BEARS AND PANTHERS WIN TO CLINCH CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BERTHS

  BEARS AND PANTHERS WIN TO CLINCH CHAMPIONSHIP
GAME BERTHS

CIAA Football Week in Review
For the week ending November 3, 2007 (Week 11)  

SHAW 17       SAINT AUGUSTINE'S 3

In Raleigh, Alan Atwater and Raymon Williams each scored rushing touchdowns and Ryne Powell added a 45-yard field goal as Shaw University (7-3, 6-1 CIAA) survived a penalty-filled, defensive battle to post a 17-3 win over cross-town rival Saint Augustine's. With the win, the Bears clinched the Western Division title and a berth in next week's CIAA Championship game.

In a game in which they were flagged 14 times for almost 120 yards in penalties, the Bears used a dominating defense to limit the Falcons to 265 yards of total offense, including a paltry 54 rushing yards and a combined 0 for 13 on third and fourth down conversion attempts. Shaw, who came into the game as the top defensive unit in Division II also racked up five sacks, picked off a pass and forced a fumble as they limited the Falcons (2-8, 2-5 CIAA) to a single field goal.

Shaw, who was picked to finish fourth in the West in the CIAA preseason poll, will be looking for their second CIAA championship in three years, after last winning it all in 2004.

VIRGINIA UNION 34          FAYETTEVILLE STATE 17

In Fayetteville, the backfield trio of Lamar Little, Elihu Smith (119 rushing yards) and Torian Donaldson combined for 327 rushing yards and five touchdowns as the Virginia Union Panthers (9-1, 6-1 CIAA) doubled-up the Fayetteville State Broncos 34-17 to clinch the Eastern Division title and advance to next week's CIAA Championship game in Charlotte.

The Panthers, the CIAA's top ranked offense, got second quarter touchdown runs from Donaldson (87 rushing yards, 3 TDs) and Little to take a 13-10 lead at the half.

Donaldson would get his second rushing touchdown of the day with 5:33 remaining in the third quarter, as the Panthers extended their lead to 20-10 over the Broncos.

The Broncos battled back to trim the lead to three points late in the third quarter when Richard Medlin galloped in from four yards out to make the score 20-17. But the Panthers would pull away in the fourth quarter on touchdown runs by Little (121 rushing yards, 2 TDs) and Donaldson to secure their first CIAA Championship game appearance since 2003.

The Panthers' win sets up an intriguing game next Saturday in Charlotte.  In a classic matchup of teams with opposing styles, Virginia Union, the CIAA's most explosive offense at 31.5 points and over 410 yards per game, will challenge a Shaw defensive unit that leads NCAA Division II football, allowing a meager 180 yards of total offense per game.  What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?  Be in American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte next Saturday for the answer.

Conference Scoreboard
Elizabeth City State       10                Bowie State                   6
Johnson C. Smith           47                Livingstone                    7
Saint Paul's                   17                 Virginia State                7                    
Shaw                             17                Saint Augustine's          3
Virginia Union               34               Fayetteville State         17     

Standings Upcoming Game