Florida -- Special teams will be a major factor for the Florida A&M football team this week against the North Carolina A&T Aggies. FAMU (5-3, 3-2 in the MEAC) is coming off a 27-24 win against South Carolina State University on Oct. 22. It snapped an eight-game losing streak to SCSU.

FAMU will face NCAT on Nov. 5 at Bragg Stadium. It will be the last home game of the season. The Rattlers are looking to continue to build momentum coming down the stretch of the conference schedule.

NCAT (4-4, 3-2 in the MEAC) is coming off a loss to Norfolk State last weekend. FAMU had a bye week last week, which gave them two weeks to prepare for the Aggies.

Head coach Joe Taylor said consistency on special teams is the key. "We have to continue to cover well on kickoffs and punts," Taylor said. "We are probably number one on kickoff coverage in the conference."

Senior wide receiver and special teams gunner Edwin Baker agreed, and added that it is up to each individual player to contribute to the game. "Doing my part and holding my teammates accountable will have a positive impact on everybody," Baker said.

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Seniors look to win final game on home field

Defensive end Jerry Willis could have been speaking for any of the other 13 senior starters on the Florida A&M football team the other day when he was trying to explain his expectations going into his final home game at Bragg Stadium on Saturday.

"It the last time I'm playing in Bragg, last time it's a home game, last time I play in front of these fans," he said. "It's going to be real emotional."

All that will have to be suppressed somehow, though. The business at hand will be too urgent to have one tear-jerking moment or anything of the sort.

The Rattlers will be taking on a North Carolina A&T team that is in the midst of a dramatic turnaround. Just last year, the Aggies won only one game but they're now one of five teams in the MEAC with two losses and remain mathematically in the race for the conference title.



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Fountain City Classic 'is very big for Columbus'

Columbus, Georgia - Jean Lynn knows some local people think of the Fountain City Classic pitting Albany State University against Fort Valley State University as the “other football game,” one not as important to Columbus as the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic. She says nothing is further from the truth.

“We left Tuskegee and Morehouse behind six years ago,” said Lynn, a retired teacher here who now recruits for her alma mater Albany State. “What goes on here this week for this game is very big for Columbus.”

The 22nd annual playing of the classic will be 2 p.m. Saturday at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium. The Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic, which was played Oct. 8, has been here for 76 years.

“Tuskegee and Morehouse have played here longer and it is a great game, but ...

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HU Lady Pirates win second straight MEAC Cross Country Title

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -– The Hampton University women’s cross country team won the 2011 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) cross country title on Saturday morning at the UMES Cross Country Course.

It was the second straight MEAC title for the Lady Pirates and their fourth overall. The Lady Pirates finished with 53 points, five points fewer than second-place Florida A&M.

Four Lady Pirates finished in the top 15 to earn All-MEAC honors – led by sophomore Alaine Tate (Queens, N.Y.), who finished sixth after completing the 5K course in 19:16.88. Sophomore Nichelle Harris (Rahway, N.J.) came in seventh after running a 19:17.69.

Junior Teshika Rivers (Greenbelt, Md.) ran a 19:39.55 to finish 10th, while sophomore Devyn Thompson (Chicago, Ill.) came in 11th with a time of 19:42.67.

Sophomore Cydney Robinson (Portsmouth, Va.) also came in the top 20, finishing 19th with a season-best 20:13.75. Junior Shaquanda Gainey (Camden, N.J.) ran a 20:32.95 to finish 24th, while senior Claudia Calder (Kingston, Jamaica), in just her second race of the season, ran a 22:30.01 to finish 57th.

In all, the Lady Pirates averaged a 19:38.11 as a team.

Head coach Maurice Pierce was named the Most Outstanding Coach on the women’s side for the fourth time in his tenure with the Lady Pirates.

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Norfolk State to Partner with Daktronics for new LED Video Display at Dick Price Stadium

Marty Miller
Director of Athletics
Norfolk State University

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va., has chosen Daktronics Inc. (Nasdaq-DAKT) of Brookings, S.D., to design, manufacture and install a new, integrated LED video display system at William "Dick" Price Stadium. Installation is scheduled for later this year with first use at a Spartan home football game in fall of 2012.

“These new displays will make a big impact in our football stadium,” Director of Athletics Marty Miller said. “The technology is outstanding. Daktronics is the leader in this industry, and we’re looking forward to seeing the displays in action next season. The new system will open new avenues for sponsorships and increase revenue for the athletics department.”

On the west side of the football field, a new video display measuring more than 17 feet high by 47 feet wide will be installed. This display, which will feature Daktronics 15HD technology, will incorporate excellent clarity and contrast of images, multiple levels of protection from the elements and a more robust cabinet design with an improved ventilation system. It is capable of showing one large image, highlighting live video and instant replays. It can also be divided into separate windows to show a variety of vivid graphics, colorful animations, up-to-the-minutes statistics, scoring information and sponsor advertisements with outstanding brightness and wide-angle visibility.

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Davenport encouraged by SSU Tigers' freshmen

Savannah,Georgia -- Savannah State coach Steve Davenport was disappointed with the results, but encouraged with what he saw during a 22-5 loss to Hampton last Saturday. The setback dropped the Tigers to 1-7 overall, heading into Saturday’s matchup with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference leader Norfolk State.

“Late second quarter, I think we had seven true freshmen out there on defense and playing well,” Davenport said. “We think the future is going to be bright here.”

Four freshmen — free safety Vaughn Cornelia, linebacker Fredrick Fluker, nose tackle Leroy Cummings and rush end Wayne Burden — started on defense for the Tigers, who surrendered their fewest points of the season. SSU led 5-3 at half and trailed only 8-5 after three quarters.

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Grambling had 'incentive' for victory

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — Doug Williams picked up the newspaper Saturday morning in Pine Bluff, Ark., and had to double-check his itinerary. For a while, the Grambling State football coach wasn't sure his Tigers were in the right place.

"When you picked up the paper in Arkansas on Saturday morning, basically we were a no-show," Williams said. "When you read that it was the clearest path to the SWAC Championship (Game) for Pine Bluff since 2006, it was like they didn't have a game to play. Even coach (Monte) Coleman, who I've known a long time, said that, from a running-game standpoint, with the running back suspended it shouldn't hurt them because that's their strongest suit. That's the kind of things that give you incentive. I certainly think it helped. Before we took the field Saturday, I certainly read the newspaper to them and let them know what some of the people thought of them."



The Tigers eventually made believers of UAPB, overcoming five turnovers to defeat the Golden Lions, 27-20, for GSU's third straight victory.

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Urban Sports Poll: Explosive Jackson State back to No. 1 thank to Magic City upset

Arlington, Texas - Special teams play doomed Alabama State in its 20-19 loss to Alabama A&M in the Magic City Classic.

The Bulldogs blocked the game-tying extra point and then ran out the clock. Alabama A&M now controls the tie-breaker for the SWAC East bid for the SWAC Championship.

Jackson State returns to the top spot with its 44-14 blitz of Prairie View. The Tigers ran up 722 yards in total offense would have rung up more points without turnovers in the red zone. Prairie View now sits precariously atop the SWAC West. If Prairie View and Arkansas-Pine Bluff finish in a tie, the Golden Lions would receive the SWAC

Jackson State (7-1), Alabama State (6-2), Winston-Salem State (9-0), Alabama A&M (6-2), and Bethune-Cookman (5-3) hold the Top 5 USN spots for week nine. Albany State (6-2), Norfolk State (7-2), Morehouse (7-2), FAMU (5-3) and Hampton round out the next five spots in the USN Poll.



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Alabama A&M football: Bulldogs move up in all three major polls

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M moved up in all three of the major black college polls Monday following its 20-19 victory over Alabama State in the Magic City Classic.

The Bulldogs moved up one spot to second in both the Heritage Sports Radio Network and the Boxtorow polls and three spots to third in the Sheridan Broadcasting Network Poll. Alabama State, which had been No. 1 in all three polls, fell to fourth in the HSRN and Boxtorow polls and sixth in the SBN poll.



"That's great," A&M coach Anthony Jones said Monday night during his weekly radio show. "We didn't know if they would make us first or second after we beat Alabama State. We can't control that. We knew if we beat them they wouldn't be No. 1 and that would give us a shot to win the (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Eastern Division title. All we've done is keep our playoff hopes alive."

The Bulldogs can win the Eastern Division title and advance to the SWAC championship with three more wins. That number would decrease if Alabama State lost one or both of its last two games.
A&M (6-2, 5-1) visits Alcorn State (2-5, 1-5) Saturday in Lorman, Miss. Kickoff is 2 p.m.

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Hampton University land two all-staters from North Carolina

Hampton, Virginia -- Hampton University has received verbal commitments from a pair of players at North Carolina powerhouse Northside Christian in Charlotte.

Dionte Adams, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound combo forward, and L.C. Cooks, a 6-1, 175-pound shooting guard, visited Hampton together last weekend and were sold on the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament champions, led by third-year coach Ed "Buck" Joyner.

"Even before (Adams') visit to Hampton, just researching the place, he had felt like that was the place," said Northside Christian coach Byron Dinkins, who said Adams also had scholarship offers from Winthrop, Presbyterian and Pembroke. "We told him he needed to see it, and once they took their visit, they both came back ready to get it done."

Adams, a first-team all-state selection as a junior, averaged 14 points and 13 rebounds last season as the Knights went 29-3 and finished runner-up in the state, posting a career high of 28 points and 18 rebounds in one game.

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Hampton University basketball continues to re-load for another NCAA run...

XU Nuggets' hot-hitting Kirk is GCAC Player of the Week

Moira Kirk

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana freshman Moira Kirk is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in women's volleyball for Oct. 24-30.

Kirk, a 5-foot-9 middle blocker from Dallas and a graduate of Bishop Lynch High School, hit .452 in 93 attacks during a 3-0 week, had her two highest kill totals of the season and led Xavier on Saturday to a four-set victory at SUNO which clinched the Gold Nuggets' first GCAC regular-season championship in four seasons of intercollegiate competition.

Kirk, who also attended First Baptist Academy in Dallas, had 12 kills, seven digs, two blocks and hit .526 Tuesday in a four-set victory at the University of New Orleans. She had a career-best 23 kills and hit .364 in a five-set home victory against Faulkner on Friday, and she had 18 kills, five blocks and hit .533 against SUNO.

This is the first GCAC weekly award for Kirk and the fourth for the Gold Nuggets this season. Another freshman, Taylor Reuther, won the award three times.

Xavier (18-6 overall, 9-0 GCAC) will play city and GCAC rival Dillard at 2 p.m. Saturday at The Barn in the final regular-season match, then compete in the GCAC Tournament at Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 10-12 as the No. 1 seed. The tournament winner will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship.

Wednesday, November 2 — Men's Basketball vs. Carver, 7 p.m. live on internet FREE (CLICK HERE)
Friday, November 4 — Women's Basketball vs. Florida Memorial, 7 p.m. live on internet FREE (CLICK HERE)
Saturday, November 5 — Women's Volleyball vs. Dillard, 2 p.m.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

2011 Shreveport Classic Battle of the Bands: JSU vs. PVU

PVAMU: Looking for Reasons

Prairie View, Texas -- Prairie View A&M football coach Heishma Northern was left searching for answers in the wake of Saturday's 44-14 loss to Southwestern Athletic Conference rival Jackson State in Shreveport, La.

The Panthers gave up a season-high 722 yards (315 rushing) and were out-gained in time of possession by a 2-1 ratio.

Prairie View (4-4, 4-3 SWAC) suffered its second consecutive defeat but remains in first place in the Western Division. The Panthers will face Texas State (5-4) in a non-conference game Saturday before finishing the regular season with key SWAC matchups at Alcorn State on Nov. 12 and at home against Alabama A&M on Nov. 19.

"We're going to see what kind of team we're really made of," Northern said. "Do we have some guys who are going to stand up and play or do we have some guys who are going to tuck their tails and run?"

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NSU wins 4th MEAC cross country title in row

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Norfolk State won its fourth consecutive MEAC men's cross country title Saturday at Maryland-Eastern Shore. The Spartans finished with 30 points. Florida A&M was second with 54.

Hampton won the women's title with 53 points. The Spartans women were fifth.

NSU's Josef Tessema was the individual winner, completing the 8-kilometer course in 25 minutes, 24.73 seconds. It was Tessema's fourth straight all-conference honor.

Other Spartans to earn all-MEAC honors: Vincent Rono (sixth in 26:25.75), Amos Kipkosgei (eighth, 26:32.74), Philemon Kimutai (19th, 26:48.55) and Damtew Adnew (13th, 27:07.19).

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NSU Men Win 4th Straight MEAC Cross Country Title, Women Place 5th

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland – The Norfolk State men’s cross country team won its fourth consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and 11th in the last 12 years on Saturday morning on the campus of Maryland Eastern Shore. The Spartans amassed 30 points. Florida A&M was second with 54.

Hampton won the women’s title with 53 points. The Spartan women placed fifth with 162 points.

The Spartan men were paced by senior Josef Tessema, who won his first title. He finished the 8-kilometer course in 25 minutes, 24.73 seconds to give NSU its third individual champion in the last four years. It was Tessema’s fourth straight all-conference honor.

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Hampton pulls away from SSU, 22-5

Savannah, Georgia -- An ugly game looked pretty to Savannah State for 30 minutes. But the Tigers couldn’t generate offense in the second half, and a strong defensive effort was wasted during a 22-5 loss to Hampton on SSU’s homecoming at T.A. Wright Stadium on Saturday.

Savannah State dropped its fourth game in a row and fell to 1-7 overall, 1-4 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play.

Hampton, which played without MEAC passing leader quarterback David Legree, has won two straight while improving to 5-3, 3-2 in conference play.

“Any loss, whether you play well or not, it’s a not a great feeling,” said SSU linebacker Nate Clay, who had a game-high 16 tackles, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss that resulted in a safety.

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SSU NOTEBOOK: Tigers defense plays well despite loss to Hampton

Savannah, Georgia -- Savannah State’s defense played its best game of the season Saturday against Hampton University. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough.

The visiting Pirates scored 19 points during the final 16 minutes and 35 seconds and defeated the Tigers, 22-5, before SSU’s announced homecoming crowd of 10,375 at T.A. Wright Stadium.

After an opening 56-yard drive that resulted in a field goal, SSU held Hampton scoreless and to just 141 yards for the next 38 minutes.

The Pirates played without MEAC-leading passer David Legree, but a week ago beat North Carolina Central when Travis Champion came off the bench and led the team to two touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime.

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Click here to view photos from the game.

B-CU Wildcats win 3rd straight, 34-6 over NCCU Eagles

DURHAM, North Carolina -- It's not unusual for a team to get a lopsided victory in a homecoming game. What is unusual is when it's the visiting team that puts the big numbers on the scoreboard.

Bethune-Cookman did just that Saturday, drilling a struggling North Carolina Central team 34-6 to spoil the Eagles' homecoming at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. It was the first time in six years that North Carolina Central lost its homecoming game.

B-CU (5-3, 3-2 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) scored the first 34 points of the game. Running back Anthony Jordan had two touchdown runs, running back Rodney Scott and quarterback Jackie Wilson each had one rushing TD and receiver Patrick Harris caught a scoring pass for the Wildcats.

"Our guys operated the scheme that they were coached to do and were successful at it," said B-CU coach Brian Jenkins, who saw the Wildcats amass 525 yards of offense. "The main thing is we were careful with the football, and that was a positive factor in the game, and that's why we were effective offensively."

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WILDCATS CAPTURE CONVINCING WIN AT NCCU HOMECOMING GAME

DURHAM, N.C. – Bethune-Cookman University sophomore quarterback Jackie Wilson passed for 183 yards and ran for another 113 yards to spark the Wildcats to 525 total yards and a 34-6 victory over North Carolina Central University inside a packed O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium celebrating NCCU’s homecoming.

Wilson completed 12-of-15 passes for 183 yards and an 11-yard touchdown strike to Patrick Harris in the third quarter. His team-high 113 ground yards came on just nine carries, including a 3-yard touchdown scamper right before halftime.

B-CU sophomore running back Isidore Jackson also surpassed the century mark with 108 rushing yards, while Anthony Jordan found the end zone twice and Rodney Scott had 57 rushing yards and a score. As a team, the Wildcats rushed for 333 yards, averaging 7.2 yards per carry.

Photo Gallery    




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Bowie State Falls in the Snow to Shepherd

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

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



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

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

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Norfolk State Spartans win, stays in first place in MEAC

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Linebacker Corwin Hammond got everything he asked for. Brutal conditions for an offense. Ideal for a defense seeking redemption. Cold weather, wind and a crucial MEAC win.

The Spartans beat North Carolina A&T 14-10 on Saturday in front of 18,752 fans thanks to a dominant defensive effort that included seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

Clinging to a 14-10 lead in the second half, the Spartan defense, with help from a 22-mph wind, held the Aggies scoreless despite three trips inside the NSU 13-yard-line. "Everyone remembers these kinds of games," Hammond said. "The rain, even if the fans leave, it's what we had to do to redeem ourselves."

As the game approached and weather reports worsened, Hammond was practically giddy about the prospect, despite the chaos the conditions could, and did, play on NSU's pass-first offense.

"Man, let it rain, let it rain," Hammond said earlier this week, still steamed after giving up 245 yards on the ground to Bethune-Cookman. "Let it rain. We'll see who's tough. Let them run the ball."



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Aggies' last drive falls incomplete

Norfolk, Virginia -- N.C. A&T is 13 yards short of first place in the MEAC. Randy Maynes scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 7:12 left to lead Norfolk State to a come-from-behind 14-10 victory over the Aggies at Dick Price Stadium on Saturday.

A&T's last chance to win ended with three consecutive incomplete passes from the Norfolk State 13-yard line in the final 47 seconds.

A&T wide receiver Torrian Warren, a Dudley graduate, got his hands on the fourth-down attempt. But he couldn't hang on, his bid for a diving catch in the end zone failing when the ball jarred loose on impact with the ground.

"We should have won this ballgame, just like we should have won last week's ball game (at Howard)," A&T coach Rod Broadway said. "We've got to teach our guys how to win. They don't know how to win or how to finish right now. That's (the coaches) responsibility. They're playing fairly hard. We're just not putting them in a good enough position to win."

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Morgan Bears remain in MEAC hunt, shut down DSU Hornets

Dover, Delaware -- Morgan State did what they had to do on a dreary, windy and rain-soaked day for the Hornet's Homecoming. They protected a slim lead, played solid defense and ran the ball.

In just his fourth college game, Tracy Martin ran for a game-high 154 yards on 38 carries and scored the only points of the game, helping the Bears grind out a 12-0 victory over Delaware State and stretch their winning streak to three straight.

As a result of the win, the Bears are in a tie for first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with Norfolk State. MSU's remaining games are against Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 5), Norfolk State (Nov. 12) and Hampton (Nov. 19).

The Bears played smash-mouth football throughout most of the ballgame and simply dominated the time of possession (39:53 - 20:07) -- recording their first shutout since October 7, 2006 when they posted a 32-0 win on the road against North Carolina A&T.

MSU (5-3, 4-1 MEAC) has won four of its last five and the defense has not allowed an opponent to crack the scoreboard for the last seven quarters.

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Howard Bison Shut Out at Home Against S.C. State Bulldogs 31-0

Washington, D.C. -- After a momentum-building win the previous week in their homecoming game against North Carolina A&T, the Howard Bison was looking to go over .500 for the first time this season in a home affair with the South Carolina State Bulldogs on Oct. 29 at Greene Stadium.

But a slow start buried the Bison in a 17-0 first quarter hole as the Bulldogs went on to shut out the Bison 31-0 in front of a disappointed and cold crowd on a rainy, dreary afternoon at Howard’s Senior Day and final home game of the season.

“This was the worst game we have played all season,” first-year Howard head coach Gary Harrell told reporters after the game. (South Carolina) State has been a great program for years in this conference and you just cannot give them the kind of opportunities we gave them early in the game.”

Rain, sleet and wind helped the Bison commit a series of first half miscues. A botched snap and a fumble highlighted Howard’s first two possessions, setting the Bulldogs up with short fields and easy scoring opportunities. By the time Howard settled in on offense, the weather had gotten to freshman signal caller Greg McGhee, whose hands reportedly numbed up due to the freezing weather, according to Harrell. “Greg’s hand numbed up and he struggled all day,” Harrell revealed to Bison reporters. “He did not have a good game today.”

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Big plays key in Shorter's 44-21 blowout of Edward Waters

Jacksonville, Florida -- The big play has become a staple of the Shorter University football program since its Mid-South Conference championship season in 2008. Noticeably absent over the past few weeks, the big play made a return for the Hawks on Saturday.

Shorter rushed for 343 yards and forced three turnovers as part of a 21-point second quarter in a 44-21 rout of Edward Waters College Jacksonville.

Kenny Foster ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns and T.J. Telfair chipped in with 66 yards and a score for the Hawks (5-3), who scored on three plays of 20 yards or more in rebounding from its worst rushing output in school history a week ago in a loss to Cumberlands

"We have to have big plays," said Shorter head coach Phil Jones. "When you run the ball as much as we do, you have to take advantage of big play opportunities when they present themselves. We did that today.

"I am proud to come down here and get a victory," Jones added. "What Edward Waters has done with that new staff and those talented players is amazing. You have to tip your hats to them."



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ECSU win streak runs to seven with 26-9 win over Chowan

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina -- Elizabeth City State University extended their win streak to seven games with a convincing 26-9 win over the Chowan University Hawks Saturday afternoon. ECSU took the game's opening drive 55 yards in 7 plays and scored on a 24 yard run by Kevin Swain.

The Vikings successfully kept the Hawks (2-7, CIAA 1-5) in check for the majority of the afternoon. A Rickey Jarman punt from the back of the end zone gave the Hawks the ball deep in ECSU territory and with 28 seconds left in the game Cameron Stover ran the ball in from 5 yards out for their lone touchdown of the day.

Their only other points came courtesy of a 26-yard field goal by Ryan Murphy with 14:47 left in the first half.

Aside from that, the ECSU defense terrorized Stover and the Hawk offense throughout the game. After throwing for close to 400 yards on his previous outing, Stover was limited to 195 yards on 14-41 passing. Most notably he was constantly under pressure all day and was ultimately sacked by Viking defenders on 8 different occasions.

Additionally the defense only gave up 62 yards on the ground. After leading 13-3 at halftime, Daronte McNeill punched in his second rushing score of the day in the third quarter for a 20-3 advantage. McNeill only went for 93 yards but had two rushing scores and is 12 yards away from becoming the Vikings' all-time leading rusher.

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VSU Trojans strike early defeating VUU Panthers on Homecoming

Petersburg, Virginia -- Senior running back, Antwain Lyde scored 2 early rushing touchdowns in a 39-14 win over rival Virginia Union University on Saturday, Oct. 29th in Rogers Stadium. Lyde led the Trojans with 26 rushes for 92 total yards.

The Trojans offense scored 4 touchdowns, the defense returned a 57 yard interception for another score, and senior kicker, William Rudd nailed a 44 yard FG to seal a homecoming victory for VSU. The Trojans rushed for 109 total yards and passed for 88 yards. Defensively, VSU forced one fumble and picked of 3 passes.



Senior defensive back, Howard Spencer, Jr. intercepted a pass from the VUU offense and returned it 57 yards giving the Trojans an early 22-0 lead with 1:31 left in the first quarter. Junior linebacker, Thomas Sykes and senior defensive back, Larry Armstead both had interceptions.

Junior quarterback, Jarred Battle threw a season high 2 touchdown passes against the Panthers. He finished the game7 of 8 passing for a total of 88 yards with a long of 25 yards to sophomore wide receiver, Dion Futch. Futch caught 4 passes for 47 yards and scored on an 11 yard catch in the third quarter. Sophomore wide receiver, Thaditguss Lewis caught 2 passes for 28 yards and also scored on a 10 yard pass from Battle.




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JCSU Golden Bulls Topped 44-23 by FSU in home finale

Charlotte, North Carolina – The Johnson C. Smith University football team came up short in a 44-23 loss against Fayetteville State University on Saturday afternoon inside the Irwin Belk Complex. JCSU moves to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the CIAA; the Broncos improve to 4-5 overall and 4-2 in the conference. The Golden Bulls had 16 seniors honored in their final performances on McGirt Field.

These two teams traded big play scores to start the contest. Fayetteville State scored first off a 47 yard pass from Chauncey Concepcion to Antonio Allen. JCSU quickly responded on the next drive with a connection from freshman quarterback Keahn Wallace (Homestead, FL) to junior receiver Matthew Jeffries (Gainesville, GA).

Wallace hit the receiver streaking and Jeffries went 60 yards downfield for the touchdown. FSU broke the 7-7 tie with a 41 yard field goal with 3:35 remaining in the first quarter.

The Golden Bulls' defense forced a safety in the second quarter off bad snap to Concepcion. Fayetteville State held a 17-9 lead at halftime. Ironically, a bad snap to Wallace inside the FSU 5-yard line led to a 70 yard fumble return for a touchdown.

JCSU was outscored 20-7 in the third quarter. Senior defensive back Lamarr Person (Atlanta, GA) returned a fumble 97 yards for a score to bring Johnson C. Smith within two possessions (30-16). The Broncos scored twice more after Person's return to account for the 44-23 final.

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Saint Augustine's 45, Livingstone 14

DURHAM, North Carolina — Livingstone’s football team fell to the Saint Augustine’s Falcons 45-14 on Saturday at Durham County Stadium.

Livingstone’s defense boosted the Blue Bears at the start the game by forcing a three-and-out and forcing a punt. The poor punt gave Livingstone field position at the Saint Augustine’s 46-yard line.

Livingstone then took a 7-0 lead on quarterback Craig Murdock’s 22-yard rush and his 24-yard TD pass to Carl James.

Saint Augustine’s tied the game on its third possession, a 15-play, 82-yard drive that spanned more than five minutes .

The Falcons extended their lead early in the second quarter with a 39-yard field goal.

A Murdock fumble handed St. Aug’s the ball on the LC 17, and the Falcons punched in another score for a 17-7 halftime lead.

Livingstone couldn’t move the ball at the outset of the second half, and Saint Augustine’s opened a 24-7 lead with a 16-play, 67-yard drive that took eight minutes off the clock.

Another Livingstone fumble, this one recovered at the Blue Bears’ 21, led to another St. Aug’s TD and a 31-7 lead.

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Virginia University of Lynchburg Dragons knocks off Lincoln Lions

Roanoke, Virginia -- Mac Shinhoster rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns to lead Virginia University of Lynchburg to an 18-2 win over Lincoln (Pa.) on Saturday in the 12th annual Western Virginia Education Classic at William Fleming Stadium in Roanoke.

The victory was the Dragons third in their last four games, making coach Willard Bailey optimistic for the remainder of the season.

“You know, we have a chance to finish this season with a .500 record,” he said after the game. “That isn’t bad for a school that hasn’t had a team since 1954.”

While Shinhoster was sparking the offense, VUL’s defense shut down the Lions attack. The Dragons allowed just 110 yards in total offense, picked off three passes and had five quarterback sacks. The Dragons had been giving up an average of 25.9 points per game.

Lincoln’s lone score came on a safety in the third quarter when Tim Green tackled VUL quarterback Delonte Williams in the end zone.

VUL improves to 3-5 and has games against Concordia (Ala.) and George Mason remaining.

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