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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Junior Leon Prunty made his first start of the year at quarterback here on Saturday afternoon for Savannah State, but most of the problems for the Tigers was the opposing quarterback, as Howard sophomore Kalen Johnson threw a career-high four touchdowns and ran for another in a 55-9 romp over SSU in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest on a dry, picture-perfect day for football.
It was the first win of the season for the Bison (1-7, 1-5 MEAC), who had been outscored 96-7 in the first quarter this season before taking a 20-0 lead against SSU. The Tigers are now 0-9 lifetime against Howard, who used the Wildcat offense for the first time this season and led 34-9 at halftime before a scant crowd of 1,056.
“It is not like (the Wildcat) overwhelmed us. We have a young, freshmen (defensive backfield) group. We have four freshmen DBs,” said SSU head coach Earnest Wilson III. “We just have to get better. It is all about us.”
RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Sean Smith (R-Fr./Valdosta, GA) provided the only score for Saint Augustine's University with a 33-yard field goal in a 22-3 CIAA football loss to Johnson C. Smith University on Homecoming Day at the George Williams Athletic Complex on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
His kick cut the Falcons' deficit to 10-3 in the third quarter, but the Golden Bulls scored the game's final 12 points. The Golden Bulls kicked a 32-yard field goal and scored on an 18-yard fumble return in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Golden Bulls blocked a punt which rolled out of the end zone for a safety.
The fumble was one of five turnovers for the Falcons, who also threw four interceptions. Two of the picks were in the end zone, killing potential scoring drives.
The Falcons had a chance to strike first in the first quarter when Denzel Watkins (Sr./Troutman, NC) blocked a punt. Cameron Lloyd (R-Fr./Tarboro, NC) ran 26 yards to the Smith two-yard line which put the Falcons in great field position. Five plays later, a lob pass in the corner of the end zone was picked off by the Golden Bulls.
Down 10-0 in the second quarter, the Falcons missed another opportunity to close the gap before halftime. Chris Roberts (Jr./Albany, GA) forced a fumble on a sack deep in Golden Bulls' territory which Tray King (So./Kershaw, SC) recovered. King rambled 14 yards to the Golden Bulls' one-yard line.
With 14 seconds left before halftime, the Golden Bulls (3-1 Southern Division, 3-3 CIAA, 4-5 overall) intercepted another pass in the end zone to prevent a Falcons' score. Smith finally put the Falcons on the scoreboard with his field goal in the third quarter, but the Falcons would not score again.
Neither team generated much offense in the defensive affair. The Golden Bulls gained 213 offensive yards while the Falcons accumulated 131 yards. Tailback Roderick Davenport II (Sr./Orangeburg, SC) provided much of the Falcons' offense with 88 yards on 28 carries. He is now 22 yards away from becoming the school's career rushing leader with one game left in the season.
The defense did its best to keep the Falcons (0-4 Southern Division, 0-6 CIAA, 0-9 overall) in the game. Led by linebackers Durell Newby (R-Jr./Graham, NC) and Terry Warren (So./Franklin, VA), the Falcons held the Golden Bulls to 26 rushing yards, forced two turnovers and registered four sacks including two by Roberts.
Newby and Warren each finished with eight tackles for the Falcons. Lineman Darius Goodman (R-So./Richmond, VA) and Roberts each forced a fumble and Darius Cole (Fr./Pittsboro, NC) intercepted a pass.
For the Golden Bulls, Jordan Lane completed 15-of-23 pass attempts for 179 yards and one interception in addition to being sacked four times. His main target was Fred Scott, who caught seven passes for 86 yards. Tromecio Summers rushed 10 times for 48 yards.
Defensively, Austin Jacques led the Golden Bulls with 10 tackles and one interception. NCAA interceptions leader Carlo Thomas picked off two passes.
Before the contest, twelve football seniors were honored with family and friends. They were offensive lineman Donell Andrews (Baltimore, MD), fullback Reece Bradley (Fredericksburg, VA), Davenport, quarterback A.J. Gilford (Savannah, GA), defensive back Justin Jones (Fort Valley, GA), tight end Steven Mason (Hampton, VA), defensive lineman Malcolm Newby (Graham, NC), wide receiver Jamal Parker (Hampton, VA), offensive lineman John Perkins (Fayetteville, NC), running back Antonio M. Thomas (Lynchburg, VA), Turkvant and Watkins.
Matthew Mangram, who lost his life in a car accident last year, was also honored during the Senior Day ceremony. He would have been a senior this season.
Legendary Head Coach George Williams and the Falcons' men's track and field team were honored at halftime. The Falcons captured their third straight NCAA Division II outdoor championship in May 2015.
Next Saturday, Nov. 7, the Falcons will visit crosstown rival Shaw University in the final game of the regular season. The contest is set for Durham County Stadium in Durham, N.C., at 1 p.m.
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- When it rains, it pours.
Heavy rain pelted the field at A.W. Mumford Stadium long before Southern kicked off against Alcorn State on Saturday afternoon.
By the time the two Southwestern Athletic Conference rivals had sloshed their way through mud and standing water, the game had ended the way the past four meetings had ended: with Alcorn State victorious.
The defending SWAC champion and East Division-leading Braves stung the Jaguars with a 78-yard touchdown run on their first play from scrimmage and rolled to a 48-7 victory.
Alcorn lost senior quarterback John Gibbs Jr., the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year who had orchestrated the four previous wins against Southern, to a leg injury after two offensive plays and didn’t miss a beat.
Sophomore Lenorris Footman did a pretty fair Gibbs impersonation, rushing for 274 yards and four touchdowns and throwing two touchdown passes.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M’s offense came crashing back down to earth after strong performances against North Carolina Central and Delaware State.
Against North Carolina A&T’s unit, a defense second only to South Carolina State in terms of points allowed, redshirt junior quarterback Carson Royal faltered and the Rattlers’ ground game was swallowed whole, leading to the Rattlers fourth-straight loss to the Aggies.
North Carolina A&T dropped the Rattlers 28-10 Saturday in front of a Bragg Stadium crowd of 10,279.
“I don’t think we took a step back,” Royal said about the offense, which put up 124 total yards. “I just don’t really see us taking a step back. We’re always getting better. I just have to make plays. I didn’t play my best tonight.”
Royal completed 18 of his 40 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. The running game put up just four yards in the Rattlers’ final home game of the season.
DOVER, Delaware -- Bethune-Cookman rushed for 353 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-21 victory over Delaware State in a MEAC contest at Alumni Stadium this afternoon. Second-string quarterback Larry Brihm, Jr. ran for 141 yards and two scores to lead the Wildcats’ 489-yard offensive attack.
Freshman running back Brycen Alleyne scored his first two collegiate touchdowns, while leading the Hornets in rushing and receiving yards in the contest.
Bethune-Cookman won for the seventh time in eight games to improve to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the MEAC. DSU fell to 0-8 and 0-5.
Delaware State took advantage of a special teams play to score first in the contest.
Bethune-Cookman drove 69 yards on its first possession, but the drive stalled at the Hornet 11. Wildcat placekicker Uriel Hernandez’s 28-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DSU’s Gabe Sherrod. Logan Wescott scooped up the ball and ran 82 yards down the sideline to the endzone to give the Hornets a lead for the first time this season. Wisdom Nzidee’s extra point kick put DSU ahead 7-0 with 7:40 left in the first quarter.
BCU wasted little time to match the Delaware State score. The Wildcats drove 68 yards in five plays on the ensuing possession to even the game. Quentin Williams connected with Frank Brown on a seven-yard touchdown pass to cap off the two-minute-11 second drive. The extra point kick by Hernandez tied the game at 7-7 with 5:21 remaining in the opening quarter.
Bethune-Cookman added touchdowns on each of its next four possessions to take control of the game.
Running backs Michael Jones and Anthony Jordan scored touchdowns on short runs in the second quarter and Brihm scored from a yard out with less than a minute to go in the quarter to give the Wildcats a 28-7 lead at the break.
BCU stretched its lead to 35-7 on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Ja-Quan Lumas on the opening possession of the third quarter.
Delaware State showed some fight by scoring 14 unanswered points to raise its hopes.
Alleyne capped off a 12-play, 78-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run for the first touchdown of his career. Hornet quarterback Gil Rivera completed first down passes to Morris Frasier (13 yards) and Malik Golson (16 yds.), while Dae-Hon Cheung rushed for 23 yards during the five-minute-four-second drive. Nzidee’s extra point kick was blocked, leaving DSU in a 35-13 hole with 7:54 left in the third quarter.
The Hornets took advantage of another special teams miscue by the Wildcats to get closer early in the fourth quarter.
Delaware State received the ball at the BCU 24-yard line after Wildcat punter Jonathan Cagle came up short while attempting to run on fourth down and one.
Four plays later, Rivera found Alleyne open in the endzone for a 14-yard touchdown. It was Alleyne’s first collegiate touchdown catch. The Hornets successfully converted a two-point play following the touchdown when Rivera handed the ball to Golson, who completed a pass to Rivera in the endzone to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 35-21 with 14:48 left to play.
The Delaware State defense forced BCU to punt after three plays and recovered a fumble on the next two Wildcat possessions, but the Hornets could not take advantage.
Bethune-Cookman tacked on two fourth quarter touchdowns, one with 17 seconds left to play, to close out the scoring.
Delaware State totaled 200 yards in the contest, 104 rushing and 96 passing.
Alleyne had a team-high 65 yards rushing on 19 carries, and led the Hornets with two catches for 52 yards.
Rivera completed seven-of-17 passes for 96 yards.
DSU cornerback J.R. Robinson had a career-high 13 tackles, including 2.5 behind the line-of-scrimmage. Linebackers Malik Harris and Rashawn Barrett had 12 and 10 tackles, respectively, for the Hornets.
The Hornets begin a two-game road swing with a visit to North Carolina Central next Saturday (Nov. 7). Game time is 2 p.m. in Durham, N.C.
Delaware State will visit North Carolina A&T the following week (Nov. 14) before returning home to face Howard in the season finale on Nov. 21 at Alumni Stadium (2 p.m.).
COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
BOWIE, Maryland – Bowie State University scored early and often in its home finale, crushing Lincoln University of Pennsylvania 57-3 on Saturday afternoon at Bulldogs Stadium. With the win, Bowie State improves to 8-1 overall, 6-0 in the CIAA and 4-0 in the North while Lincoln (Pa.) dips to 3-6 overall, 1-5 in the league and 0-4 in the North.
Freshman Nyema Washington (Forestville, Md.) threw for a game-high 188 passing yards, completing 20-of-31 (one interception) and three touchdowns. Senior Garry Cropper (Odenton, Md.) hauled in two touchdowns passes and led the Bulldogs receivers with 69 yards on five catches.
Graduate student Kendall Jefferson (Temple Hills, Md.) rushed for a team-high 95 yards on 13 carries and scored twice while freshman Robert Chesson (Annapolis, Md.) added 78 rushing yards on seven carries in the win.
Senior Brian Hall (Capitol Heights, Md.) and junior Joshua Davis-Stokes (Baltimore, Md.) tallied eight tackles each for Bowie State.
Two of Bowie State's scores came courtesy of their defense with freshman Quinton Jordan (Upper Marlboro, Md.) returning an interception 46 yards and redshirt freshman Kyle Jackson (Upper Marlboro, Md.) scooped up Lincoln fumble and rumbled 65 yards for six.
Lincoln's defense had three sacks against Bowie State while the offense produced 253 total yards. Linebackers Rhamir Thomas (Washington, Pa.) and Wadel Louis (Miami, Fla.) combined for one sack, while Tony Jones, Jr. (Baltimore, Md.) and Joseph Webb (Queens, N.Y.) had the other two solo sacks. Thomas and Louis had a game-high ten tackles each Jones pitched in with seven tackles.
Running back Stephen Scott (Baltimore, Md.) produced game highs in carries (28) and rushing yards (147) to lead the Lincoln attack.
The Lions rushed for 188 yards and passed for 65 yards to four different receivers. Emmanuel Saint-Jean (Silver Spring, Md.) and Bradley Martin (Philadelphia, Pa.) had two catches each for 27 and 18 yards respectively.
Bowie State jumped out to a 14-0 advantage after one quarter of play and pushed that lead to 35-0 by halftime. At the end of the first 30 minutes, the Bulldogs outgained the Lions 303 to 168. Bowie State had a pretty balanced attack in the first half, accounting for 161 yards on the ground and 142 yards in the air.
The Bulldogs lead ballooned to 50-0 after three quarters before allowing the Lions their only points of the game.
At the 14:52 mark of the fourth quarter, Lincoln's Brett Arkelian (Clovis, Calif.) avenged an earlier (37) missed field goal and made a 30-yard field goal for the Lions' only points of the afternoon.
Bowie State will conclude the regular season next Saturday (11/7), traveling to Elizabeth City (N.C.) State University for a 1 p.m. conference finale in Roebuck Stadium.
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State got all it could handle and more from winless Shaw in front of 15,000 at Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
When it was over, Shaw wasn’t winless anymore, and the homecoming crowd went home in a hurry as the Bears pulled out a 32-25 double overtime victory.
“Bye bye,” running back Marquise Grizzle of the Bears said as he waved to the WSSU side of the field. It was Grizzle, who became the school’s all-time leading rusher thanks to his 209 yards rushing on 28 carries, who scored the deciding touchdown in double overtime.
The Bears (1-8, 1-5 CIAA) tied the game at 18 with 23 seconds left on a 36-yard field goal from Joe Nguyen, who earlier in the game had missed two point-after attempts.
In the first overtime both teams scored to keep the game tied, and then it was Grizzle, a senior, who made the play of the game. He went off tackle and ran 25 yards to give the Bears a 32-25 lead.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Junior Leon Prunty made his first start of the year at quarterback here on Saturday afternoon for Savannah State, but most of the problems for the Tigers was the opposing quarterback, as Howard sophomore Kalen Johnson threw a career-high four touchdowns and ran for another in a 55-9 romp over SSU in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest on a dry, picture-perfect day for football.
