Fort Valley State to face #13 Washburn on Road, Thursday

WACO, Texas -- The Washburn University Ichabod football team moved up two spots to No. 13 in the latest American Football Coaches Association top 25 poll which was released Monday.  The Ichabods will step out of MIAA play to host Fort Valley State Wildcats on Thursday in Yager Stadium at 6 p.m.

Among other MIAA schools, Northwest Missouri is ranked No. 2 while Missouri Western is ranked fourth, Pittsburg State is ranked seventh and Emporia State is ranked 20th. Northwest Missouri and Pittsburg State will face off this weekend while Missouri Western will travel to face Missouri Southern and Emporia State will travel to face Lindenwood.

Under head coach Craig Schurig, the Ichabods have been ranked or have received votes in the AFCA poll 47 times.

GAME DAY
Thursday: Oct. 17, 2013, 6:00 PM CT
#13 Washburn Ichabods (6-0, 6-0 MIAA) vs. Fort Valley State Wildcats (2-4, 2-2 SIAC)
Location: Yager Stadium, Topeka, Kansas
Ticket Information
Radio: KTPK 106.9 FM | Online
Video: America One Sports
TV: None
Live Stats: Through WU
Media Stats: Through  WU
Website: www.wusports.com
Website: www.fvsusports.com
WU Football 2013 Media Guide

2013 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll – October 14, 2013

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week Two	Next Game
1.	Minnesota St.-Mankato (26)	6-0	791	2	D. Augustana (S.D.), 20-10	Oct. 19 at Southwest Minnesota St.
2.	Northwest Missouri St. (4)	6-0	767	3	D. Central Oklahoma, 72-10	Oct. 19 vs. No. 7 Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
3.	Colorado St.-Pueblo (1)	6-0	729	5	D. No. 19 Chadron St. (Neb.), 51-42	Oct. 19 vs. Colorado School of Mines
4.	Missouri Western St. (1)	6-0	708	6	D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 54-10	Oct. 19 at Missouri Southern St.
5.	Henderson St. (Ark.)	6-0	638	8	D. Southwestern Oklahoma St., 45-17	Oct. 19 vs. Arkansas Tech
6.	Bloomsburg (Pa.)	6-0	606	9	D. Millersville (Pa.), 45-7	Oct. 19 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
7.	Pittsburg St. (Kan.)	6-0	594	10	D. Central Missouri, 31-21	Oct. 19 vs. No. 2 Northwest Missouri St.
8.	West Alabama	5-1	547	14	D. No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 49-30	Oct. 19 at No. 24 Midwestern St. (Texas)
9.	Minnesota-Duluth	5-1	489	11	D. Minnesota St.-Moorhead, 69-45	Oct. 19 at Minot St. (N.D.)
10.	North Carolina-Pembroke	5-0	461	13	D. North Carolina-Charlotte, 45-22	Oct. 19 at Catawba (N.C.)
11.	Shepherd (W.Va.)	6-0	454	12	D. Virginia-Wise, 42-17	Oct. 19 vs. Notre Dame (Ohio)
12.	Valdosta St. (Ga.)	4-1	452	1	Lost to No. 14 West Alabama, 49-30	Oct. 19 at West Georgia
13.	Washburn (Kan.)	6-0	390	15	D. Lincoln (Mo.), 58-7	Oct. 19 vs. Fort Valley St. (Ga.)
14.	Tarleton St. (Texas)	5-0	341	21t	D. No. 4 West Texas A&M, 31-27	Oct. 19 at Delta St. (Miss.)
15.	West Chester (Pa.)	6-0	319	17	D. East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 34-20	Oct. 19 at Lock Haven (Pa.)
16.	Winston-Salem St. (N.C.)	5-1	313	16	D. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 44-17	Oct. 19 at St. Augustine's (N.C.)
17.	West Texas A&M	5-1	309	4	Lost to No. 21t Tarleton St. (Texas), 31-27	Oct. 19 vs. Angelo St. (Texas)
18.	Ohio Dominican	6-0	283	20	D. Ashland (Ohio), 31-19	Oct. 19 vs. Findlay (Ohio)
19.	Carson-Newman (Tenn.)	5-1	252	18	D. Shorter (Ga.), 45-28	Oct. 19 vs. Tusculum (Tenn.)
20.	Emporia St. (Kan.)	6-0	187	23	D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 63-17	Oct. 19 at Lindenwood (Mo.)
21.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	5-1	179	21t	D. McKendree (Ill.), 45-7	Oct. 19 at William Jewell (Mo.)
22.	Indiana (Pa.)	5-1	161	7	Lost to Slippery Rock (Pa.), 42-16	Oct. 19 vs. Edinboro (Pa.)
23.	Newberry (S.C.)	6-0	138	NR	D. Tusculum (Tenn.), 44-9	Oct. 19 at Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)
24.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	4-1	121	25	D. McMurry (Texas), 66-20	Oct. 19 vs. No. 8 West Alabama
25.	St. Cloud State (Minn.)	5-1	35	NR	D. Minnesota-Crookston, 55-6	Oct. 19 at Mary (N.D.)

Dropped Out: Chadron St. (Neb.) (19), Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (24)

Others Receiving Votes: New Haven (Conn.), 26; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 25; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 22; Chadron St. (Neb.), 17; Ferris St. (Mich.), 16; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 13; Tuskegee (Ala.), 8; Harding (Ark.), 3; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 2; Virginia St., 2; Colorado School of Mines, 1; Stonehill (Mass.), 1.

COURTESY WASHBURN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

BSU Basketball To Hold Picture/Media Day on October 16th

BOWIE, Maryland  -- The Bowie State University women and men's basketball teams will conduct Picture/Media Day on Wednesday, October 16th in the Leonidas S. James Complex (A.C. Jordan Arena). The defending CIAA Champion Bulldogs will be available first beginning at 3 pm. The Lady Bulldogs picture/interview session will follow at approximately 4 pm.

Coach Darrell Brooks and his Bulldogs are picked to finish atop in the CIAA Northern Division as voted by the CIAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association at the conference's Round-Up in Charlotte, N.C.

Of the individual student-athletes honored Bowie State senior Carlos Smith (Baltimore, Md.) was selected by the CIAA Coaches as a member of the Pre-Season All-CIAA Team. Smith ranked sixth on the team in scoring (7.0 ppg), third in rebounds (5.1 rpg) and first in team blocks with 37.

The Lady Bulldogs are picked to finish fourth in the CIAA Northern Division as voted by the CIAA Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Bowie State's women had no players selected to the Pre-Season All-CIAA Team.

Bowie State's men will open the season with an exhibition at Duke on November 26th and BSU's women begin the 2013-2104 campaign with an exhibition at George Mason on November 3rd.

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU Volleyball Steps Out of OVC Play to Take on Memphis

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  –  After splitting this past weekend’s OVC contests, Tennessee State looks to rebound against intrastate rival Memphis.

Tuesday’s match will mark the final out of conference match for both Tennessee State and Memphis. First serve for tomorrow’s contest is slated for 6 p.m. at the Elma Roane Field House on the campus of the University of Memphis

Over the weekend the Tigers knocked off Tennessee Tech on the road Friday, 3-0, but then fell to Jacksonville State, 3-0, the next night.

The offensive effort was dynamic to open the weekend against the upstart Golden Eagles. As a team the Tigers posted their second highest hitting percentage (.230) in the win, with junior outside hitter Naomi Wells leading the way with 13 kills and a .346 hitting percentage.

Junior Sherryce Butler joined in the action Friday night recording 10 kills in the matchup with Tennessee Tech.

The next day the Tigers traveled down to Jacksonville State to take on the Gamecocks. Against JSU Wells continued her hot streak to pace TSU with 17 kills. She chipped in 14 digs to record her sixth double-double.

Senior setter Erika Moss joined Wells with a double-double of her own; recording team highs in both assists (39) and digs (20). Her twenty digs marked a career high for the senior from Fort Wayne, Ind. tying her previous high from her freshman year in 2010 against Southeast Missouri.

Tennessee State’s effort wasn’t enough as the Gamecocks took the match, 3-0.

Moss has placed her mark on the TSU record book, sitting atop the career assists list she is beginning to break into other categories as well. Over the weekend the setter moved into a tenth place tie for block assists with 117 and moved into ninth in career service aces with 78.

The senior is also closing in on 4,000 career assists with 3,903 up to this point in her career.

Tuesday, the Tigers travel down to Memphis to take on American Conference foe Memphis, who come into the match with a 9-9 record. Memphis is riding a three game losing streak that has dropped their record to 1-4 in conference play.

Memphis is led by sophomore setter Veronica Zimmerman who has 710 assists on the year good for an average of 10.76 assists per set. Zimmerman has a three headed offensive attack to dish to with three averaging around three kills per set, (Catlin Lilly (3.32), Viktorjia Teivane (2.87), and Lauren Hawkins (2.80)).

Last season Memphis traveled to Tennessee State with the TSU Tigers taking the match in thrilling fashion coming back from down, 0-2. Wells led the way for Tennessee State with 18 kills as the home team hit .438 in the final stanza to cap the rally.

After Tuesday’s contest the Tennessee State Tigers will return home for its longest home stand of the year (four games), beginning this weekend. The Tigers will play host to UT Martin and Southeast Missouri on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Road to the Honda 2014: Alcorn State University

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Experience the energy and intensity of preparing for the most celebrated marching band event, Honda Battle of the Bands, with Alcorn State University!

The Road to the Honda video series takes a behind-the-scenes look at the 8 bands that participated in the 2013 Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase.

For more information, visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com.



On January 26, 2013, the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite participated in the prestigious Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase at the Georgia Dome.

SWAC Football Players of the Week - October 14

COURTESY SWAC.org

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced its SWAC Football Players of the Week with Malcolm Cyrus (Alabama State), Jerry Lovelocke (Prairie View A&M), Leland Baker (Alabama State), Quinteris Toppings (Alabama State) and Haiden McCraney (Alcorn State) receiving the honor for October 14.

After their face-off this past weekend, Cyrus and Lovelocke share offensive honors. Baker lands the defensive award with teammate Toppings garnering newcomer of the week. McCraney was tabbed the league's top specialist.  

---

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Malcolm Cyrus

Alabama State

Running Back

RB • Jr. • 5-9 • 180 • Autaugaville, Ala.

Cyrus tallied career highs and scored the game winning touchdown in overtime to help Alabama State pick up a 48-42 win over Prairie View A&M. He rushed for 241 yards on 24 carries to post a 10.0 average and two touchdowns.

His longest run was an 80-yard scamper that gave ASU a 28-21 lead in the third quarter. He combined for 301 total yards with four receptions for 60 yards. His career highs included: carries, rushing and total yards, longest touchdown run. Cyrus chipped in 47 percent of the total offense including 70 percent of the ground game.

Jerry Lovelocke

Prairie View A&M

QB • Jr. • 6-5 • 200 • Baltimore, Md.

Despite Prairie View A&M's 48-42 overtime loss to ALabama State, Lovelocke passed for a career-high 533 yards and four touchdowns on 42-of-62 pass attempts. He connected with seven receivers, accounted for 78 percent of the offense and orchestrated a 17-play 95-yard drive in the closing minutes to even the score, sending the game into overtime.

---

Defensive Player of the Week
Leland Baker

Alabama State

LB • Sr. • 6-0 • 225 • Birmingham, Ala.

Baker registered a game and career high of 17 tackles in Alabama State's 48-42 overtime victory against Prairie View A&M. His contribution consisted of eight solo tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks. His tackles for a loss and sacks were also game highs. Baker led a defense that kept PVAMU from scoring in the final frame en route to ASU's fifth consecutive win. Baker also becomes the fifth different ASU defender to earn the award during the last six weeks.

 

---

Newcomer of the Week

Quinterius Toppings

Alabama State

QB • Fr. • 6-1 • 220 • Eight Mile, Ala.

In Alabaam State's 48-42 overtime win over Prairie View A&M, Toppings, the number three quarterback on the roster, stepped in after back-up quarterback Arsenio Favor suffered an injury that kept him sidelined for the remainder of the game.

In his first collegiate appearance, Toppings tossed 11-of-18 for 157 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He connected a 24-yard pass to boost ASU to a 21-7 lead in the second quarter.

 

---

Specialist of the Week
Haiden McCraney

Alcorn State

K / P • Fr. • 6-1 • 175 • Jackson, Miss.

McCraney went 6-for-6 in PAT attempts and nailed two field goals from 23 and 27 yards in the Braves 48-0 win over Grambling State in the 30th Annual Circle City Classic. McCraney averaged 62.1 yards per kickoff and two touchbacks.  He also punted five times for an average of 38.0 yards per punt with his longest of 50 yards and placed three inside the 20.

 

COURTESY SWAC.org

This Week in ASU Athletics

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State University athletic department will have a relatively light week this week with all of the fall programs being on the road.

The women's bowling team will be down in New Orleans to play in the Tulane Invitational which begins on Thursday and runs through Saturday.

The soccer team will play at Grambling State Friday and at Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday.

The volleyball team has a big SWAC match up at Alabama A&M Friday evening and will travel to Savannah, Ga., to face Savannah State Sunday afternoon.

The men's and women's cross country teams will travel to Tuscaloosa on Friday to run in the Crimson Classic.

ASU's tennis teams will travel to Lawrenceville, Ga., to play in the Grizzly Open hosted by Georgia Gwinnett College. The fall tournament will run Friday-Sunday.

The ASU football team has the week off before playing Alabama A&M in the 72^nd State Farm Magic City Classic the following week.




Thursday, Oct. 17
Bowling: at Tulane Invitational; New Orleans, La.; All Day

Friday, Oct. 18
Soccer: at Grambling State; Grambling, La.; 4 p.m.
Volleyball: at Alabama A&M; Normal, Ala.; 7 p.m.
M/W Cross Country: at Crimson Classic; Tuscaloosa, Ala.; All Day
Bowling: at Tulane Invitational; New Orleans, La.; All Day
M/W Tennis: Grizzly Open; Lawrenceville, Ga.; All Day

Saturday, Oct. 19
Bowling: at Tulane Invitational; New Orleans, La.; All Day
M/W Tennis: Grizzly Open; Lawrenceville, Ga.; All Day

Sunday, Oct. 20
Volleyball: at Savannah State; Savannah, Ga.; Noon
Soccer: at Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Pine Bluff, Ark.; 1 p.m.
M/W Tennis: Grizzly Open; Lawrenceville, Ga.; All Day

On the Horizon:
Friday, Oct. 25
Soccer: at Alabama A&M; Normal, Ala.; 1 p.m.
Volleyball: at Prairie View; Prairie View, Texas; 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 26
Football: vs. Alabama A&M; 72nd State Farm Magic City Classic; Birmingham, Ala.; 2:30 p.m.
Volleyball: at Texas Southern; Houston, Texas; 7 p.m.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Battle of the Bands: Mississippi Valley vs. JSU Sonic Boom

WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Jackson State now targeted in SWAC

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Mississippi Valley State fans donned customized green shirts saying, “Beat Jackson State.”

Jackson State didn’t get a warm welcoming at Itta Bena this past weekend in Rice-Totten Stadium. The reason might have been because of the in-state rivalry or that JSU has dominated the series for nearly a decade and MVSU thought this year would be different.

Or it could’ve been that the Tigers entered Saturday’s game without a single loss in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and the Delta Devils wanted to be the team that changed that.

For whatever reason, JSU’s unblemished record draws a target on its back and gives SWAC opponents extra motivation to beat Jackson State (5-2, 5-0 SWAC).

The Tigers were the top team in the Eastern Division, but they didn’t cruise to victory against the Delta Devils, who entered Saturday’s game 1-4, 1-2 and at the bottom of the division. Jackson State finally pulled away in the fourth quarter for the win 26-17. It was the third straight game the Tigers won because of final-quarter plays.



CONTINUE READING

In the FCS Huddle: OVC, MEAC Trust Change Is In the Air

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (SportsNetwork.com) -- Is this finally the year? That's what teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Ohio Valley Conference have been asking themselves for too long.

 

They're hoping the first half of the season suggests the FCS playoffs will be different - for whomever comes out of their respective conference.

 

But they might have an idea already the way OVC front-runners Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State and MEAC leaders Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State are playing this season. All four could be postseason-bound.

 

Both conferences are steeped in tradition, but, incredibly, a MEAC team has not won an FCS playoff game since 1999 and the OVC has been shut out since 2000.

 

UT Martin coach Jason Simpson said at OVC media day that the lack of playoff success is the "thorn in our (the conference's) side right now." South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough says success in the playoffs "is at a real, real high level. Until as a (MEAC) league we all get there, I don't know if any individual can rise above it enough to hang in the league with the CAA and with the Southern Conference and those kinds of leagues."

 

Coaches in both conferences point to ...

 

CONTINUE READING

WSSU Running-back duo is double trouble

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- The tailback position for Winston-Salem State has turned into a two-headed monster of Maurice Lewis and Patrick Mputu that has left opponents plenty scared.

"It’s not a problem for me," Coach Connell Maynor of the Rams said about having two quality running backs. "It’s a problem for our opponents."

Lewis, a junior, and Mputu, a senior, were on full display in Saturday’s 44-17 win over Johnson C. Smith at Bowman Gray Stadium. With the Golden Bulls focusing on taking away the Rams’ vertical passing game, Lewis and Mputu took turns grinding out the yards in yet another lopsided CIAA victory.

"The running backs had a little rough start to the season but now that we are getting our rhythm back, we are starting to move the ball," said Lewis, who had 113 yards rushing on Saturday and needs just 37 yards to reach 2,000 for his career. "We are showing people that we can pass and run the ball."



CONTINUE READING

TSU's Fitzpatrick Named OVC Defensive Player of the Week

Daniel Fitzpatrick #46
(COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS)

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  –-  On Sunday, the Ohio Valley Conference named Tennessee State safety Daniel Fitzpatrick its Defensive Player of the Week.

 

Fitzpatrick keyed the Tennessee State defense and the Tigers went on the road and topped No. 24 Jacksonville State 31-15. It marked only the second-ever victory for the team over JSU.

 

Fitzpatrick had a team-best eight tackles (seven solo) and made a pivotal interception in the fourth quarter as the Tigers won their sixth straight game to improve to 6-1 on the season.

 

Two plays after TSU had taken a 24-15 lead, Fitzpatrick intercepted Kyle West and returned the ball to the JSU 32-yard line; five plays later the Tigers scored another touchdown to put the game out of reach.

 

Overall the Tennessee State defense limited Jacksonville State to a season-low 292 yards, including just 21 rushing yards on 34 attempts (JSU had entered the game as the No. 1 rushing offense in the OVC).

 

Fitzpatrick is second on the team with 36 total tackles (28 solo) and is tied with David Van Dyke with four interceptions. 

WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Virginia Union Panthers Run Over Lincoln 28-21

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania  -- Virginia Union University's offensive line, led by Joshua Stalls, opened up holes as the Panthers amassed 359 rushing yards in their 28-21 win over Lincoln University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, October 12, in Lincoln University, Pa.

VUU's Eric Shaw led the Panther ground game by collecting 116 yards on 22 carries.  Quarterback Shawheem Dowdy helped his own cause by rushing for 83 yards on nine carries.

All of Virginia Union touchdowns came on the ground.  Dowdy rushed for one score while Damon Kelly rushed for another.  VUU's Terrence Malone rushed for a TD and was joined by quarterback Kenneth Graham for another score.

The 62 total rushing attempts were the most by a VUU team since the Panthers carried the ball 65 times against Virginia State University in 2009. (The record for most carries in a single game is 72, set against Elizabeth City State University in 1983.)

VUU's Troy Krepich continued his hot streak.  He had two punts for 81 yards and went 4-for-4 in extra points.  Krepich is now 13-for-13 in extra point attempts.

VUU's Jabari Neeley and Willie Bailey both picked off Lincoln passes in the game.

Overall, the Panther defense allowed just 40 yards rushing.

Union got on the board first when Kelly took it in from one yard out with 1:42 left in the first quarter.  Dowdy made the score 14-0 when he bulled his way in from one yard out with 7:10 left in the half.

Although VUU and Lincoln were tied 14-14 at halftime, Malone broke the tie when he rushed in from four yards out with 4:36 left in the third quarter.  Graham scored the eventual winning touchdown when he scampered in from six yards out with 12:11 left in the game.

VUU is now 2-4 overall and 2-1 in CIAA play.  Lincoln falls to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the CIAA.

Virginia Union now returns to Historic Hovey Field for Homecoming 2013 when the Panthers meet Chowan University at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, in Richmond.

COURTESY VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Darnell Evans Powers Shaw Past Fayetteville State 44-34

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  -- With the final seconds ticking off the clock, Shaw University's Darnell Evans strode down the sideline, slapping hands with each of his teammates, tears in his eyes.  Seconds before, Evans had picked off his third pass of the afternoon and returned it for a touchdown to cement a Shaw comeback, giving the Bears a 44-34 win over Fayetteville State Saturday at Jeralds Stadium on the FSU campus.

 

Decked out in pink tape and wristbands in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Evans explained his emotion.  "October's always a big month for me.  My aunt passed away from breast cancer, so this month really means a lot to me."

 

He continued, "And I shook my team's hands - I love every single one of my teammates.  They come to work every day - it's hot, it's raining.  I just wanted to congratulate them because we did it as a team.  Even though big players made big plays, that's football.  We did it as a team."

 

The Bears, who improve to 3-3 on the season and pick up their first win - against two losses - in the CIAA, trailed 31-12 with 11:37 left in the third quarter, but outscored the Broncos 32-3 to close out the game - propelled in large part by Evans' play.

 

Without taking a snap on the offensive side of the ball, Evans amassed 293 total yards on kickoff, punt and interception returns.  The Bears had 183 yards rushing and 167 through the air.   In addition, Evans had six pass break ups.

 

After allowing the Bronco touchdown that gave FSU the 31-12 lead, the Bear defense shut down FSU, allowing them only two long drives -- one which resulted in a field goal, and one that closed out the game without a score.

 

"The defense is a second half team," said Evans.  "Every time we get in that second half, we know it's over with.  We get in the lock down - nothing's going down.  I definitely felt the comeback coming.  The offense moved the ball a little bit and that's all we needed them to do.  And then we get our stops and that's it."

 

The offense did move the ball, although Evans' play often meant the Bears had a short field in front of them.  Shaw had one drive of 50 yards in those last 26 minutes of game time - the rest were 42 yards or shorter.

 

"We've been in games in the second half and haven't had much offense," said Shaw head coach Robert Massey.  "That was our goal - to be a lot more effective offensively.  We wanted to stay away from the stupid penalties.  We had a few, but in the end of the day we did what we needed to do."

 

Shaw fell behind early, trailing 17-0 with less than three minutes gone in the second quarter after Jemeryn Jenkins hit Kasunn Williams for a 76-yard touchdown pass.

 

Shaw responded with a long drive - a drive extended by a critical FSU roughing the passer penalty - that finished with a nine-yard strike from Quinshon Odom to David Jordan for the touchdown.  The extra point sailed wide right to make the score 17-6 with 5:31 left in the half.

 

On the ensuing kickoff, the Broncos fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Shaw's Paul Maple, giving Shaw a short field at the FSU 35.  The Bears covered 25 of those yards before the drive stalled and George Mulumba hit a field goal to trim the FSU lead to 17-9.

 

Jenkins then drove his team down the field, culminating with a 44-yard completion to Williams for a 24-9 lead with 1:21 left in the half.

 

Shaw started running a fast-paced offense - which they employed through much of the second half as well - with Odom making two critical completions to Kowaski Kitchens of 18 and 17 yards to advance Shaw to the Bronco 13.  Mulumba hit the field goal as time expired to send the teams to the locker room with Fayetteville State leading 24-12.

 

After a Shaw three-and-out to open the second half, Fayetteville State mounted a long drive largely on the back of a roughing the punter penalty.  On the next play, Jenkins hit Antonio Allen for 42 yards, leaving only four to the goal line, which Marquavius Alston covered in a rush to give FSU the 31-12 lead.

 

After a 47-yard kickoff return by Evans on the ensuing kick, Shaw started at midfield and Odom and Marquise Grizzle combined to move the Bears to the goal line, with Grizzle powering over the line for a one-yard touchdown run.  The PAT was missed, leaving the Bears trailing 31-18.

 

On the third play of the next FSU drive, Jenkins put up a ball that Evans pulled down and returned for 18 yards, giving Shaw another short field.  Marquise Grizzle then carried the ball five times in the drive for a total of 42 yards, but it was Odom who covered the last yard into the end zone to trim the FSU lead to 31-25.

 

The Bear defense drove Fayetteville State backwards on the Broncos' next possession, then Shaw's Evan Strange blocked the punt, driving it through the end zone for a safety, narrowing the margin even further as the score now stood at 31-27 Fayetteville State.

 

On the ensuing free kick, Evans found a seam and broke open a 66-yard return, ending at the FSU nine-yard line.  The Shaw offense stalled, but Andres Magallon came in and knocked the field goal through, trimming the FSU lead to one at 31-30 with 23 seconds left in the third quarter.

 

On the second play in the next drive, Jenkins again found Evans.  The Shaw DB returned it to the FSU four-yard line as the clock hit zero on the third quarter.

 

As the fourth quarter opened and with Shaw near the goal line, the Shaw kicking game again failed as Magallon sent the field goal attempt wide, leaving the score at 31-30 in favor of the Broncos.

 

The Broncos then responded with their longest drive of the game, covering 62 yards in 14 plays.  But as Fayetteville State approached the Shaw goal line, the Bear defense stiffened and FSU was forced to take the Antonio Mayo field goal to extend their lead to 34-30.

 

Before the momentum could swing fully back to FSU, though, Evans had something more to say.  His 68-yard return of the ensuing kickoff put the Bears deep in Bronco territory.  Grizzle and Odom rushed their way through the 22 yards with Odom hitting a nine-yard run into the end zone to give Shaw their first lead of the game:  37-34.

 

The Shaw defense forced FSU to a three-and-out on their next possession,  but the Shaw offense fizzled after 20 yards and punted back to Fayetteville.

 

On the third play of the FSU drive, Evans again read the route and picked off a Derek Bryant pass, this time returning it 27 yards for a touchdown.

 

"It was a blatant pass play," said Evans.  "The defensive line pinned their ears back.  They did a great job getting that pressure.  It just makes it a field day for us DBs.  I saw the quarterback open up and read his eyes - I'm not supposed to, I'm supposed to be on man, but I just made the play."

 

The TD gave the Bears a 44-34 lead with 1:01 left in the game.

 

Perhaps still celebrating the touchdown, the Shaw defense relaxed enough to allow the Broncos a 61-yard drive, but they did not allow a critical strike for a score as time ran out, giving Shaw the 44-34 win.

 

Grizzle finished the game with 134 yards on 28 carries.  Odom finished 20 for 42 for 167 yards with three interceptions.  Kitchens was the leading receiver with six receptions for 66 yards.

 

On defense, Darius Moffett had seven solo tackles, including two tackles for a loss.  Keith Lomon had six solo tackles.  Evans finished with one solo tackle, six pass breakups, three interceptions, and 293 all-purpose yards.  The three interceptions give him seven on the season.

 

For Fayetteville State, Jenkins finished with 303 yards on a 14 for 36 performance.  He had two touchdowns.  Colon B ailey and Jenkins were the leading rushers with 37 and 35 yards, respectively.  Williams finished with three receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Defensively, the Broncos were led by Marquel Gathers with ten tackles - eight of them solo shots and four tackles for a loss.  Rueben Ortega finished with seven solo hits.

 

Now that the Bears have collected their first conference win, Massey says they have to keep on the winning track going forward.

 

" We're treating every game like a playoff situation," he said.  "Homecoming's next week and it's imperative we win that to stay alive."

 

The Bears' homecoming game is Saturday, October 19 when they host Livingstone.  Kickoff is 2:00 p.m. at Durham County Memorial Stadium.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Stillman defeats Benedict 35-21 in homecoming win

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama  – Looking to both get a game back in the conference standings and rebound from last week's disappointing loss, the Stillman Tigers defeated the visiting Benedict Tigers 35-21 at Stillman Stadium as the College celebrated Homecoming 2013:  Excellence and Beyond.

In a game the featured two of the top offenses on the SIAC, Stillman boasted an offensive total of 445 total yards (144 rushing, 301 passing) while Benedict tallied 340 yards (65 rushing, 275 passing) in the contest.

After both teams struggled on their opening possessions, Stillman was about to score first when junior Jovontae Thurman ran from four yards out with 50 seconds remaining on the first quarter clock.  Benedict got on the scoreboard when Eduard Hernandez nailed a 42-yard field goal, making the score 7-3.

COURTESY STILLMAN COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Stillman would answer when freshman running back Rovonta Johnson - returning from an ankle injury - scampered 42 yards to make the score 14-3.  Less than three minutes later, a bad snap by the Stillman offense found its way into the hands of Benedict linebacker Martin Epps who ran 45 yards to the end zone.  With the PAT, Stillman led 14-10.

With 1:34 remaining in the half, Stillman quarterback Torrance Moise found Joshua Jackson for an 18-yard strike, extending the Stillman lead to 21-10 at intermission.

When both teams returned from the locker rooms at halftime, junior kick returner/receiver Dondre Purnell took the kickoff 97 yards for a score, making the score 28-10 in favor of Stillman.

After Benedict earned three points on a 23 yard Hernandez field goal, Stillman's Johnson would score his second touchdown of the day, this one from one yard out.  After the Yonwaba Pupuma PAT, Stillman led 35-13.  Benedict would add a late touchdown, but would not get any closer than the 14-point margin.

For Benedict (2-4, 1-3 SIAC), Marcus Graham finished completing 13-of-33 pass attempts for 186 yards while bing sacked four times.  Harlon Samuels caught five passes for 90 yards in the game.  Lorenza Cooper finished with 16 carries for 71 yards.    Brandon Beech led Benedict with 10 tackles

For Stillman (4-2, 3-1 SIAC), Moise finished with 263 yards on 19-of-27 passing while carrying the ball 14 times for 18 yards.  Reese Sturgis caught three passes for 111 yards while Charles Payne caught four passes for 70 yards.  Johnson finished with 11 carries for 58 yards while Thurmon had five carries for 54 yards.  Defensively, Cameron Stallings and Robert Crosby each had nine tackles while Greg Abrams and Peter Dele had six stops.

Stillman will take to the road next week for a rivalry contest against Tuskegee University on Saturday, October 19 at 1 p.m.

Box Score

COURTESY STILLMAN COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

KSU's Eric Rawls Interception Secures, 17-11, Victory Over FVSU

FRANKFORT, Kentucky  -- Sophomore defensive back Eric Rawls intercepted his third pass of the game with just 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter to secure a 17-11 victory for the Kentucky State University Thorobreds over the Fort Valley State University Wildcats in a conference football game on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

With just 27 seconds left in Saturday's contest Fort Valley State (2-4, 2-2 SIAC) took over at its own 12-yard line looking to make one final push. On their first play of the drive Fort Valley quarterback Eugene Smith threw a desperation pass down the right side of the field only to have Rawls adjust to the ball and secure the victory for Kentucky State (4-2, 2-1 SIAC) with an interception.

A game changing defensive play was a fitting end to a game that saw the two defenses control the pace of play thoroughout. Both of the defensive units held the opposing offense to less than 200 total yards. Neither offense was allowed to settle into their game plan with the defenses combining for six sacks, five interceptions and 11 quarterback hurries.

Junior linebacker Terry Horton had a game high 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Horton was all over the field collecting five solo and seven assisted tackles as well as 2.0 tackles for a loss of 17 yards.

Horton's biggest impact play of the game came with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Smith dropped back for FVSU on fourth and four. Horton came on a blitz right up the middle and sacked Smith for a loss of 13 yards. That play gave the Thorobreds the ball back with just over two minutes left and allowed them to run the clock down to under 30 seconds.

SIAC leading rusher Justin Lockett was limited by the FVSU defense on Saturday. Lockett finished the game with 78 rushing yards but was continually meet in the backfield by Wildcat defenders. Running backs on both sides were limited with no rusher averaging more than 3.6 yards per carry.

KSU junior quarterback Adam Robinson and junior receiver Clayton Patton Jr. hooked up for the games only offensive touchdown in the game. On the Thorobreds first play from scrimmage Robinson connected on a beautiful pass to Patton who out ran the entire FVSU defense for a 62 yard touchdown with 13:49 left in the first quarter.

Robinson finished the game with 126 passing yards on 6-of-17 pass attempts and one touchdown. Robinson was also picked off twice by FVSU defensive back Thomas Wolfe and sophomore Alex Springs saw some action at the end of Saturday's game.

A major part of the two teams struggle to execute their game plans was the fact that each team picked up 125 yards of penalties each over the course of the game.

At the end of the day, Kentucky State was able to make the impact plays when they really needed them.

After three games in a row at home the Thorobreds will hit the road for a conference match-up against Miles College next Saturday, October 19. That game will be Miles homecoming game and will be televised on Bounce TV.

COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Miles Golden Bears Fall on the road to Central State, 25-21

WILBERFORCE, Ohio -- The Golden Bears went on the road and fell to the Marauders of Central State University, 25-21.

MC falls to (2-3, 2-1 SIAC) while Central State picked up there first SIAC win and improves to
(1-5, 1-2 SIAC).

It didn't take long for Central State to get on the board as Tyrez Shipmon picked up a Golden Bear fumble and returned it 28 yards giving CSU the 7-0 first quarter lead.

MC starting quarterback, Demetrice Price, led the Golden Bears on a seven play, 76-yard drive, capped by his three yard plunge tying the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter. Miles would take the lead on a 57-yard touchdown interception return by cornerback Alexander Francois making the score 14-7.

Just before halftime the Marauders would cut the lead to 14-13 as Priest Shuler ran it in from 11-yards out but the point after attempt was blocked.

Central State would take the lead early in the third quarter when quarterback Michael Wilson found Steven Heard on a 15-yard TD pass giving CSU the 19-14 lead. Wilson would help the Marauders add to the lead on a three yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown extending the lead to 25-14.

The Golden Bears attempted to rally in the final quarter adding a touchdown run by, Denzel Veal, cutting the score to 25-21, but it proved to be a little too late as CSU held on for their first SIAC victory.

Miles College returns to the friendly confines of Albert J. Sloan – Alumni Stadium for Homecoming 2013 next Saturday, October 19^th to take on the Thorobreds of Kentucky State University. The contest has been designated as the SIAC Game of the Week and will air to a national TV audience on Bounce-TV. Kick-off is set for 4:00 p.m.  

COURTESY MILES COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION 

Comeback Falls Short for UAPB in Loss to Texas Southern

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  -- Texas Southern quarterback Homer Causey accounted for over 300 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a 41-28 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday at Golden Tiger Stadium. The Tigers improved to 1-5 and 1-4 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with their first win of the season. Meanwhile, defending SWAC champion UAPB is still seeking their first win of the season, falling to 0-6 and 0-4.

Causey rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and passed for another 138 and a pair of scores in the air. He had a 67-yard touchdown run and a 49-yard touchdown pass in the game.
In addition to Causey, running back Daveonn Porter rushed for 156 yards and a 56-yard touchdown scamper to put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter.

As a team, TSU had 355 yards on the ground. They entered the game with less than 600 for their first five games.

UAPB had over 500 yards of total offense, 316 yards on the arm of quarterback Ben Anderson. Anderson through for a touchdown and ran for three more. He finished the game with 86 yards rushing.

Texas Southern took and early lead, surprising UAPB with a 36-yard fieldgoal by Eric Medina and a 12-yard TD strike from Causey to Edward Perkins-Loving. With 7:03 left, TSU had a 10-0 lead.

TSU trimmed the lead with a 9-yard touchdown run by Anderson, but the Tigers answered with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Causey to Malik Cross. The Causey to Cross connection gave TSU a 17-7 lead with 1:35 left in the first quarter.

TSU increased their lead in the second quarter when Causey scored on a 12-yard run. The touchdown put TSU up 24-7 with 4:03 to go in the half. UAPB drove down and scored just before the half to cut the TSU lead to 24-14 at halftime. Anderson capped the 7-play, 55-yard drive with his second touchdown of the game from 4-yards out.

On the first drive of the second half, Causey raced right down the middle of the UAPB defense for his 67-yard touchdown run, giving TSU a 31-14 cushion.

After going scoreless in the third quarter, the Golden Lions got back on the board in the fourth. Anderson scored for the third time, plowing in from a yard out to make it 31-21 with 13:14 left in the game.

A 44-yard Medina fieldgoal gave TSU 34-21 lead, but UAPB got another touchdown on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to Cody Swain. With 4:41 left, the Golden Lions were within a touchdown at 34-28. But, on the next TSU possession, Porter raced 56 yards on a 2nd-and-5 to pay dirt with 2:44 left to ice the game.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION

Chowan Second Half Surge Spoils Bowie State Homecoming

BOWIE, Maryland -- The Chowan University football team picked up a critical CIAA Northern Division victory over Bowie State University on Saturday afternoon in a 31-21 decision. The Hawks improve to 3-3 on the season and 2-1 in CIAA play while the Bulldogs fall to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the league.

DaSean Martin led the Hawks' offense with 22 carries for 102 yards. Martin scored three of the Hawks' four touchdowns in the win, one receiving and two rushing. Robert Holland had a banner day as well with seven receptions for 100 yards on the afternoon and one touchdown. Dain McFarland completed 11-24 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Jason Ampy led all players in the game with nine tackles (four solo and five assisted).

Keith Brown led the effort for the Bulldogs with 21 carries for 101 yards while Nyme Manns caught seven passes for 159 yards and one touchdown. Jared Johnston was 17-28 in pass completions totaling 247 yards passing.

Bowie State scored 14 unanswered points in the first quarter to take an early lead in the contest. Kendall Jackson capped a six play 65 yard drive with a one yard touchdown run for the first score, and notched a second touchdown rush with 2:32 remaining in the first quarter to lead the effort.

The Hawks responded with a score of their own midway through the second quarter as Martin's two yard rush topped an 11 play, 65 yard drive. Alex Noboa's point after attempt was good, making the score to 14-7. Martin rushed for his second touchdown of the contest in the third quarter with 2:52 on the clock to put the Hawks within reach of the Bulldogs, but Noboa's point after attempt was blocked resulting in Bowie State maintaining a narrow 14-13 lead.

Jared Johnston connected with Nyme Manns on a 57 yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds left in the third quarter to shift the momentum back to Bowie State. Mario Diaz-Aviles' point after was good, extending the Bulldogs' lead to 21-13.

Down but not out, the Hawks regrouped to score 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. McFarland's three yard pass to Holland with 11:08 on the clock followed by a successful two-point conversion with the McFarland-Holland duo knotted the score 21-21. The Hawks forced the Bulldogs to punt on their next drive. Chowan used Anthony Clanton's 59 yard run and McFarland's 18 yard touchdown pass to Martin to take a 27-21 lead. Noboa's point after attempt was good, giving the Hawks a 28-21 advantage.

Devahn Murphy picked off Johnston's pass on the next drive, giving the ball back to Chowan. The Hawks then used Noboa's 32 yard field goal with 2:01 left in the contest to secure the 31-21 win.

The Hawks will conclude their three-game road stand next weekend when they travel to Virginia Union next Saturday. The CIAA Northern Division contest is slated for a 1:00pm kick-off.

COURTESY CHOWAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Lane Dragons score game-winning TD with 33 seconds left

JACKSON, Tennessee  -- Derrick Burroughs had seen this before. Plenty of Lane fans have seen it, too.

Up 13 points with eight minutes left, the Dragons gave up two straight touchdowns Saturday to Albany State and trailed by a point with less than four minutes left. Had Lane ruined its chance?

Not Saturday. Chris Rini threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Bradley Landrum with 33 seconds left, and Lane beat Albany State 37-31 Saturday in Jackson.

It was Lane’s second victory ever against Albany State. The first was two years ago in Jackson.

Michael Ruffin’s interception in the closing seconds sealed it for Lane (4-2, 2-1 SIAC).

The Dragons beat Stillman last week by a point. Burroughs’ early Lane teams always seemed to lose such tight, back-and-forth games. This one, so far, seems to win them.

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Jackson State pulls away late for win over Mississippi Valley State

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  —  Jackson State pulled out its fifth straight conference win.

But it was ugly.

A blocked punt shifted momentum JSU’s way Saturday, and the Tigers scored the game’s last nine points, all in the fourth quarter, to survive in-state foe Mississippi Valley State 26-17 at Rice-Totten Stadium.

It’s the first time JSU (5-2, 5-0 SWAC) has started 5-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play since 1995, the last year the Tigers went undefeated in league play.

MVSU (1-5, 1-3) entered the game coming off its first win of the season, something JSU coach Rick Comegy knew would cause problems for his team.



“(Our team) really endured a lot coming in here because we knew the psyche of (MVSU) coming in,” Comegy said. “(We knew) that they were mentally prepared, and we knew we had to fight that coming in because of their big win against Alabama A&M.”

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Lengthy fourth-quarter drive secures win for DSU Hornets

DOVER, Delaware  -- The Delaware State football team gained just 155 yards and committed three turnovers through three quarters Saturday. But when the Hornets got ball at their 39-yard line with 14:07 left, a victory against Norfolk State was still in their grasp.

The Hornets secured it on an 18-play, 61-yard drive, ending with a Cory Murphy 1-yard touchdown run, helping Delaware State eke out a 14-7 homecoming victory over the Spartans on Saturday.

“We converted something like three third-and-longs. I was in the mindset of ‘No matter what, I’m going to buy some time,’ ” Murphy said of the Hornets’ final drive. “If it’s not there, I had to make something happen.”

Murphy connected with Malik Golston and Milton Williams to help Delaware State (2-4, 2-1 MEAC) convert back-to-back third-and-longs to move from the Norfolk State 49 to the 23. Four plays later, Dae-Hon Cheung gained 4 yards on a fourth-and-2 at the Norfolk State 15.

The final conversion came on a fourth-and-inches from just outside the 1-yard line, and Lamar Shaw gained just enough for a first down, setting up Murphy’s touchdown one play later. Hornets coach Kermit Blount had no doubts he was going to go for it on fourth down both times on the winning drive, rather than try a field goal.



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Tuskegee 54, Morehouse 10: Golden Tigers cruise in 78th annual Classic

COLUMBUS, Georgia  -- When coaches talk about playing complete games, Tuskegee’s performance in the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic on Saturday is what they mean.

The Golden Tigers (5-1, 3-0) controlled every aspect of the game, scoring in a number of different fashions, en route to a 54-10 victory in the 78th meeting between the two teams.

They were led by impressive offensive performances from running back Hoderick Lowe and stand-in quarterback Rashard Burkette, who usually plays wide receiver but started under center in place of the injured Justin Nared. Defensively, Aaron Bennett turned in four sacks, and on special teams Travis Lee blocked and returned a punt for a touchdown.

“We’ve been talking all week that we had to have some guys step up for us,” Tuskegee coach Willie Slater said. “I can’t complain.” After Lee put the Golden Tigers on the scoreboard first with his blocked punt, Lowe took over the offense. By halftime, Lowe had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving. His first came on a 29-yarder to cap off a 75-yard drive to make it 13-0. He scored two more inside of six minutes left in the half, a 13-yard pass from Burkette and a 4-yard run with 15 seconds on the clock to give the Golden Tigers a 33-3 lead going into the half.

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Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/10/12/2741195/tuskegee-54-morehouse-10-golden.html#storylink=cpy

2013 Circle City Classic Battle of the Bands: GSU vs. ASU

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Former Olympians honored as Alcorn State rolls past Grambling State 48-0 in Circle City Classic

Indianapolis, Indiana --  If the first and second halves of the Circle City Classic belonged to the Alcorn State Braves on Saturday, it was former Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos who owned halftime.

Smith and Carlos, honored with the 2013 Major Taylor Award at halftime of the Braves’ 48-0 win against rival Grambling State, each raised a hand high in the air, just as they did during their 1968 Olympic medal ceremony following gold and bronze medal performances, respectively, in the 200-meter dash.

The gesture sent many of the 22,357 in attendance at Lucas Oil Stadium to their feet amid thunderous applause. The Grambling State marching band played a tribute to the duo, while the medal ceremony was flashed on the scoreboard.

During the medal ceremony 45 years ago in Mexico City, Smith raised his right, black-gloved fist as a sign of Black Power, while Carlos raised his left fist to represent black unity. The silent protest vaulted the runners — who were expelled from the Games for the gesture which was considered controversial by many at the time — to activists and human rights’ spokesmen.

Photo Gallery: 30th Circle City Classic game and halftime show



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Marching bands, dancers wow audience during Circle City Classic Parade

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  --  Percussion, horns and shouts echoed across Downtown Saturday as the 30th annual Circle City Classic Parade of performers winded through the streets.

Marva Shaw, 77, stood along Pennsylvania Avenue to bask in the energy of marching bands and dancers. Ever year, “rain or shine,” she attends.

“This is a great come together,” she said of the thousands of enthralled spectators lining the route. “I love the rhythm of the drums. That is a great skill.”



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Circle City Classic Parade 2013

There was no shortage of skill as band after band — some college, other high school — drill teams and others wowed attendees with intricate choreography, thundering breakdowns, flips, dips and step routines. Groups came from across the state and country to perform in the parade and other competitions this weekend.

University bands brought some of the loudest cheers during the parade. Grambling members filled half a block and sunk low to the ground. Others sang out during one portion as the percussion line and horns filled a funky break.

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