DURHAM, North Carolina - Shaw University struggled on the ground and with penalties, losing 28-15 to Miles despite a decided advantage in time of possession in a game played at Durham County Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, Shaw drops to 0-2, while Miles improves to 1-1 on the season.
"We have to put an end to this fast," said Shaw head coach Robert Massey of the losing streak. "Losing is contagious and losing can become a habit. We can't have that. At the end of the day, it's a non-conference game and doesn't hurt us that way, but we want to win them all."
Shaw had possession of the ball for 36:13 - compared to Miles' 23:47 - but were only four of 18 in third down conversions and suffered from 14 penalties for a loss of 153 yards.
"We had some dumb penalties," said Massey. "We looked undisciplined and uncoached, which is not acceptable. We have to be smarter."
The Bears could not generate a ground game, amassing only 34 net yards rushing. Shaw quarterback James Stallons spent much of the game scrambling - losing 39 yards on the ground.
"Last week we struggled with defense." Massey said. "This week was the offense. We moved the ball, but we couldn't punch it in. It's pride. We have got to find a way to finish drives."
The Bears moved the ball within the Miles 10-yard line six times, coming away with only a field goal and two touchdowns. The special teams unit struggled as well - especially in the kicking game. Shaw missed two of three field goal attempts and an extra point try.
The punting game struggled as well, with the Bears finally resorting to using Stallons as the punter after the first two kicks went eight and 16 yards. Stallons averaged 38.7 yards on three punts.
The game started slowly for both teams, with each missing a field goal. Shaw made it inside the Miles' 20 once in the first quarter, but the Golden Bears never cracked the Shaw 20.
Shaw opened the second quarter with a field goal, giving them a 3-0 lead. On the next drive, Miles drove to the Shaw eight-yard line and fumbled the ball. Chris Ellerbe recovered and returned it 81 yards, but being brought down at the 14-yard line. The Bears went only six yards before trying a field goal that went wide right.
With 28 seconds remaining in the first half, Miles' David Thomas hit Antonio Pitts on a three-yard slant that gave the Golden Bears a 7-3 going into the locker room.
After driving Shaw backwards 12 yards on the opening drive of the second half, Miles wound up with the ball on the Shaw 34 after a Shaw penalty on a Stallons' 41-yard punt. Five plays later, Thomas scrambled out of the backfield for 24 yards and a Miles touchdown, giving them a 14-3 lead.
With less than four minutes left in the third quarter, the Bears drove to the Miles three-yard line, but could not cross the goal line, giving up the ball on downs. In the shadow of their own goal posts, Miles was the beneficiary of a Shaw personal foul that moved them to the 17-yard line, then Thomas hit Jerommy Mardis for 83 yards and a 21-3 lead.
Shaw opened the fourth quarter at the Miles' 15-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs. The Bear defense held, though, then Chris Ellerbe blocked the Golden Bear punt, giving Shaw back the ball inside the 20. Three plays later, the Bears finally crossed the goal line on an Antonio Dunn three-yard dash. The extra point attempt failed, making the score 21-9 in favor of Miles.
Midway through the fourth, Miles was again the beneficiary of Shaw penalties - this time a pass interference call followed immediately by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty - giving the Golden Bears the ball on the Shaw eight. Denzell Veale got the ball on the option and ran left, gaining the eight yard and giving the Golden Bears a 28-9 lead.
Shaw then went on their longest drive of the game - starting on their own 13. Stallons hit six straight passes, moving the Bears down to the one-yard line, and Marquise Grizzle leapt over the pile for the second Shaw touchdown. The two-point attempt failed, setting the final score at 28-15.
Stallons finished the game going 20 for 39 for 277 yards with no interceptions. He was sacked four times. Dunn finished the game with 53 yards on the ground and the one touchdown. Grizzle had 24 yards rushing and one touchdown.
Ta'Juan Brown had 71 yards receiving with only two catches - one for 44 yards and the other for 27. Derek Grant had five catches for a total of 65 yards while Nick Jones pulled in three receptions for 64 yards.
Defensively, the Bears were led by Evan Strange who had eight tackles, including two sacks and three tackles for a loss. He also recovered a fumble for Shaw. Derrick Washington and Chris Martin had six tackles apiece, with Martin having a tackle and a half for a loss and adding one quarterback hurry to his tally. Frank Marin picked off a Thomas pass and had one sack while collecting three tackles.
Thomas finished the game 12 for 21 with one interception and two touchdowns and 190 yards through the air. The Golden Bears had only 72 yards rushing, led by Devonta Parker-Johnson who had 50 yards on 15 rushes. Mardis collected 119 receiving yards with four catches and had the one touchdown.
Defensively, Reginal Virges and James Gaines, III had seven tackles apiece. Virges recovered a fumble and Gaines had a sack for a loss of 12 yards.
The Bears continue their three-game homestand next Saturday when they host Stillman in a 1:00 p.m. contest at Durham County Memorial Stadium.
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COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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