Saturday, October 30, 2010

WSSU Rams end season with loss to Shaw Bears

Durham, N.C. - Winston-Salem State’s dream season ended with a Shaw nightmare.

The Bears rallied in the second half to come away with a 31-27 victory on Saturday afternoon in front of around 7,000 at Durham County Stadium. The win sets up a showdown on Saturday with St. Augustine’s with the winner of that game getting a berth into the CIAA Championship Game.

For the 18th-ranked Rams, their season of such high hopes comes to an end as they finish 8-2 and 5-2 in the CIAA. All season long Coach Connell Maynor of the Rams hasn’t made excuses, and he wasn’t about to start. The Rams led the whole way until a costly interception by Kameron Smith late in the game gave the Bears (7-2, 6-0) the final jolt of momentum they would need.

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Attendance: 7,000
Shaw University Platinum Sound Marching Band

On homecoming, Howard Bison falls to Norfolk State, 10-9

The Bison are now 2-27 in MEAC games under Coach Carey Bailey, who is in his fourth season.

One word sums up Howard's season - injuries. The Bison are banged up at just about every position, but their wounds are most noticeable on offense. The ever-rotating cast of quarterbacks, running backs and offensive linemen may be the biggest reason why Howard has been offensively challenged this season.

The Bison went into Saturday's 10-9 homecoming loss to Norfolk State without all-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference wide receiver Willie Carter, who injured his ankle in last week's loss at North Carolina A&T. Running back Justin Duncan came back after missing four weeks because of a lower back and hip injury, but running back Charles Brice, who had led Howard in rushing the past four weeks, went out in the second quarter with a shoulder injury.

Howard Drops Hard-Fought Battle to Norfolk State

Washington, DC—October 30---The Howard University football team battled Norfolk State for four quarters, but it came down to a case of too many key injuries on offense for the Bison as the Spartans, prevailed 10-9 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game before an overflow homecoming crowd of 7,086 at Greene Stadium.

Howard (1-7 overall, 0-5 in the MEAC) came into the game with injuries to six starters, including all-MEAC performer, junior wide receiver Wille Carter. Carter, who injured an ankle in the loss to North Carolina A&T last week, is the team's top playmaker and his absence definitely had an impact on the game.

Attendance: 7,086

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Howard University Showtime Marching Band, Pre-game Performance 10/30/10


DSU Hornets say they're up for challenge against S.C. State Bulldogs

DOVER, DE -- A tough season will not become any easier today when Delaware State's football team hosts South Carolina State, the two-time reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions who are ranked 17th nationally in Division I-AA. DSU (1-6 overall, 1-4 MEAC) hosts the Bulldogs (5-2, 3-1) at Alumni Stadium at 1 this afternoon. The Hornets say they will not be intimidated.

"They're one of the best teams in the MEAC, so we've had to prepare hard this week for a very competitive match," said Andre Caroll, a redshirt senior defensive lineman for DSU.

The Hornets are hoping to follow the same blueprint as last season, when they won two out of their last three games to finish 4-7 despite struggling to a 1-5 start, which included a forfeit loss because of a scheduling conflict.

Hornets Gameday

South Carolina State (5-2, 3-1 MEAC) at Delaware State (1-6, 1-4)
1:00 p.m. today, Alumni Stadium, Dover, DE
Radio: WWTX-1290, WDOV-1410

Bulldogs on offense: QB Malcolm Long (6-3, 250, sr.) has completed 102 of 177 passes (57.6 percent) for 948 yards with a pair of touchdowns and six interceptions. RB Chris Massey (5-11, 220, sr.) has rushed for 639 yards on 124 carries and has scored six TDs. RB Asheton Jordan (6-0, 205, so.) has gained 396 yards on 61 carries with four TDs. WR Lennell Elmore (5-11, 170, r-so.) leads the team with 38 catches for 445 yards.

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Jackson State vs. Prairie View A&M

When: Today, 4 p.m.
Where: Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
Television: None
Radio: JSU Network (WHLA-95.5 FM, Jackson)
Records: Jackson State: 5-2, 3-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference; Prairie View A&M: 5-3, 4-2 SWAC
History: Last meeting: Prairie View 30, Jackson State 27, 2007
All-time series: Jackson State leads 34-14-2

What a way to begin a critical season-ending four-game stretch than welcoming the defending SWAC champions into Memorial Stadium for homecoming. Already strapped with two SWAC losses, the Panthers likely won't catch Grambling in the SWAC West. Their motivation? A possible at-large bid into the Football Championship Subdivision's expanded playoffs, and, maybe more importantly, ruining JSU's homecoming and hampering the Tigers' path to the SWAC Championship Game.

Injuries exact toll on Tigers' defense

These days, a simple glance around the Jackson State practice field reveals plenty about the team's crippled defense. Linebacker Milton Patterson's left forearm is covered in a dark cast, protecting the broken bones in his wrist.

Cornerback Jeremy Keys wears a different shoe than everyone else because he's playing with a fractured foot. Defensive end Sam Washington spends some of his time watching from the sideline because of a sore lower back.



Boom warned about violations

JSU's marching band, the Sonic Boom of the South, was publicly reprimanded this week by the Southwestern Athletic Conference for playing during game action. The Boom could be suspended or fined for more offenses. Conference rules state that "once the offensive team breaks the huddle and approaches the line of scrimmage, the band shall cease playing."

This particular offense, the league said in a statement, occurred during JSU's game against Alabama A&M on Oct. 9, but the Boom has been told by the head referee to stop playing during several other games this season.

Panthers loaded with motivation for clash with Tigers

When Eric "Shorty" Greene thinks of Prairie View A&M, he can't help but remember his playing days at Jackson State. Back then, in the early 1990s, Prairie View was on what would be an 80-game losing streak. The program gave few or no football scholarships. And, frankly, didn't give programs like JSU much trouble.

"When they got off the bus," Greene said, "we knew we were going to whip them."

Nowadays, Prairie View is anything but the Southwestern Athletic Conference's dog. In fact, the school won the conference last season. It was the first SWAC championship for the program in 45 years.

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Chowan arrives as a spoiler

While the door remains cracked, Elizabeth City State feels like it was slammed in its face last week. The Vikings rolled up 507 yards of offense, yet managed just two touchdowns in a 20-12 loss at Bowie State to all but end their hopes of a trip to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship game.

It was ECSU’s second loss in a row, leaving the Vikings a game down in the loss column to both Virginia State and Bowie State with two games remaining.

Follow Chowan at Elizabeth City State on Saturday

ELIZABETH CITY, NC - Chowan University football fans can follow Saturday's game at Elizabeth City State University by logging onto GAME DAY CENTRAL on the Hawks' athletic website. Play-by-play man Gattis Hodges will be bringing the gridiron action to fans via live audio webcast. CU's women's basketball coach, Patrick Mashuda, will join him this week as the color commentator. Fans can also get live Twitter updates at www.twitter.com/cuhawks.

Currently the Hawks and Vikings are tied for third in the CIAA Northern Division at 3-2. Bowie State and Virginia State are tied at the top of the division. (Log onto www.theciaa.com for complete listing of standings)



Powell back at quarterback for ECSU

Elizabeth City State got some good new this week when starting quarterback Creven Powell was given medical clearance to play. The Vikings will need him and a little luck as they chase a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship, beginning with today’s game at Bowie State.

Elizabeth City State’s Air Viking I arrives

Elizabeth City State University’s aviation program was flying high Friday, as university and local officials celebrated the arrival of the program’s newest airplane.

ECSU linemen many miles from home

Homecoming means different things to different people, but for at least three Elizabeth City State football players, this weekend’s homecoming festivities will be spent about as far away from home as you can get.

Baron Coffin, Sanerivi Reupena and Kahawaiolaa Soon share a background that is a far cry from northeast North Carolina. All three are junior offensive linemen from California junior colleges, which is how they arrived in Elizabeth City. But their Polynesian heritage sets them apart. Coffin hails from American Samoa, Soon is from Hawaii and Reupena was born in California, but his parents are native Samoans.

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Morgan State opportunistic on both sides of ball

One thing that Morgan State football coach Donald Hill-Eley found out about his team last weekend was his players are a very opportunistic bunch.

The Bears had to rally in the fourth quarter to get a 10-point victory over struggling Delaware State to remain a contender in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship race. Sheldon Jacques returned a fumble 2 yards for the final touchdown, adding to an already tough performance by the MSU defense.

Morgan State at Florida A&M Matchup

When Morgan State has the ball... Florida A&M has feasted on teams like Morgan State who statistically are one of the worst offenses in Division I-AA. The Bears are averaging just 3.57 yards per play and 214.1 total yards per game, which is 116th out of 117 teams. The only other team worse than 100th in that category with a winning record is Florida A&M, whose total offense is 107th.

Morgan State may have a plodding offense, but it takes advantage of scoring opportunities when they arise. In Mid-Eastern Conference play Morgan State is averaging 28.3 points per game, primarily through running the football.

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Eliminating turnovers key to ASU Braves' success

LORMAN, MS — If the Alcorn State Braves are going to end a four-game losing streak, they are going to have to kick the bugaboo that has haunted them the entire season — turnovers. The Braves have turned the ball over a total of eight times in their last three games, all conference losses which dropped their record to 2-3 in the SWAC.

And Alcorn head coach Earnest Collins knows eliminating the mistakes will be a big key as his team hosts Southern University (2-5, 1-4 SWAC) at 2 p.m. Saturday. “We have got to cut down on our turnovers if we want to beat our old nemesis,” Collins said. “We’ve turned the ball over way too much.”

JSU, Alabama State, Alcorn all chasing East championship

What a messy East. The Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division is more jumbled than its counterpart in the Southeastern Conference. OK, maybe not quite that bad. But with about a month left in the season, three Eastern teams have a legitimate shot at winning the division and going to Birmingham for the conference title game.

The East became so muddled last week when Jackson State missed a chance to grab a two-game lead in the division. Couple that with Alcorn State's third straight conference loss last week and the East has turned into one unpredictable mess, where Alcorn (3-4, 2-3), Jackson State (5-2, 3-2) and, now, Alabama State (4-3, 3-3) have a legit shot to take the crown.



SU’s struggles, improvement no surprise to Alcorn’s Collins

Earnest Collins said he wasn’t surprised to see Southern struggle early on this season. But he also said the Jaguars are getting better each week in their first year under Stump Mitchell, and he’s not surprised at that, either.

“With Southern, you knew they were going to have to get it on track,” said Collins, who, as the second-year coach at Alcorn State, knows about every pothole and speed bump a new football program is sure to hit.

Canadians playing well for Alcorn State

True freshman Brandon Bridge has already earned a nickname fitting of a young passer full of talent and promise, a subtle reference to a former Alcorn State legend: Air Canada. Problem is, Bridge’s defensive countryman has yet to earn such a permanent moniker. Some folks call inside linebacker Herve’ Tonye-Tonye by his last name, while others prefer “The Canadian Barbarian.”

“They call him a bunch of different stuff, but he doesn’t have one nickname like Brandon,” said his older brother, Raymond, who is also his roommate.

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