CIAA Football Week in Review - Week 7

CIAA Football Week in Review
For the week ending October 11, 2008, (Week 7) 

VIKINGS SLIP BY BULLDOGS

BOWIE, MD -Reggie Smith's run for a 2-point conversion off of a fake PAT attempt proved to be the game winner as visiting Elizabeth City State rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter for a 29-28 victory over Bowie State in an important Eastern Division matchup yesterday.

The Vikings (4-3, 4-0 CIAA) logged touchdown receptions of 29 and 88-yards from wideout Dexter Manley (3 receptions, 126 yards, 3 TDs) to take a 14-7 halftime lead.

Bowie State quickly seized momentum on their first possession of the third quarter. Following a 29-yard kickoff return by Clifton Budd, tailback Isaac Redman broke loose for a 56-yard touchdown run on the Bulldogs' second play of the quarter. Kicker Michael Gagne misfired on the PAT and BSU trailed 14-13. Bowie State's defense held the Vikings scoreless and intercepted quarterback Curtis Rich twice in the third quarter but was unable to generate any points from the turnovers.

The Bulldogs would take their first lead of the day with 13:31 to play in the fourth quarter when quarterback Jason Scott ran it in from two yards out. Isaac Redman added the two-point conversion to give BSU a 21-14 lead. After forcing the Vikings to punt on their next possession, Bowie State went to their aerial attack to gain big chunks of yardage. First, Scott connected with Dean Boateng for a 44-yard reception that moved the ball down to the ECSU 39-yard line.  Three plays later, Scott hooked up with Anthony Howe on a 40-yard touchdown pass.  Gagne added the PAT as the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 28-14 with just under nine minutes remaining in the game.

The Vikings' rally would begin when BSU's Tariq Jones fumbled the ball, which was then recovered by ECSU's Chris Osborne at the Bowie State 32-yard line.  Six plays later, Rich connected with Manley on his third touchdown of the day, a 9-yarder that cut Bowie's lead to 28-21.

Trailing by a touchdown, the Vikings gambled and successfully completed an onside kick that they recovered at their 40-yard line. They needed only six plays to score as Cedric Blacknall capped the 60-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to trim the lead to 28-27.  Trailing by one, the Vikings lined up to kick the game-tying PAT. But instead, holder Reggie Smith took the snap and ran it in for two points and a 29-28 ECSU lead with 3:05 left in the game. 

Bowie State would get two more shots at the win when ECSU's ensuing kickoff sailed out of bounds giving the Bulldogs the ball at their own 40-yard line. BSU used eight plays to move the ball down to the Vikings' 23-yard line where Gagne lined up for a game-winning 40-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the contest. The kicked sailed wide right for an apparent Vikings' win. But ECSU was flagged for an off sides penalty and Gagne got one more attempt from 5 yards closer but misfired on that one as well as the Vikings held on for the one point win that solidified their hold on first place in the Eastern Division.

In other conference action...Chowan rolled up 416 yards of offense as the Braves posted their first ever win in CIAA conference play with a 41-20 victory over Livingstone yesterday in Murfreesboro, NC.

Conference Scoreboard

CHOWAN                               41                    LIVINGSTONE           20
ELIZABETH CITY ST.            29                    BOWIE STATE            28                              
J.C. SMITH                            19                    ST. AUGUSTINE'S      13
VIRGINIA STATE                  25                    SAINT PAUL'S              7
VIRGINIA UNION                 68                    LINCOLN                      6

* FAYETTEVILLE @ SHAW  Sunday October 12, 2008    

* Games vs. Lincoln from 9/20-11/1 will count towards conference standings.

Games This Week:

October