Gold Nuggets sweep Fisk for 30th straight win in GCAC

NEW ORLEANS -- Taylor Reuther had 15 kills and hit a season-best .560 Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-7, 25-15, 25-11 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Fisk.

The Gold Nuggets (8-7 overall, 2-0 GCAC) have won 30 consecutive matches against conference opponents, which includes eight tournament matches. Xavier's regular-season win streak in the GCAC is 24.

Reuther, the 2012 GCAC Player of the Year, had one error in 25 attacks and led an offense which hit .354, Xavier's second-highest mark of the season. Chinedu Echebelem had six kills, and Jodi Hill and Moira Kirk had five apiece. Kirk hit .625 in eight attacks.

Jamese Grant had five kills for Fisk (3-8, 1-2), which hit minus-.071. It was the second straight match that an XU opponent produced more attack errors than kills.

Xavier had advantages of 39-14 in kills, 8-1 in aces, 32-21 in digs and 5-2 in blocks. Emily Reuther, Taylor's younger sister, served three aces, and Kirk served two.

Jodi Chatters and Echebelem had six digs apiece for the Gold Nuggets.

Xavier scored the first nine points and 13 of the first 14. Kirk had three kills during an 8-2 run which erased Fisk's 9-8 lead in the middle set. The Gold Nuggets opened the final set with an 8-1 run and closed the match when Chatters' dig crossed the net and landed untouched.

Xavier will play city rival Loyola at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Convocation Center to conclude a 3-match home stand. The next conference match will be Sept. 28 at Edward Waters.

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

North Carolina A&T Men's Basketball Release 2013-14 Schedule

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  -- The defending MEAC men’s basketball champions, the North Carolina A&T Aggies, released a 2013-14 schedule on Monday that features 12 home games at Corbett Sports Center and two games against in-state non-conference rivals.

The Aggies are coming off of a season in which they won their first MEAC tournament title in 18 years. The program also won its first-ever NCAA tournament game with its 73-72 win over Liberty in Dayton, Ohio. A&T’s 20-17 2013-14 record earned the program its first 20-win season in 25 years.

The Aggies open the 2013-14 season the same way they opened the 2012-13 season, with a home game against Division III Greensboro College. After the Aggies host Greensboro College on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m., they will play six consecutive road games starting with a rematch against Utah Valley on Nov. 11. Four days later the Aggies will play at Rhode Island before playing in the four-game Barclays Center Classic, which features games against Georgia Tech of the ACC and Ole Miss of the SEC.

“I think we have a very challenging schedule,” said A&T head coach Cy Alexander, who led the Aggies to their first winning season since 1996-97. “We play a variety of different schools, from a variety of different levels and they all have very different styles of play. We have two in state opponents – East Carolina and Charlotte – that will be a major test for us. But it will give our fans who live in the Greenville and Charlotte areas a chance to come out and see us play.”

A&T’s schedule is also loaded with competitive mid-major schools. Wright State, a team that beat the Aggies last season in Dayton, will come to Corbett Sports Center on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. Georgia Southern (Dec. 28, 6 p.m.) and New Jersey Institute of Technology (Jan. 18, 7 p.m.), two teams the Aggies earned road wins against last season, are the Aggies other two non-conference home games. Their other non-conference road tests are at Radford (Dec. 7), East Carolina (Dec. 14), Eastern Kentucky (Dec. 18), St. Louis (Dec. 21) and Charlotte (Jan. 4).

The Aggies begin MEAC play at Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 11. Their two showdowns with N.C. Central will happen in the same calendar year this season. They go to Durham on Jan. 22, while the Eagles come to Greensboro on Feb. 22.

“Our conference schedule is always a challenge,” said Alexander. “Our goal is to win 100 percent of our home games and 50 percent of our road games. We’re going to see if we can live up to that.”
For season basketball tickets call (336) 334-7749 or log onto ncataggies.com.

2013-14 Men's Basketball Schedule

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MSU Captures Hornet Invitational; Seymour Wins Second Straight Race

DOVER, Delaware (Sept. 15, 2013) -- Morgan State's Ashley Seymour extended her winning streak to two straight, as she led the Lady Bears to a first-place finish on Saturday at the Hornet Invitational hosted by Delaware State.

Seymour ran a winning time of 17:53.27 to lead Morgan State, which had runners capture the first five spots and seven of the top 10. Ishakeema Swain finished second with a time of 18:10.65 and Kali Kendall placed third in a time of 18:55.73. Nynneya Columbus (19:04.40) and Jada Boyd (19:30.10) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

"We had a very impressive show with the women this weekend," said Morgan State head coach Neville Hodge. "We are looking to continue to work to get better each and every week with the goal to be at our best come championship time."

MSU 2013 Women's Cross Country Roster and Coach Staff
(Courtesy Morgan State University Athletics)

The Lady Bears would finish with 15 points and an average time of 18:42.83, while Division 3 Wesley also had 15 points, but an average time of 22:29.57. Maryland Eastern Shore finished second with 61 points, followed by host Delaware State (75 points) and Coppin State (95 points).

Morgan State returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 21, when it takes part in the Towson Invitational.

Hornet Invitational Meet, 5k
Dover, Del. (Delaware State University)
Saturday, September 14, 2013

Team Winner: Morgan State, 15 points
Individual Winner: Ashley Seymour, Morgan State (17:53.27)
Morgan State Finish: 1st, 15 points

Team Finish
Division 1
1. Morgan State, 15 points
2. Maryland Eastern Shore, 61 points
3. Delaware State, 96 points
4. Coppin State, 98 points
Division 3
1. Wesley, 15 points

Morgan State Finishers
1. Ashley Seymour (17:53.27)
2. Ishakeema Swain (18:10.65)
3. Kali Kendall (18:55.73)
4. Nynneya Columbus (19:04.40)
5. Jada Boyd (19:30.10)
7. Danielle Calhoun (19:43.66)
9. Kiara Jelks (20:39.10)

By Kevin Paige, MSU Athletics Media Relations
COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Former Florida A&M football player killed in North Carolina

Jonathan A. Ferrell, 24
(Courtesy: FAMU Athletics)

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — An unarmed man who was shot and killed by a police officer in North Carolina after a wreck was a former football player for Florida A&M University, school officials said Sunday.

Jonathan A. Ferrell, 24, played for the school in 2009-10 and had recently moved to North Carolina. Early Saturday, he had apparently been in a wreck and was seeking help at a nearby house, according to a statement from Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. A woman answered the door and, when she didn't recognize the man, called 911.

Officers responding to the breaking-and-entering call found Ferrell a short distance from the home, police said. As they approached him, Ferrell ran toward the officers and was hit with a Taser. Police said he continued to run toward them when officer Randall Kerrick fired his gun, hitting Ferrell several times. Ferrell died at the scene.

Police called Ferrell and Kerrick's initial encounter " appropriate and lawful. But in their statement late Saturday, they said "the investigation showed that the subsequent shooting of Mr. Ferrell was excessive" and "Kerrick did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon during this encounter."



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Battle of the Bands: 2013 Southern Heritage Classic

XU''s Fakler runs 5K in 19:04.8, places third in Pensacola meet

Catherine Fakler

PENSACOLA, Florida  -- Xavier University of Louisiana's Catherine Fakler ran 5,000 meters in a season-best 19 minutes, 4.8 seconds Saturday to finish third out of 98 female runners in the Gulf Coast Stampede cross country meet.

Fakler's time is the third-fastest in the Gold Nuggets' history and a record by an XU junior, nearly 45 seconds faster than Ebony Harding's 19:48.54 at the 2008 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships. One week ago, Fakler ran a 5K in 20:15.90.

Fakler, from Phoenix, Ariz., and a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory Roman Catholic High School, has placed third in all three of the Gold Nuggets' meets this season. She has 12 career top-10 finishes and nine career top-5s in 18 collegiate meets.

Kwame Jackson led the XU men for the third consecutive week, running 8,000 meters in 27:30.3 and placing 21st out of 101 runners. Jackson's time is the 11th-fastest by a Gold Rush runner since the start of the 2002 season.

In the team scoring, the Gold Nuggets scored 148 points to place sixth out of 10 four-year schools and sixth out of 12 schools overall, which includes two junior colleges. The Gold Rush scored 185 points to place sixth out of nine four-year schools and seventh out of 10 overall.

Also in the upper half of the individual standings for the Gold Nuggets were Donyé Coleman (32nd place, 21:07.1), Hannah Finnegan (35th, 21:15.5) and Reeka Belton (44th, 21:39.2). Also placing in the top half of the men's race were Xavier's Brent Kitto (34th, 28:06.8), David Holobowicz (36th, 28:11.0) and Christopher August (40th, 28:17.5).

Harding swept the women's and men's team and individual titles. Junior Ewa Zaborowska won the 5K in 18:25.3, and senior Andrew Evans won the 8K in 25:54.9.

Both XU teams will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, for the Ram Ramble Invitational next Saturday.

 

Results:  Men    Women

 

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAATHLETICS

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

 

Xavier aces initial test in new facility, beats Voorhees in 3

NEW ORLEANS — Bolstered by season highs in hitting percentage and aces, the Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball team made a successful debut in the Convocation Center with a 25-14, 25-9, 25-8 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference victory against Voorhees on Saturday.
    
The Gold Nuggets (7-7, 1-0), the two-time defending GCAC regular-season and tournament champion, hit .439 and served 15 aces to extend their winning streak against GCAC opponents to 29. The Lady Tigers (1-4, 0-3), who joined the GCAC in July, dropped their fourth straight and lost for the second consecutive day.
    
Juniors Taylor Reuther, Chinedu Echebelem and Moira Kirk combined for 24 of Xavier's 37 kills and hit a combined .552. Reuther had nine kills and hit .438, Kirk had eight kills and hit .500, and Echebelem hit .875 with seven kills and no errors in eight attacks.
    
The Reuthers — Taylor and younger sister Emily, a freshman — combined for nine aces. Taylor's six aces were a season high, and Emily's three were a career high. Echebelem also reached a career best with four aces.
    
Xavier trailed 4-2 in the opening set before scoring eight of the next nine points to take a 10-5 lead. Echebelem served consecutive aces during a 6-0 run to give the Gold Nuggets an 18-10 lead, and Taylor Reuther ended the set with an ace.
    
Echebelem had two more aces during a 6-0 run to open the second set, and four Taylor Reuther aces extended the Gold Nuggets' lead to 16-3. Echebelem had four kills during a 10-0 run in the third set, and Kirk ended the match with consecutive kills.
    
The Gold Nuggets limited Voorhees to a minus-.065 hitting percentage: 10 kills and 13 errors in 46 attempts. Zakiyyah King led the Lady Tigers with four kills and four digs.
    
Xavier served its most aces in a home match since collecting 16 against Judson (Ala.) on Oct. 15, 2010.
    
The Convocation Center is a $25 million facility which seats nearly 4,000 and opened to the public in November. It replaced The Barn, which opened in 1937 and was razed in May. The Gold Nuggets were 27-24 in five seasons at The Barn, 14-4 the past two years.
    
The Gold Nuggets will continue a three-match home stand with a 7 p.m. Monday match against GCAC opponent Fisk. Xavier will play host to city rival Loyola at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Box Score

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

Bethune-Cookman runs wild against FIU

MIAMI, Florida  -- In FIU’s 34-13 loss Saturday to Bethune-Cookman, the Panthers allowed 311 yards rushing to the Wildcats. Junior running back Anthony Jordan led the way for B-CU, piling up 150 yards on 21 carries, including a 58-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Despite facing a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent, Jordan wasn’t surprised the Football Championship Subdivision Wildcats had success running the ball.

“Yeah, we knew,” Jordan said. “We just had to block, and the offensive line did a good job with their keys, and we just made it happen.”

B-CU coach Brian Jenkins thought the battle in the trenches was pivotal.

“We preached that all week, that we had to win the battle in the trenches,” Jenkins said. “Our guys were up for it. I thought [FIU] had a very good defensive line — we thought that was the strength of their defense — and we knew it was going to be a heavyweight fight with those guys.”
 In Jordan’s shadow, fellow running backs Cary White and Drexler Dixon combined for 88 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/15/3627647/bethune-cookman-runs-wild-against.html#storylink=cpy

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Late touchdown lifts Tuskegee to 19-13 win at Albany State

ALBANY, Georgia  --  Tuskegee stayed perfect stayed perfect with a 19-13 win on the road against Albany State (Ga.) Saturday.

The Golden Tigers, the defending Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions, needed an 8-yard touchdown run from running back Hoderick Lowe late in the fourth quarter to pull out the victory against the Rams after trailing 7-6 at the half. 

Tuskegee (2-) overcame a four fumbles and a pair of interceptions to improve to 2-0 on the season after handling FCS Alabama A&M on the road in its opener last weekend. 

Golden Tigers quarterback Justin Nared went 11-for-19 for 173 yards while being picked off and all-conference linebacker Quavon Taylor had a team-high 11 tackles. 

 

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Bands steal show at Urban Classic - Benedict College and Virginia State enjoy game played at MetLife Stadium

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY  -- The schools were small and the crowd was modest, yet Virginia State and Benedict College put on an impressive display Saturday at MetLife Stadium — and that was just the halftime show.

The two southern, traditionally black colleges played a spirited football game around a hip-hop halftime extravaganza that lasted longer than the Super Bowl version and featured a Battle of the Bands between two of the liveliest musical units in the country.

Benedict won the inter-conference, Div. II game, 30-14. The marching band competition between VSU's Trojan Explosion and BC's Tiger Band of Distinction might be declared a deadlock — though the Tiger Band employed more ambitious choreography.

“We have a pretty good reputation,” Dr. Keith Miller, president of Virginia State, said about his band. “I just want them to enjoy the moment.”



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Chowan Hawks Air It Out In Home Opener

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina  -- Cameron Stover threw for 349 yards in the victory, and rewrote the Chowan record books after throwing six touchdown passes and completing 27 of 38 passes.  CJ Wrestler had the previous record of five touchdown passes (vs. Johnson C. Smith in 2008), and 24 pass completions (vs. Shaw in 2008).  Additionally, the 60 points scored by the Hawks in the home opener was the most scored since 1993 when Chowan scored 51 points in Garrison Stadium against Gallaudet.

Robert Holland led all receivers in the game with eight catches for 129 yards.  Holland, Dexter Green and DeSean Martin each tallied two touchdowns in the win, with Charles Holmes scoring one as well.  Martin had 16 carries for 73 yards.  For Alderson-Broaddus, Logan Bauder collected nine catches for 100 yards with Wilson Vaughn throwing two touchdown passes for 281 yards.  Brandon Jones had 17 carries for 94 yards.   

At the 7:17 mark in the first quarter, Cornell Duncan intercepted Vaughn's pass and ran it back 58 yards to give the Hawks an early 6-0 lead.  Alex Noboa's point after attempt was good, allowing Chowan to pull ahead 7-0.  The Hawks struck again when Stover connected with DSean Martin to make the score 13-0.  Noboa's point after attempt was blocked by the Battlers, but the Chowan continued to hang on the momentum.  Alderson-Broaddus got on the board early in the second quarter with a field goal from Nathaniel Arce-Washington.

Chowan quickly answered back as Stover connected with Martin again on a short four yard pass to make the score 19-3.  Noboa's made point after attempt brought the score to 20-3 early in the second quarter.  An eight play, 28 yard drive saw Vaughn connect with Andre Garcia resulting in another score for Alderson-Broaddus.  Arce-Washington's point after attempt was good narrowed the score to 20-10.

After halftime, a 90 yard kickoff return and a made point after attempt brought the Battlers within striking distance, but Chowan held on to a 20-17 advantage.  A four play 49 yard drive resulted in JR Williams carrying the ball eight yards into the end zone for Hawks.  Noboa's point after attempt was good, and the Hawks pulled ahead 27-17.  With 12:40 remaining in the third quarter, Stover orchestrated a three play, 30 yard drive concluding with a 14 yard pass to Dexter Green.  Noboa's point after attempt was good and the Hawks pulled ahead 34-17.

Stover and Green connected once more, this time with a 19 yard pass to take the score to 40-17. The Battlers answered back with a four play, 68 yard drive to get on the board after Vaughn tossed a 58 yard pass to Garcia for the score.  The point after attempt was good, making the score 40-24.

On the next drive, Chowan worked their way down the field from their own 49 yard line before Stover tossed a seven yard pass to Holland for another touchdown.  Instead of attempting the point after, Stover made good on the two point conversion to extend the Hawks' lead to 48-24.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Jared Turner picked off a pass from Vaughn, which later resulted in Stover tossing a 36 yard pass to Holland to make the score 54-24.  The point after was blocked.  Down but not out, the Battlers answered back on the next drive and made good on the point after attempt to inch the score to 54-31.

With Dain McFarland in at quarterback, the Hawks used a 32 yard pass to Charles Holmes to score again in the contest.  The point after attempt was blocked and Chowan maintained a comfortable 60-31 advantage.  The Battlers would score once more before the conclusion of the contest after using a nine play, 84 yard drive and point after attempt before falling to the Hawks 60-39.

Alderson-Broaddus slips to 1-1 on the year and will look to recover next week when they host St. Joseph's at 12:00pm.  Chowan improves to 1-1 on the young season after the victory.  They travel to Concord, CT next Saturday to take on Sacred Heart University.  The September 21^st match-up is slated for 1:00pm. 
The Chowan University football team cruised to a 60-39 shoot out win on Saturday afternoon against Alderson-Broaddus University in Garrison Stadium. 

Box Score

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Walker Blazes into Alcorn History, Braves Win in Comeback Fashion Over Valley 35-28

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Senior running back Arnold Walker danced his way into the Alcorn history as the Braves avenge their loss from 2012 against Mississippi Valley 35-28 at Spinks-Casem Stadium this afternoon. Walker cracked the top 10 for career rushing yards in Alcorn football history on a 26-yard touchdown run and finished the game with 18 carries for 118 yards and two touchdowns.

In the first quarter, senior defensive end Terrance Green intercepted a pass which led the Braves to their first touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run by quarterback John Gibbs, Jr.

Mississippi Valley took control of the game immediately after the Braves touchdown. Kenneth Dabney caught a pass from Patrick Ivy for a 34-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with 3:02 to play in the first quarter.

Valley struck again early in the second quarter on a 28-yard pass from Ivy to Patrick Durr to go ahead 14-7. The Braves went three and out three consecutive times and Valley capitalized on a 13-yard scamper by quarterback Jeremy Collins just before the half. The Braves found themselves down two touchdowns at the half 21-7.

A controversial call fired the Braves up in the second half and the players knew it was time put a stop to the brutal beating they took in the previous half.

Green once again found his way to the ball on defense recovering a fumble placing the Braves in great field position with 11:53 to play in the game. Walker scored four plays later on a 6-yard rushing touchdown and Gibbs connected with Tavoris Doss for the 2-pt. conversion to lock the game at 21-21 with 11:21 to go.

The Braves recovered an onside kick and were able to march down the field again behind fullback Alondrea Young's three consecutive carries for 23 yards setting up the Braves next score. Gibbs hit sophomore LaDarrien Davis, who fought his way into the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown. The Braves had retaken the lead 28-21 with just under nine minutes to left to play.

The Braves defense forced the Delta Devils to a three and out and it was the "Arnold Walker Show" from there. Walker touched the ball every single play during the next drive and found the end zone for the second time in the game to extend the Braves lead to 35-21.

Valley would score one more time on a touchdown pass from Ivy to Jerrell and attempted an onside kick but the Braves recovered the ball to capture the victory.

Gibbs finished the game completing 18 of 26 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns after a slow start. Damon Watkins led the Braves with 7.5 tackles and one pass break-up while Deion Roberson racked up 6 tackles and 4.5 tackles for a loss. C.J. Morgan finished the game with a career-high 5 pass break-ups.

The Braves hit the road for back-to-back SWAC contest starting next week in Pine Bluff, Ark. to take on the defending SWAC Champions, Arkansas Pine-Bluff. The following week the Braves travel to Montgomery to take on Alabama State. Kickoff against the Golden Lions begins at 6:00 p.m.

Box Score

COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Alabama State Hornets post comeback win at UAPB

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  -- Jamel Johnson's 21 yard touchdown pass from Daniel Duhart capped a 16-point fourth quarter as ASU came from behind to beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 40-39.

"I'm proud of our team because they fought, "Head Coach Reggie Barlow said. "Arkansas-Pine Bluff is a good team and we knew they would fight back. They were picked to win it and they are the defending SWAC champs."

To say it was a game of runs would not give the game justice as ASU opened the game scoring the first 21 points of the game. UAPB would then out score ASU 32-3 to enter the final quarter with a 32-24 lead.

ASU would end the game on a 16-7 run with the Johnson's final touchdown coming with just over four minutes left. His score followed an Isaiah Crowell five yard scoring run and a Bobby Wenzig 30 yard field goal.

Following ASU's final score, the Hornets defense still had to stop the Lions offense which finished the game with 482 yards one last time. They were able to do that with three consecutive sacks; two from Edward Mosley and one from Carlton Jones.

"Our defense gave up some big plays, but they came up with some big stops when we needed it," Barlow said. "So we are happy and proud of them about that."

ASU finished the game with 475 yards and for the third straight game rushed for over 200 yards. Crowell led the way with a game high 161 yards on a career high 29 carries. Malcolm Cyrus had 82 and Duhart 32. Duhart finished the game hitting 19 of his 22 pass attempts for 200 yards and two scores.

For the second time this season DeMario Bell had over 100 yards in receptions, finishing with 102 on six receptions. Earl Lucas had a game high seven catches for 47 yards and a score.

On defense, Kourtney Berry had the best game of his young career with 15 tackles. He had a sack, tackle for loss and an interception, which led to a Hornet score. Najee Bright had 10 tackles and forced a fumble.

The game started ASU's way scoring three times in the first quarter. The first coming on Duhart's 19 yard pass to Lucas and the
second on Cyrus' career-long 33 yard run. The final score was Crowell's 25 scoring run following Berry's interception.

The second quarter saw UAPB get back into the game first on a three yard pass from Benjamin Anderson to Brandon Kensey. After ASU's second turnover of the half, UAPB drove 68 yards on seven plays with Jeremiah Young covering the final three yards. After the PAT was blocked, ASU led 21-13.

ASU was able to go into the locker room with a 24-13 lead after a Wenzig 41 yard field goal with one second left in the half.

"This is college football and it's an exciting game," Barlow said. "I am excited for our kids and the way they came back tonight. These kids have been fighting and we've had some adversity, but our guys have bought in and continue to practice hard every day and we are proud of them for that."

After two weeks on the road ASU (1-2/1-1 SWAC) will be back home next week when they host Grambling State at 5 p.m. at New ASU Stadium.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Battle of the Band: Mississippi Valley vs. Alcorn State 9/14/13

Watch in 720p HD, Wide Screen

Savannah State downs Fort Valley State 27-20

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- During the final 4 minutes, 31 seconds of Savannah State University’s football game against Fort Valley State on Saturday night, the Tigers’ special teams unit blocked a punt, the offense scored a touchdown and the defense intercepted a pass in the end zone as time expired to give SSU a 27-20 home-opening victory in front of 3,220 jubilant fans at T.A. Wright Stadium.

“We’re proud to still be undefeated at home,” said first-year head coach Earnest Wilson III, whose Tigers (1-2) clawed back from a 13-0 first-half deficit to give him his first victory and give the program its first win since a 42-35 victory over Edward Waters on Oct. 20, 2012.

“I’m just very proud of these players,” Wilson continued. “I’m proud of these coaches. They did a great job trying to get these guys prepared. (Antonio) Bostick came through. Some of the guys we asked to step up, stepped up. Our goal is to teach them how to win and to have a winning season. We ain’t quitting.”

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North Carolina A&T blows past another opponent--Elon

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  -- Speed.

It's still the biggest difference maker in college football.

It's why the SEC wins every year. It's why Clemson and Oregon are probably the only two schools capable of beating SEC schools this year. It's the reason Alabama is the best team in the country.

It's also why A&T beat Appalachian State last week, why the Aggies beat Elon today and why so many people think this could be a special team this year. A&T has speed at all positions ... offense, defense and special teams.

ASU was stunned to realize the Aggies had more athletes than the Mountaineers had. Elon knew it midway through the second quarter when Demonta Brown caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from Lewis Kindle. And when Desmond Lawrence started running free in the second half and every kickoff and punt return looked to be an arm tackle from going the house, Elon knew it was in for a long night.

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Hardin: A "little" big deal

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- A&T rolls on.

Driving 80 yards into the teeth of the Elon defense, leaving the past behind and running headlong into destiny, the Aggies won for the second straight week, taking down the Phoenix 23-10 Saturday night.
 
Now shed of the Southern Conference, the 2-0 Aggies can turn their attention to what really matters.

“The MEAC,” said quarterback Lewis Kindle. “We’re looking ahead to the MEAC.”

A&T took down Appalachian State last week in Boone and backed it up with a win over a school from less than 20 miles away. Kindle said neither are rivals of the Aggies. Coach Rod Broadway backed him up. “This doesn’t feel like a rivalry,” he said.

There was some angst in the days leading up to it. Elon refused to send game film to A&T, which Broadway said was part of a previous agreement. Earlier in the week, he promised what goes around comes around.

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Lincoln Blue Tigers Defeat Grambling State, 47-34, to Win The Missouri Classic

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - The Lincoln football team built a 16-0 first quarter lead en route to a 47-34 victory over Grambling State in The Missouri Classic on Saturday (Sept. 14). Morris Henderson totaled 325 all-purpose yards and Jacob Morris threw for 280 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions as Lincoln, an NCAA Division II program, knocked off Grambling State, an NCAA Division I FCS team, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

Henderson scored two rushing touchdowns and returned a kickoff 102 yards for a score to help LU secure the win. Henderson rushed for 137 yards on 11 carries, gained 74 more yards on three receptions and finished with 114 kick-return yards in the win. Henderson helped the Blue Tigers outrush Grambling State, 320-192, with Deon Brock (67 yards), Percy Turner (50 yards, one touchdown) and Morris (43 yards and a score) also contributed on the ground.

Lincoln's defense also made its share of plays, including a forced fumble by Faleoga Russell on a sack from Justus Schulte on GSU's first drive of the game, which led to three early points for the Blue Tigers on an Andrew Fishel 40-yard field goal. Henderson later scored on a 41-yard run and Turned rushed 51 yards for a score in the closing minutes of the first period to give Lincoln the early 16-0 lead.



Grambling State answered with its first touchdown drive of the night midway through the second quarter, but Henderson immediately responded, taking the ensuing kickoff back from two-yards deep in his own end zone all the way to the house to make it a 23-7 affair. That score would hold until Lincoln's opening drive of the second half, which ended with a 44-yard rushing TD by Henderson to give LU a 30-14 lead.

GSU answered with a 72-yard touchdown drive to cut the Blue Tigers' lead back to nine, but Morris had a response of his own. Lincoln drove 79 yards in 1:11, highlighted by a 64-yard completion from Morris to Henderson capped off by a Morris 11-yard keeper.

Lincoln increased its lead to 44-21 early in the fourth quarter, as Khirey Draine hauled in a 13-yard touchdown pass put the Blue Tigers ahead by 23. Grambling State answered with a quick touchdown drive to make it 44-27, following a missed extra point, but Lincoln responded with one final scoring drive, ending with a made 30-yard field goal by Fishel. Grambling State didn't score again until there were only 10 seconds remaining in the game, resulting in Lincoln's 47-34 final score.

Draine finished with 79 receiving yards on seven receptions while Maurice Woodard caught two passes for 36 yards. Turner and Brock caught two passes each for 21 and 15 yards, respectively, while Isam Pegues picked up 15 additional yards on the ground.

Defensively, LU was led by Kendrick Causey, who had a hand in 15 tackles, while Schulte and Kerry Roby each had nine takedowns. Schulte, John McCain and John Rose each registered sacks for the Blue Tigers while the three of them, plus Garrett Carrillo and Jamell Tombah, each had tackles for loss. Brian Smith made seven tackles to go with two pass break-ups and a forced fumble and recovery while Markuice Savage and Tevin Brock each added six tackles.

Julio Segura had a good night in the kicking game, averaging 30.5 yards on four punts, three of which pinned Grambling State inside its own 20. Seguro also average 56.7 yards on nine kickoffs.

The Blue Tigers improved to 1-1 on the season with the victory while Grambling State fell to 0-3.

Lincoln will continue its season on the road next week, as the Blue Tigers will travel to Joplin, Mo. to play Missouri Southern next Saturday (Sept. 21). That game is scheduled to be televised on the MIAA TV Network and will kick off at 2:37 p.m. CT.

Box Score

By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

WSSU Rams come back strong, roll to 62-8 win

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- The Winston-Salem State Rams found a perfect remedy for what was troubling them — a game against Virginia University at Lynchburg.

WSSU steamrolled its way to a 62-8 win at Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday to regain a little of its swagger.
"We are getting there," said wide receiver Tehvyn Brantley, who had five catches for 139 yards, with three touchdown catches. "We still have some things to work on, but we are getting there. This was a first step."

The Rams, coming off a disappointing loss to UNC Pembroke in their opener, piled up 605 yards of offense, scored on four of five possessions in the first half and had little trouble against the mismatched Dragons.

Coach Connell Maynor changed things up slightly by starting Rudy Johnson, a transfer from Texas Southern, at quarterback, and Johnson completed his first seven passes as the Rams scored on their first two possessions.

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Southern flips the script in double overtime win

Southern erases a 22-point deficit as the Joseph-to-Doss combination takes over late, yielding a stunning double-overtime victory against Prairie View in the Jaguars’ home opener.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Somehow, some way, Southern found a way to win a game on a night it was in danger of getting run out of its own stadium.

The home team trailed by as many as three touchdowns, hemorrhaged more than 700 yards on defense and had trouble sustaining drives through three quarters.

The Jaguars rode memorable fourth-quarter performances by the senior tandem of quarterback Dray Joseph and receiver Lee Doss just to get in position for what could become a landmark Southwestern Athletic Conference win.

Joseph and Doss, combined with key late stops and a turnover from an up-until-then battered defense, earned the Jaguars a thrilling 62-59 double-overtime win over Prairie View at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

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Lenard Tillery’s return sparks Jaguars

BATON ROUGE  --  Southern came into Saturday’s contest searching for an identity.

The defense had been shredded in their first two games.

The offense had struggled mildly to sustain any drives.

The inability to sustain drives could be attributed to the absence of starting running back Lenard Tillery, who missed the Jaguars’ first two games because of a leg injury.

Southern’s rushing attack was able to muster up a mere 165 yards rushing and no touchdowns combined against Houston in the opener and against Northwestern State last week.

However, that all changed with the addition of Tillery.

Tillery began the game slowly, with three carries for a minus 4 yards total in the first quarter.

After all, this was Tillery’s first game as a collegian, and he was coming off an injury.  The freshman running back provided stability to the Jaguars ground game that had lacked a between-the-tackles runner to balance a highly touted passing attack.

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Central State University Invincible Marching Marauders Band Project

VIDEOGRAPHER: Romeo Reese

Johnson C. Smith Wins a 58-41 Shootout Over Bowie State in McGirt Classic

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- The Johnson C. Smith University football team were victorious 58-41 over Bowie State University on Saturday afternoon at the Irwin Belk Complex in the Eddie C. McGirt Classic. JCSU improves to 2-0 overall, while the Bulldogs drop to 1-1 after this non-conference contest.

The Golden Bulls wasted no time producing points on the scoreboard. Junior tailback LeAnder Barney (Erie, PA) capped off the first drive with an eight-yard touchdown run. JCSU scored on their first offensive series after driving 66 yards in six plays.

Bowie State countered with a 10-play, 75 yard drive to tie the game 7-7 on their initial series. Quarterback Jared Johnston had a three yard scramble to give the Bulldogs their first points. JCSU followed with an 11-play drive that resulted in a 25 yard field goal from freshman Erik Amaya (Kannapolis, NC) for a 10-7 lead. The first quarter ended with the same score.

JCSU scored three times in the second quarter, while shutting out the Bulldogs from scoring all together. Junior quarterback Keahn Wallace (Miami, FL) connected with sophomore receiver Fred Scott (Stone Mountain, GA) and junior receiver Jayson Leverette (Orangeburg, SC) for two touchdowns. First, a nine-yard pass to Scott, capping an 87-yard drive. Later, Wallace found Leverette all alone in the left corner of the end zone for a 15-yard score.

Barney scored in between those two series from 24 yards out. He had a bruising run up the middle, but the extra point was blocked. JCSU led 30-7 at halftime.

Bowie State closed the gap in the third quarter. The Bulldogs outscored JCSU 14-0 in the third to draw within nine (30-21) going into the fourth. Keith Brown effectively moved the ball at running back for BSU and scored both touchdowns in the third. The Golden Bulls missed a 48-yard field goal just before the start of the fourth.

BSU made good on their offensive possession to start the final quarter. Johnston completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Nyme Manns to cut the JCSU lead down to 30-28. Wallace threw an interception on the next possession to Delante White with 9:30 on the clock. Senior defensive end Chris Randolph (Gainesville, GA) recovered a fumble by Johnston and returned it 37 yards down to the BSU nine yard line.

JCSU capitalized with Wallace crossing the goal line after two rush attempts. The Bulldogs trailed 37-28 going into their next drive. After 10 plays and driving down to the JCSU red zone, Johnston threw an interception to senior defensive back Damion Miles (Beaufort, SC) at the 16 yard line. Miles returned the pick 84 yards for the score.

Despite facing a 44-28 fourth quarter deficit, the Bulldogs did not wave the white flag. BSU scored off a one-yard run from Brown; sparked by a 55-yard completion from Johnston to Jamal Chappell. Wallace quickly responded on the next drive with a 51-yard touchdown completion to Scott.

Both teams managed to produce one final touchdown before the conclusion. Johnston went to Manns again for an eight-yard touchdown reception. The Bulldogs were down 51-41 with 1:35 remaining and two timeouts. Wallace put the nail in the coffin with a 40-yard touchdown completion to senior tight end Jimmy Drye, Jr. (Concord, NC). The contest came to a close with a final score of 58-41 in favor of the Golden Bulls.

Wallace had a career-high 425 yards off 28-of-37 passing with four touchdowns and one interception. He also recorded 15 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground. Barney had two scores and 82 yards rushing off 14 carries. He too pulled double duty with three catches for 41 yards. Scott had a career-high 10 catches for 131 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Senior receiver Chris Patterson (Penelton, SC) also produced career-highs with seven catches for 107 yards.

Johnston led BSU with 394 yards and two touchdowns passing along with a score scrambling. Brown totaled 99 yards on the ground for the Bulldogs and got into the end zone three times. Both teams recorded over 500 yards of total offense led by Bowie State with 522 and JCSU not far behind at 519.

Despite the yardage allowed, the Golden Bulls' defense had two interceptions, a fumble recovery with a big return, and a defensive touchdown. JCSU also got to the quarterback for five sacks.
Junior linebacker Jerel Miller (Rock Hill, SC) led the team in tackles for the second week with 12 (9 solo). Junior defensive back Kerry Hartley (New Orleans, LA) had nine tackles and an interception. Junior defensive end Jovontay Williams (Stone Mountain, GA) made his presence felt with five tackles including two sacks for a loss of 25 yards.

JCSU starts their year off 2-0 for the first time since the 2006 season. The Golden Bulls will look to make it three in a row on Saturday, September 21st against Davidson College. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Irwin Belk Campus.

Box Score vs. Bowie State

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Kentucky State Secures Convincing Victory Over Rival Central State, 38-17

WILBERFORCE, Ohio – Jacquise Lockett rushed for 240 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Kentucky State University Thorobreds to a 38-17 victory over rival Central State University in their first meeting as SIAC West division foes on Saturday at McPherson Stadium.

After not scoring in the first quarter of their game against Kentucky Wesleyan last week, KSU wasted no time on Saturday afternoon. Lockett took a handoff on the first play of the game 78 yards for a touchdown to put the Thorobreds on top, 7-0, just 14 seconds into the contest.

Lockett gained his 240 rushing yards with just 15 carries in the contest which is an average of 16 yards per carry. In two games this season Lockett has racked up 352 rushing yards (176 per game), six touchdowns and is averaging 10.7 yards per carry.

Central State responded just a few minutes later when CSU quarterback Michael Wilson rushed 20-yards to the left side to even the score at 7-7. Wilson finished the game with 117 rushing yards on 19 carries. Wilson also went 16-for-33 passing for 143 yards and a touchdown.

Kentucky State won the turnover battle, forcing four Central State turnovers while giving up just one itself on a botched snap in the first quarter. Defensive back Jeremy Lewis pick off his second pass of the season when he intercepted a Michael Wilson pass with under three minutes remaining in the game.

Linebacker Terry Horton got an interception of his own on the very first play of the second half when he picked off a CSU pass and returned it 29 yards to the Central State 1-yard line. Horton also had eight tackles in the game including 1.5 for a loss. Horton's interception led to Lockett's second touchdown of the contest when he punched in the 1-yard run to put KSU ahead of the Marauders, 21-17, early in the third quarter.






After Lockett's third touchdown of the game with 11:09 left in the fourth quarter, KSU kicked off to Central State's Aaron Wade who fumbled at the 32-yard line. Senior safety Ed Dunaway recovered the fumble and returned it 32 yards for Kentucky State's fifth and final touchdown of the game.

Freshman linebacker Travon Spencer had a game high nine tackles, 1.5 for loss. Lydell Simon had five tackles and a fumble recovery for KSU that came on a fumble by CSU's Wilson in the fourth quarter.

Kentucky State transfer quarterback Adam Robinson wasn't a major factor in Saturday's game going 4-for-9 with 39 yards and being sacked once. SIAC Preseason First Team All-Conference running back Justin Williams picked up his third touchdown of the season on an 8-yard run in the second quarter but did not have the same type of production as last week finishing with just 31 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Next up for the Thorobreds is next weekend's match-up against Virginia State University in the Diamond Invitational Classic. The classic is being held in Ettrick, VA with kick-off scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

Box Score

COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

South Carolina State rolls over Alabama A&M, 32-0

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  As the clock reached zero Saturday night at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, the South Carolina State defense gathered together on the sidelines for one last cheer.

“Goose egg!” they yelled after breaking the huddle, celebrating the accomplishment of posting a shutout. In blanking visiting Alabama A&M 32-0 before 11,146 fans, the host team Bulldogs dominated an opponent in a manner they experienced the past two weeks in losing to nationally ranked Coastal Carolina and Clemson.

“It’s satisfying to get a ‘W’ in the win column, but we’re trying to go the rest of the season continuing what we did tonight,” said linebacker Joe Thomas of Blackville-Hilda, who finished with a team-high nine tackles and two sacks.

While the defense collected five turnovers and held Alabama A&M (1-2, 1-0) to 194 total yards, including -3 rushing on 31 carries, the offense amassed a season-high 406 total yards. Running back Justin Taylor rushed for two scores and quarterback Richard Cue completed 9-19 attempts for 147 yards, including his third straight game with a long touchdown pass to Tyler McDonald.



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TSU Wins Southern Heritage Classic, 26-16

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Tennessee State defense forced six turnovers as TSU knocked off Jackson State, 26-16, in the 24^th Annual Southern Heritage Classic.

Redshirt sophomore running back Telvin Hooks was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, rushing for 92 yards on 16 carries for an average of 5.8 yards per carry. Senior Tim Broughton added 95 yards rushing on 19 touches.

JSU outgained Big Blue 367 yards to 285, but TSU’s defense accounted for 198 yards via interception returns and added a score.

Tennessee State got the ball to start the game and Ronald Butler proceeded to orchestrate a ten-play, 76-yard drive that culminated in Jamin Godfrey 26-yard field goal. Butler was 2-of-4 on the series including a 27-yard completion to Ryan Mitchell and a 24-yard toss to A.C. Leonard.



Jackson State picked up a first down on its first drive, but Stephen Godbolt III intercepted Clayton Moore’s fifth pass of the game and brought it back 15 yards before fumbling. TSU’s Daniel Fitzpatrick immediately leapt on the ball, setting up the Big Blue offense on JSU’s 48.

Godbolt’s pick was his first of the season, a year removed from leading all Football Championship Subdivision with six during the 2012 campaign.

TSU was unable to capitalize off of the turnover and punted the ball back to Jackson State with 5:18 left in the first quarter.

JSU made it six plays down the field this time before Nick Thrasher forced a fumble and Anthony Bass recovered the ball in Jackson State territory.

Thrasher led the team with 12 tackles while Bass chipped in with five stops and TSU’s only two sacks of the contest.

Butler marched his Tigers down to the 18 yard line before a penalty, sack and screen pass that went for negative yardage setup a third and 32. Butler tried to pick up the first down by threading the needle to Leonard, but JSU’s Ryan Griffin easily intercepted the pass and brought it back 78 yards for a Jackson State score.

Butler finished the game 5-of-8 for 69 yards with the lone interception.

JSU held a 7-3 advantage at the end of the first quarter despite TSU outgaining the Miss. school 114-53.

Redshirt junior quarterback Michael German entered the game to start the second period, but his entrance led to no immediate points as TSU was forced to punt during its opening drive of the second quarter. Butler would not return.

JSU picked up four first downs on its next possession, but senior Andrew Taylor stepped in front of a pass for Jackson State’s third turnover of the half. Taylor returned the pick all the way to the Jackson State seven, but TSU was unable to find the end zone. Godfrey canned his second field goal of the game – this one from 23 yards out – bringing the Tigers within one of the lead, 7-6, with eight minutes to go before the break.

Five straight runs and a 26-yard passing play set up JSU at the Tennessee State six yard line, but again, the Big Blue defense forced a key turnover. This time, De’Ante Saunders intercepted the ball on the goal line and raced down the sideline. Saunders eventually lost the foot race, but he still managed to return the ball 71 yards to the JSU 29.

A defensive targeting penalty caused Jackson State’s leading tackler last season Cameron Loeffler to be ejected and put the ball on JSU’s 12-yard line. Broughton rushed up the middle for eight yards on TSU’s next play, but a personal foul penalty moved the offense back to the 16. Big Blue couldn’t overcome the setback, and settled for Godfrey’s third field goal of the half.

The senior’s kick put TSU up 9-7 heading into halftime and also moved him into fifth place on the school’s all-time career scoring list with 235 points.

German finished the half 0-for-7 passing and the TSU defense outgained its offensive teammates, 147 to 136 during the game’s first 30 minutes.

The sides traded punts to start the third quarter, but JSU completed a 54-yard bomb on the first play of its second possession of the half. Four plays later, JSU nailed a 22-yard field goal that hit off of the upright, and bounced in. The kick allowed Jackson State to re-take the lead at 10-9 with eight minutes to play in the third.

A Mitchell 18-yard reception and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on JSU gave Godfrey another chance at three points on TSU’s next series with a 29-yard attempt. Like JSU’s, Godfrey’s kick hit the upright, but the ball bounced out, squandering another red zone opportunity.

Mitchell’s two grabs for 45 yards were the most by a Tiger receiver this year.

TSU scored four times on its six red zone chances during the contest, but only one went for a touchdown. Tennessee State has had the ball in the red zone 11 times this season, but has only scored three touchdowns in those chances.

After a JSU three-and-out, TSU finally found pay dirt with a nine play, 63-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from German that put TSU in the driver’s seat, 16-10. Hooks was the workhorse on the drive, totaling five carries for 42 yards.

In his first game of the season, German completed 4-of-14 passes for 42 yards. It was his lowest yardage output since his first career game during his freshman season.

Godfrey punched in a 42-yard field goal to begin the fourth quarter, and then Daniel Fitzpatrick intercepted JSU’s very next play and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. The pick six made the score 26-10 in favor of TSU with eight minutes left to play.

Five drives and a David Van Dyke interception later, JSU found the end zone for the second time when Evan Ingram scored from one yard out. The ensuing two-point conversion failed, and TSU led, 26-16, which would wound up being the final score.

TSU’s six forced turnovers were the most for the team since 2005 when Big Blue came up with seven cough ups against Tennessee Tech on Oct. 13.

With his 14 points against JSU, Godfrey now has 239 points for his career. He is 13 points away from tying Charles Anthony for fourth on the school’s all-time scoring list.

Godfrey and the rest of the Tigers will now turn their focus to Tennessee Tech for their game on Saturday, Sept. 21 in Jackson. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU QB returns, but defense earns win over Jackson State

MEMPHIS, Tennessee  -- The first thing Mike German did after playing his first game this season was thank Tennessee State’s defense for not allowing his return to be spoiled.

The offense got its starting quarterback back after he served a two-game suspension, but it was the defense that played the biggest role in a 26-16 win over Jackson State on Saturday night.

It came before a crowd of 42,400 at the Liberty Bowl in the Southern Heritage Classic and helped TSU improve to 2-1.



TSU’s defense forced six turnovers (five interceptions, one fumble) and scored just as many touchdowns (one) as the offense.

“The defense played its butt off,” German said. “They put some muscle on the ball when we couldn’t. They kept us alive. They took balls away from their offense and gave us opportunities.”

 It was the most turnovers TSU has come up with since forcing seven in a 31-20 win over Tennessee Tech in 2005. ' German relieved starting redshirt freshman Ronald Butler, who threw an interception that was returned for a TD late in the first quarter. German completed four of 14 passes for 42 yards.

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