Bethune Cookman women's golf captures Rutgers Invitational Tournament title

by BCU Sports Information

Wildcats beat Ivy League power Yale by nine strokes in victory

Piscataway, N.J. - Freshman Kimberly Wong posted her third consecutive Top 5 finish of the fall season over the weekend while leading Bethune-Cookman University women's golf team to a much-heralded first place trophy at the Rutgers Women's Invitational in Piscataway, N.J.

Bethune-Cookman is looking like one of the best teams on the east coast right now as they played their way to their second first place title of the season, while finishing second in the only other tournament thus far. The Wildcats shot a two-day score of 624 (+48) to finish nine strokes ahead of the field of 18 teams.

Kim Wong, only a freshman mind you, continues to blaze her way towards all kinds of B-CU freshman records as she collected a two-day score of 154 (80 / 74) for her season low in a 36-hole event to finish third overall for the weekend. She has now finished amongst the top five golfers overall in every tournament she has suited up for the Wildcats this season. All-America honors certainly appear to be in the future of this young golfer.

Photo: BCU's Fern Grimshaw collected her first Top 10 finish of the fall.

Yale University--a perennial power amongst the Ivy League, rode the strength of its top golfer Ellie Brophy to finish second place as a team. The Bulldogs shot a team total of 633 (+57).

Meanwhile, junior golfer Becky Dowell still remains as one of the most steadfast golfers in the past four seasons at B-CU as she finished tied for fourth overall. Dowell's 154 (+10) allowed her to finish alongside Siena's Katelynn Mannix.

For Dowell, this was her first top five finish of the campaign, while registering her second top 10 mark for the fall.

Transfer Emma Tayler was just behind her fellow Wildcat golfers with a 158 (+14) for a sixth place finish, and her third top 10 finish of the season. Tayler is now second on the team in total wins-losses with a 190-13 record.

Also shooting well for the `Cats was sophomore Maria Garrido with her first-ever top 10 finish at Bethune-Cookman with a two-round mark of 160 (+16) to tie for ninth place. Alongside Garrido was junior Fern Grimshaw, just another in a long line of great European student-athletes to cross the path of B-CU head coach Dr. Gary Freeman, with a 160 (+16) as well.

For Grimshaw, it was her first top 10 finish of the fall season, as well as her second top 20 finish.
Sophomore Maria Urquiola posted a 164 (+20) to tie for 24th place in the tournament.

B-CU is now, as a team, 35-1 this season ... making this the best start for the Wildcats in recorded history.

Brittany Lambertson earned a medal in second place for St. John's as she scored a 151 (+7) on rounds of 77 and 74 for the Red Storm. St. John's finished third as a team.

Siena (645) would be fourth, while Bucknell, Rutgers and USC Upstate all posted a 666 to finish tied for fifth overall.

WSSU Notebook: $5 million field house and new practice facility will be ready for next season

COMPILED BY JOHN DELL, Winston Salem Journal

• The Rams have 11 seniors on the roster, but Blount wishes they could stay with the team for one more year.

Next season, the Rams will have full access to a $5 million field house being built near Bowman Gray Stadium and also will have a new practice facility.

“The only thing that I regret with this bunch of seniors is they will miss a lot of stuff that we will have next season,” Blount said. “From the field house to the new practice facility, they won’t get to use those things, but these guys are important because they laid the foundation that helped us get to where we are.”

Photo: Head Football Coach Kermit Blount

• Linebacker Juan Corders is questionable for Saturday’s game at Bethune-Cookman with a foot infection.

Corders, a sophomore, stepped on something in his bare feet while the team was in Indianapolis earlier this month. The Rams beat Florida A&M 27-23, but Corders hasn’t been the same since the team got back.

“I’m worried whether he will be ready to go or not,” Coach Kermit Blount said.

Defensive coordinator Mike Ketchum said that if Corders doesn’t play, it would hurt the Rams’ defense. Corders has 17 tackles and two sacks this season.

“After we got back from Indianapolis they drained (the infection), but you can’t be too careful,” Ketchum said. “We’ll have to be careful to make sure he’s all right before we send him out there again.”

• One of the most unusual offenses in the MEAC is Bethune-Cookman’s “Wyattbone” which is named for Coach Alvin Wyatt. The offense is a triple-option attack that mixes in the I-formation and sometimes uses split backs.

Defensive coordinator Mike Ketchum of WSSU said that facing the Wyattbone always presents problems.

“They are really going to attack your defensive ends, your outside linebackers and your strong safety,” Ketchum said. “If they get the fullback going up the middle, then it’s really going to be tough to deal with. If you can make them go wide and the more their quarterback has to handle the option, the more likely you can force them into mistakes.

“It’s a different ballgame against them. When you build your defense on speed and aggressiveness and are always going hard, you really have to be assignment-oriented against them.”

• After taking a chartered flight to Indianapolis for the Circle City Classic in their last game, the Rams are back to their usual mode of transportation for Saturday’s game at Bethune-Cookman. They will take the long bus ride to Daytona Beach, Fla., for their sixth road trip in a row.

Monte Purvis said that he and his teammates should be used to all the traveling.

“We’ve been up and down the highways all season,” he said, “so if you aren’t used to it by now, you will never get used to it.”

The Rams are 2-3 on the road this season, but will get to play three straight home games after Saturday.

NSU notebook: Spartans stand 6th in FCS in home attendance

By VICKI L. FRIEDMAN , The Virginian-Pilot

Saturday's crowd of 27,756 was the largest at Price Stadium since the inaugural game was played there in 1997. Before Saturday's total, the crowd of 26,970 that watched the Spartans defeat Virginia State 33-7 in the Labor Day Classic on Sept. 1 was the second-largest.

Norfolk State is sixth nationally in Division I-AA with an average attendance of 19,920. Ahead of NSU: Montana, Delaware, Appalachian State, Youngstown State and Southern University. North Carolina A&T is the closest MEAC school at No. 11, averaging 12,803 fans.

Not so special

Daryl Jones described Saturday's victory against Hampton as "extra special," but one area where the Spartans weren't clicking was special teams. Particularly abysmal was NSU's coverage on punts and kickoffs, which almost cost the Spartans the game.

Among the blunders:

Maury grad James Butts recovered an onside kick that allowed Hampton to attempt a field goal in the final seconds.

Before that, Hampton scored its final touchdown after a 28-yard punt by Brian Jackson allowed the Pirates to start the drive at the NSU 41.

After Jones' second touchdown put the Spartans ahead 20-10 in the fourth quarter, Dennis McPhearson returned the following kickoff 48 yards to the NSU 20. That led to a Hampton field goal.

"Our special teams stunk," NSU coach Pete Adrian said. "Our kickoff coverage was horrendous. Our kickoff returns weren't very good. We made some crucial mistakes that could have cost us the ballgame.

"But the nice thing about our football team is nobody complains. They just say, 'Let's go to work.'"

One game at a time

Spartans fans might be riding high with dreams of a playoff bid after knocking off Hampton and preseason favorite South Carolina State, but Adrian and the NSU players refuse to entertain the notion.

"If you're focusing on something like playoffs, that's basically distracting you," senior linebacker Maguell Davis said. "I'd rather keep playing hard and we'll look back - and then I think we'll be pretty happy with the results."

Hampton University-S.C. State will be televised

BY MARTY O'BRIEN, Daily Press

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced Monday that Saturday's South Carolina State at Hampton University football game will be televised via tape delay on ESPNU.

Kickoff for the game is set for 2 p.m. The ESPNU telecast will begin at 8 p.m.

"We are very elated that ESPNU decided to add this game to our TV package," MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas said. "With this game on ESPNU, fans will be able to see two outstanding teams as they vie for the conference championship."

South Carolina State (3-3, 2-1 MEAC) was picked during the preseason to end the three-year run of Hampton (4-2, 2-2) as conference champion. The Pirates and Bulldogs shared the title in 2004, but the Pirates have earned the MEAC's automatic playoff berth three consecutive seasons.

Both are fighting to remain in the conference and playoff races after losing on consecutive weekends at Norfolk State. The Spartans beat S.C. State 20-13 in overtime on Oct. 6, then followed with a 20-19 win on Saturday over Hampton.

"We're not conceding anything," Hampton coach Joe Taylor said. "We feel if we go 9-2, with wins over Princeton (48-27 on Oct. 6) and Southern Illinois (the Pirates' opponent on Nov. 17), we still can get playoff consideration.

"Televising this game is great exposure. The biggest thing is that it gives

Talk about silly stuff: How band leader hit wrong note

Before I read this story, I knew it had to be a black man involved because if several fights between high school students break out in a stadium that seats 10,000 people (after the game is over), it had to be caused by the music the marching band was playing. I am beginning to wonder if anyone can find a college degree and a ounce of common sense within the resume of any of these local Hampton cops.

Moreover, I don't get the correlation--fight(s) with non-band members; cops that can't hear; high school band playing louder than FAMU, Southern or Norfolk State in the 5th Quarter; band director arrested because he would not stop students performance in outdoor football stadium. The entire city should be marching against this injustice to Mr. Smart.

One question for the cops? How did you hear on your radios when the stadium was full with 10,000 screaming fans in the stands and both bands were playing during the game? Wasn't the decibels 1000X louder then, than when Mr. Smart was arrested. Case closed!


By PETER DUJARDIN

Hampton High's Tory F. Smart is on administrative leave after his arrest for failing to stop playing.

Photo: Band Director Tory F. Smart

HAMPTON -Even after Phoebus High School beat rival Hampton High School on the football field late Friday night, the bands were still going at it.
But as people filed out of Darling Stadium by the thousands at about 9:30 p.m., several fights broke out. Police, trying to quell the disturbances, were having a hard time hearing each other on their radios. So they asked both bands — on opposite sides of the stands, going back and forth in a traditional, competitive duel — to stop the music.

While the Phoebus band eventually stopped playing, police say, Hampton High School's band played on — to the point that officers at the game arrested Hampton High's band director, Tory F. Smart, on an obstruction charge. Police said he ignored "at least four" demands to stop.

Smart, 31, a band teacher at the school in addition to his director role, is on paid administrative leave as school investigators try to piece together what happened in the bizarre twist capping the greatly anticipated game between two undefeated rivals.

A few officers, police say, asked Smart to cut his band's music.

"He was asked directly to stop playing, and disregarded the officers' orders," said Hampton police spokeswoman Paula Ensley.

"The last time, he was told, 'If you don't stop you'll be arrested for obstruction.' And he continued to play, after which time he was taken into custody."

But Alfred L. Davis Jr., the band director at Hampton University who has worked closely with Smart in the past, said he thinks the incident was the result of miscommunication between Smart and the police.

"I've known Tory for a long time," Davis said. "He was great as my assistant. This comes as a shock to me ... He is an outstanding person."

Though Davis did not witness the arrest, he said police must have simply overreacted to the misunderstanding. "I'm very sure that's what happened," Davis said.

Ensley said there were 40 officers assigned to the game, which had 10,000 spectators. "We needed to get everyone out safely," she said, saying Smart understood the police orders, but decided to keep his band playing.

Sam McGill, who provided some security services at the game, said he was on the Phoebus side of the stadium, so didn't see Smart get arrested. But when he drove his truck out of the stadium, he said, he saw Smart seated on a chair, surrounded by police officers, with his band gone.

Smart was transported away in a police car, but released on a summons to appear in court at a later date.

He did not return several phone calls left on his home and cell phone Monday morning and afternoon.

He is on administrative leave with pay from Hampton High School pending the outcome of the investigation, said School Department spokeswoman Ann Stephens. Obstruction is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Smart, who was hired at Hampton High School in July 2006 as both band director and a teacher of band classes, is the son of former Hampton University band director Barney E. Smart, who died in 2004 after leading the university's band for 14 years.

The younger Smart, a percussionist by expertise, worked as the assistant band director at Delaware State University under Davis. Smart was also a graduate assistant for Hampton University's band, also under Davis.

In an interview before a game this month against Heritage High School at Darling Stadium, Smart said he has tried to bring some pizazz to the band since he arrived at Hampton High School just over two years ago.

"The main thing I wanted to do was add a little excitement," he said Oct. 5. "When I first got here morale was a little low. And music seems to make the world go 'round, and makes everybody feel good ... so we wanted to give the kids an opportunity to play the songs they wanted to do and add a little music education into it at the same time."

He likened the band's combination to a "home-cooked meal ... Everybody likes what we're cooking. Right now it smells good, but you can always add a little spice with it."

As for his philosophy about the battle of the bands between schools, he said: "We're going to give everybody a run for their money ... As long as they do it with respect and making it fun, that's what it's all about."

Asked what was in store for the game against Phoebus, Smart said: "A surprise."

What happened
When a fight broke out after Friday night's football game between Phoebus and Hampton, police asked both bands to stop playing. Hampton's band continued to play on despite repeated demands, police said, and the director, Tory F. Smart, was arrested and charged with obstruction. He is on paid administrative leave.

Rested WSSU Rams ready to move on

Photo: WSSU Head Football Coach Kermit Blount

By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER

WSSU, coming off open date, is headed to Bethune-Cookman

There have been times in recent years when a week off has come at the wrong time for Winston-Salem State. But last Saturday’s open date couldn’t have come at a better time, according to Coach Kermit Blount.

“We needed it, that’s for sure,” said Blount, whose Rams were back at practice yesterday in preparation for Saturday’s game at Bethune-Cookman. “It just gave everybody a chance to take a step back because we’ve been going at this pretty hard since August.”

The Rams (3-3) are coming off a 27-23 win over Florida A&M on Oct. 6 in Indianapolis. Blount was pleased with his team’s effort and with getting the victory, but he was a little worried about a hangover effect of such a big win.

“I hope they aren’t still celebrating because it’s time to get back to work,” Blount said before yesterday’s practice. “I think these guys realize that we have more work to do this season, and it starts this week in practice.”

Blount said that the Rams had just two short practices last week, and he gave them the weekend off, something that quarterback Monte Purvis took advantage of.

Purvis, who has been nursing a sore left shoulder, said he mostly watched football and stayed on the couch.

“This break came at a good time for us seniors because it lets us know that we only have five more games left in our careers,” Purvis said. “I think in four of these next five games we lost to them last year, so we want to make up for that.”

Even though Purvis didn’t have very good passing numbers against Florida A&M, his grasp of the offense and confidence level in the second half was evident.

Photo: QB Monte Purvis

The Rams had two key series against the Rattlers in which Purvis used his savvy and his feet to gain valuable yardage. They scored touchdowns on both drives.

Purvis has rushed for 299 yards on 101 carries this season, and while the average is just three yards a carry, his leadership has been invaluable. He didn’t have a turnover in the win over A&M, and in the previous game against Howard, an overtime loss, he passed for a career-best 261 yards.

“I’m real happy for Monte for a lot of reasons,” Blount said. “He’s a local kid, and it’s tough to play in your own backyard and play consistently because he probably knows more people in this town than anybody on our team. Everywhere he goes, he’s the subject of criticism with somebody saying something negative.”

Purvis, a three-year starter, hasn’t backed down from any of this season’s challenges.

“His maturity, that’s been the biggest part,” Blount said. “To see him mature and grow into a leader and do the things I knew he was capable of doing all along is great to see. It’s his last season, and I think he’s having fun. I’ve seen him go from being a quiet guy to being the jokester in the locker room.”

The Rams have been learning a new offense under coordinator Nick Calcutta, and Purvis has picked it up.

“Hopefully, this break doesn’t slow us down (but) just enhanced us a little more,” Blount said. “It gave those guys a chance to rest and hopefully the guys … got that rest they needed.”

Blount said that part of the reason for the Rams’ resurgence in the past two games has been the play of the line.

“It’s been a matter of them continuing to learn this new system,” Blount said. “That system we ran last year and the year before is totally different than what we are doing this year.

“I think the great part of it is I have some real great football coaches on staff, and they have put in the time and energy to get this done and it’s taken the pressure off me.”

WSSU women's basketball team has influx of new players

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

By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER and staff reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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






2007-08 Lady Rams Basketball Roster

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

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

Coaching Staff

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

Former WSSU Legends pitching in to raise money

By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BULLDOGS vs. PIRATES

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

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

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

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

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


Sports Network's FCS College Football Poll

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

Gallery: Southern University Human Juke Box answers JSU Tigers

Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band and the Dancing Dolls

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

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

Southern University's Holliday savors return

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just once

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

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

SU returns to practice Monday.

Wollman transfers, sits

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

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

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

Talley commits

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notes

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

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

Photo: Norfolk State University Head Football Coach Pete Adrian.

The Virginian-Pilot, Bob Molinaro

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

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

Surprising? Not especially, Adrian said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But these aren't the bad old days.

The Rainmaker has made sure of that.

Alabama A&M notebook

Huntsville Times

Injured Moody, Baxter back at practice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reggie Benson

McCullough takes lead for B-CU 'D'

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona Beach News Journal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JSU football: Jackson State vs. Grambling

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

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

ON OFFENSE

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

ON DEFENSE

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

INTANGIBLES

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

- Kareem Copeland

Morehouse 32, Savannah St. 14

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

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

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

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

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

White kicker shining at historically black Morgan State University

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

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

David Duberstein, The Examiner

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Morgan State University crowd savor OT win over Howard

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

By Ken Murray, Baltimore Sun

Morgan State 36, Howard 33

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

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

Like M&T Bank Stadium.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Morgan State Performed

First downs 18 19

Rushes-yards 46-198 50-154

Passing 103 276

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

Return Yards 0 21

Punts-Avg. 3-33.7 5-30.2

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-Yards 6-38 9-79

Time of Possession 30:00 30:00

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

DSU's defense too much for Aggies

By BRIAN JOURA, Special to The News Journal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Snake, Rattled and Rolled: SCSU blasts FAMU

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

NSU Spartans serve stuffing

By Tris Wykes

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

How about the Magnificent Seven?

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

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

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

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

Said NSU coach Pete Adrian:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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