CIAA FOOTBALL KICKOFF WEEKEND!

"Celebrating 10 Years: The Return of the Original
Conference Championship Game"
The Championship Game - November 9

WEEK 1 - KICKOFF WEEKEND!

Hampton, VA - In 2000, the CIAA brought back its Championship Game after a ten-year hiatus. The Championship Game has been a great success and all-season long, the CIAA will celebrate the ten years since the reincarnation of the CIAA Football Championship. The 2009 CIAA Season kicks off Thursday with two exciting inter-conference matchups. First, Chowan will host Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) favorite Albany State in Murfreesboro. In the nightcap, Virginia Union will host East Stroudsburg out of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Opening weekend also has other intriguing inter-conference match-ups such as Catawba-St. Augustine's and UNC-Pembroke-Fayetteville State. However, none of those matchups are as intriguing as this week's Game of the Week!
 
GAME OF THE WEEK: ELIZABETH CITY STATE AT SHAW: A rematch of the 2008 Championship Game rightfully leads the schedule of opening weekend games. Shaw continued their two-year dominance in the conference after a 36-7 Championship Game victory over the Vikings. However, the teams that lined up on November 8 of last year will look markedly different. Gone from Shaw is two-time Defensive Player of the Year Louis Ellis, who signed with the Miami Dolphins. Also, the other top four tacklers from last year's defense were seniors. This season, the Bears will need to outscore opponents to win games...which should be no problem with much of their vaunted offense returning. QB Travis Robinson and preseason All-CIAA RB Raymond Williams return to lead an offense that averaged a scary 40 points per contest in 2008. ECSU looks to prove something to the Champs, but must do so without three-year starter and CIAA Offensive Player of the Year Curtis Rich. Creven Powell steps in for Rich. The Vikings return one of the nation's top receivers in WR Dexter Manley. The junior receiver snagged 11 touchdowns and averaged a whopping 26.2 yards per catch. This game does not count toward the conference standings.
(6:00 p.m. at Raleigh).
 
Players to watch: (Elizabeth City State: WR Dexter Manley; QB Creven Powell; DB Justin Hamilton).
(Shaw: QB Travis Robinson; RB Raymond Williams; DL Dwayne Moss).
 
UNC-PEMBROKE AT FAYETTEVILLE STATE: The CIAA favorites return a bevy of talent and look to return to the CIAA Championship Game after a five-year absence. First, however, is a brutal nonconference stretch that begins with UNC-Pembroke. The Braves return 19 starters from last year's 9-1 squad. This will be the first-ever meeting between the I-95 neighbors only 30 miles apart. FSU returns 17 starters led by all five starters on the offensive line. QB Ben Williams started in only five games but threw for 12 scores and only three interceptions. On defense, FSU returns eight starters including All-CIAA performers LB Marcos Esquivel and DB Jeff Gowdy. This is the inaugural Two Rivers Classic. (6:00 p.m. at Fayetteville).
 
Players to watch: (UNC-Pembroke: QB Cory Smith; LB J.T. McCoy; DB Caylon Hann). (Fayetteville State: QB Ben Williams; LB Marcos Esquivel; DB Jeff Gowdy).
 
CATAWBA AT ST. AUGUSTINE'S: Last season, the Falcons handed Catawba its first-ever loss to a CIAA School, 14-7. The Indians will be looking to exact revenge with a new signal-caller on deck, Cameron Sexton. The UNC transfer threw nine touchdowns for the Heels in 2008. This season, he looks to lead Catawba back to past glory after a subpar 6-4 season. St. Aug returns a strong corps with 16 starters coming back including potential stars on the DL Marcus Crump and Phillip Stevenson. The 6-6 Crump had seven sacks and Stevenson had 10 to lead the league. Also, nine starters return on offense led by QB Kris Brownlee. St. Aug was picked to finish fourth in the league behind FSU, Shaw and ECSU. This opening game contest should let the Falcons know where they stand in 2009.
(1:30 p.m. at Raleigh).
 
Players to watch: (Catawba: QB Cam Sexton: DL Marqus Davis; WR Bobby Morrison).
(St. Augustine's: DL Marcus Crump; DL Phillip Stevenson; QB Kris Brownlee).
 
EAST STROUDSBURG AT VIRGINIA UNION: Virginia Union begins the Mike Bailey era on Thursday. The VUU Athletic Director and former offensive coordinator will lead his troops against one of the PSAC's best in East Stroudsburg. VUU lost a hard fought battle at ESU last season 14-11. The Warriors will have to reload on offense with only three returning starters. Defensively, ESU will be led by All-America LB Matt Freed. The Panthers will begin the season without do-everything QB Lamar Little who graduated. In 2009, VUU will rely on its running attack and strong defense after years of depending on the Panther deep threat. Defensively, LB Hurley Hemphill and Stephen Johnson will look to stuff their opponents. All-CIAA RB Tarian Donaldson returns to lead the running attack.
(Thursday- 7:00 p.m. at Richmond).
 
Players to watch: (East Stroudsburg: LB Matt Freed; QB Matt Marshall; WR Sam Shuman).
(Virginia Union: LB Hurley Hemphill; LB Stephen Johnson; RB Tarian Donaldson).

 
ALBANY STATE AT CHOWAN: The Hawks begin their inaugural season as a full CIAA member with a bang...Perennial Division II Powerhouse Albany State. The Golden Rams are once again the SIAC favorites and return a strong defensive front led by DL Joshua Ingram. Chowan will counter with a strong returning offensive unit led by Preseason All-CIAA QB C.J. Westler. The senior signal caller led the CIAA with 21 touchdown passes. RB JJ Spates is the Hawks' leading rusher with 307 yards. Chowan will be led defensively by DL Greg Palmer who tallied five sacks in 2008.  The Hawks will look to improve on last year's 2-8 record.
(Thursday- 6:00 p.m. at Murfreesboro, NC)
 
Players to watch: (Albany State: DL Joshua Ingram; DB Mario Fuller; TE Larry Johnson). (Chowan: QB C.J. Westler; RB JJ Spates; DL Greg Palmer).
 
VIRGINIA STATE AT LIVINGSTONE: These two upstart programs look to improve on their 2008 finishes. The Trojans will look to improve on their 5-5 record and move to the top of the Eastern Division. VSU finished second in the East in '08. QB Leonard Johnson will lead the Trojans offensively. Johnson threw for eight scores last season and will have his favorite target WR Brian Berry returning (70 catches, 8 TDs). Livingstone finished 2008 with a 3-7 record and will look to move up the CIAA Western Division pecking order. This game does not count toward the conference standings.
(6:00 p.m. at Salisbury).
 
Players to watch: (Virginia State: QB Leonard Johnson; DL Brandon Fortune; WR Brian Berry).
(Livingstone: DB Devonta Harmon; WR Chris Peoples; QB Steven Williams).
 
WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN AT ST. PAUL'S: St. Paul's, much like VSU, looks to move to the front of the Eastern Division line this season. After a 5-5 season, the Tigers will build on their offensive experience with ten starters returning. All five starters return on the offensive line as well as QB Micah Brown.
(1:00 p.m. at South Hill, VA- Park View Senior HS).
 
Players to watch: (St. Paul's College: QB Micah Brown; DL Jarvis Stokes; WR/PR Emory Addison).
 
LINCOLN (PA) AT CHEYNEY: After just its third season of football in decades, the Lions look to continue to build and improve its football program. The Lions return an experienced group with 21 starters returning. This is a regional rivalry that is one of the oldest in black college football history.
(4:00 p.m. at Philadelphia, PA).
 
Players to watch: (Lincoln: WR Trey Thomas; LB Brucelee Sterile; OL Frank Lee).
 
 
BOWIE STATE AT SLIPPERY ROCK: This is the beginning of the Damon Wilson era at Bowie State. The BSU Alumnus returns to coach his alma mater and lead them back to the glory days of CIAA Championships. The cupboard is not empty for Wilson. The Bulldogs return 13 starters. All-CIAA LB Terence Peete leads a strong returning defense. Offensively, QB Andre Johnson and RB Rodney Webb lead a strong offensive unit.
(7:00 p.m. at Slippery Rock, PA).
 
Players to watch: (Bowie State: LB Terrence Peete; RB Rodney Webb; WR Anthony Green).

JOHNSON C. SMITH AT WEST VIRGINIA TECH: This will be the first game for new coach Steven Aycock at Johnson C. Smith. The new football chief looks to instill toughness in this Golden Bull squad. First things first, record-setting QB Carlton Richardson must be replaced. Aycock believes Ryan Carter will be up to the job, and he will have one of the best receivers in the country to support the air attack in Jeremy Franklin. The Florida receiver had nearly 1,000 yards in receiving and nine touchdowns to cap his second straight All-CIAA campaign. Carter will also have TE Markus Gray back as he averaged 19.4 yards per catch. Defensively, big DL Brandon Williams (6-2, 330) returns to anchor the defensive front. JCSU returns 20 starters and looks to build on its 3-7 record in 2008.
(1:30 p.m. at Montgomery, WV).

Players to watch: (QB Ryan Carter; WR Jeremy Franklin; DL Brandon Williams).