This time comeback falls short for Bethune-Cookman in 21-14 loss

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- In its first two games, Bethune-Cookman was able to spot its opponent a two- or three-touchdown lead before getting it together on both sides of the ball and rallying to victory.

The Wildcats looked like they would do it again Saturday.

But this time Tennessee State dominated on both the offensive and defensive lines and held B-CU scoreless in the second half to hand the Wildcats a 21-14 loss in front of 9,461 fans in their home opener Saturday at Municipal Stadium.

“We had some opportunities, we just didn't capitalize on them,'' said B-CU coach Brian Jenkins, whose squad lost its second straight game to fall to 2-2.

“Tennessee State stayed the course, and my hat's off to (TSU coach) Rod Reed and his staff. They were resilient. They were relentless.

B-CU fell behind 21-0 in the first half, just like it did against Alabama State in the season-opener. Then it got back into the game with two quick touchdowns in the final two minutes of the half. But the 'Cats moved past the Tigers' 42-yard line just once in the second half. On that occasion they failed to convert on fourth-and-three at the TSU 14 midway through the third quarter.

READ MORE

TSU Improves to 4-0

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. — A.C. Leonard set the tone by catching an 80-yard pass on the second play from scrimmage.

Fellow sophomore Daniel Fitzpatrick intercepted a pass to set up one touchdown and scored another on a blocked kick return as Tennessee State held off Bethune-Cookman 21-14 Saturday at Municipal Stadium.

“Our kids perservered,” said Tigers coach Rod Reed, whose team improved to 4-0. “We have a lot of kids from the state of Florida. We have a lot of guys who know a lot of guys on their team. Both teams wanted to win this football game.”

Tennessee State dominated on both lines and held Bethune-Cookman (2-2) scoreless in the second half after the Wildcats scored twice in the final two minutes of the first half.

“We had some opportunities, we just didn’t capitalize on them,’’ said Wildcats coach Brian Jenkins. “Tennessee State stayed the course, and my hat’s off to Rod Reed and his staff. They were resilient. They were relentless.

READ MORE

DSU Hornets fall short against FAMU Rattlers

DOVER, Delaware — There was one play in the third quarter that seemed to symbolize Delaware State’s frustrations against Florida A&M.

Rattlers quarterback Damien Fleming had a Delaware State player wrapped firmly around his right ankle as he unleashed a pass high into the air that turned into a 38-yard completion to Dewayne Harvey.

Florida A&M just seemed to be one big play and one big step ahead of DSU as the Rattlers held on for a 24-22 victory over the Hornets in their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener at Alumni Stadium on Saturday night.

“For the last three weeks we’ve been talking about how to get away from moral victories,” Delaware State coach Kermit Blount said. “Moral victories are good, but we want some Ws. We’ve got a little work to do to get it right … but we’ll get it right.”

Delaware State (1-3 overall, 0-1 MEAC) pulled to within two points of FAMU after Nagee Jackson scored on a 5-yard run with 6:39 remaining. The Hornets went for the 2-point conversion and quarterback Nick Elko found tight end Jahmel Bashir with a quick pass to the right, but he was shoved out of bounds just shy of the goal line.

The Hornets never got the ball again as Florida A&M (2-2, 2-0) got four key first downs on its final possession to successfully run out the clock. High school bands from Smyrna, Dover, DE and Flowers from Springdale, Maryland join Delaware State band in Halftime performance Vs. FAMU Football.

READ MORE

In the Stone for Livingstone College

Lincoln Lions' Cook throws career-high 463 yards in 48-44 loss to Livingstone College

SALISBURY, North Carolina  -   Doug Cook (Dania Beach, Fla./University School of Nova SE University) threw for a career-high 463 yards and five touchdowns, but the Lincoln University football team couldn't rally from a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes as the Lions dropped a tough 48-44 decision to Livingstone College at Alumni Memorial Stadium in a CIAA contest on Saturday afternoon.

It didn't take long for the Lions (0-4 overall, 0-1 CIAA), who amassed 547 total yards of offense, to get on the scoreboard as Cook, who was 39-of-70 passing, completed a 70-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Falucon to give Lincoln a 7-0 lead with 13:09 remaining in the first quarter.

The Blue Bears (1-3 overall, 1-0 CIAA), who finished with 490 total yards, scored 28 unanswered points to grab a 28-7 advantage, but the Lions trimmed the margin to 28-14 when Kester Lewis (Bowie, Md./Grady HS) caught a 1-yard pass from Cook with 5:03 left in the first half.

A Kyle Jaski (Escondido, Calif./Kenwood HS) 22-yard field goal right before half cut the Livingstone advantage to 35-17.

In the second half, the Lions, who were battling key injuries offensively and defensively, went to work on the Blue Bears defense as Lincoln scored 21 unanswered points to grab a 38-35 lead.
 

READ MORE

Week 4, HBCU Football Scorecard

OVC
Tennessee State 21, Bethune-Cookman 14

MEAC
Ohio 44, Norfolk State 10
Texas A&M 70, South Carolina State 14
North Carolina Central 45, Savannah State 33
Florida A&M 24, Delaware State 22

SWAC
Alabama A&M 42, Texas Southern 13
Southern 28, Jackson State 21
Arkansas Pine Bluff 24, Alabama State 21 (Thursday)
Arkansas State 56, Alcorn State 0
Northwestern State 45, Mississippi Valley State 14
North Dakato State 66, Prairie View A&M 7

SIAC
Lane 37, Morehouse 34 O.T.
Miles 41, Albany State (Ga.) 6
Stillman 27, Kentucky State 8
Fort Valley State 33, Benedict 10
Concordia-Selma 22, Clark-Atlanta 17

CIAA
Livingstone 48, Lincoln (Pa.) 44
Johnson C. Smith 28, Virginia State 21
Winston-Salem State 35, Virginia Union 6
Chowan 49, Shaw 35
Elizabeth City State 20, Fayetteville State 13
Saint Augustine's 36, Bowie State 22

OTHERS
North Carolina-Pembroke 30, Virginia University of Lynchburg 7
Pittsburg State 59, Lincoln (MO) 17
Lamar 31, Langston (OK) 0
Saint Joseph's (IN) 42, Central State (Ohio) 36
Concord (WV) 23, West Virginia State 16
E. Stroudsburg 59, Cheyney 27

Stillman drives Ford to 27-8 win against Kentucky State

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama --- It looked like a routine crossing route.
Matched up against Kentucky State freshman Eric Rawls, Stillman senior Damian Ford created just enough space across the middle to get open and maybe move the chains for an early first down.

But Ford, whose developed a penchant for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary during his career as a Tiger, turned it into a 60-yard touchdown reception to get his team on the board first in a 27-8 victory in its Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener.

"Obviously, that's what we want to get--- the big plays and we want execution," Stillman coach Teddy Keaton said. "I thought Damian did a good job. You want to go to your go-to receiver and we went to him and he made a big play for us."

Quarterback Josh Straughan went to ...

READ MORE

Gold Nuggets set school record with seventh consecutive road victory

Xavier University of Louisiana's 2012 women's volleyball team
Team Roster

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Xavier University of Louisiana defeated Trinity Baptist 25-7, 25-15, 25-15 Saturday to set a women's volleyball school record with its seventh consecutive road victory.

Taylor Reuther and freshman Claudia Haywood combined for 22 kills and a .724 hitting percentage for the Gold Nuggets (7-4), who have not lost on the road since opening day Aug. 24. Reuther hit .647 and served six aces, and Haywood hit .833 -- the best by a Gold Nuggets player since the program resumed in 2010 -- on a season-best 10 kills and no errors in 12 attacks.

Xavier also set a school record with its third consecutive victory on an opponent's court.

The Gold Nuggets' 17 aces matched their season high. Patrice Smith had a career-high four aces, and CeCe Williams and Franziska Pirkl served three apiece. Xavier had a 35-13 advantage in kills.

The Gold Nuggets will visit city rival SUNO for a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference match at 7 p.m. Monday.

Read more later about this match online at
http://www.xula.edu/athletics/news/2012/0922b.html

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