SMITH SHINES IN BEARS' WIN IN CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH

CIAA Football Week in Review
For the week ending August 29, 2009, (Week 1) 

SMITH SHINES IN BEARS' WIN IN CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH

RALEIGH, NC-Defensive back Quintez Smith returned three interceptions for touchdowns, including two in the decisive  fourth quarter, as the Shaw University Bears used huge plays from its defense to blow open a close game and down Elizabeth City State 54-30 in a rematch of last year's CIAA Championship game.

With the game tied at 24 after three quarters, the Bears outscored the Vikings 30-6 over the game's final 15 minutes to win.  Following a 47-yard touchdown run by ECSU's Daronte McNeill, that put the Vikings ahead 30-27 with a thirteen minutes left in the game, Shaw's defense converted interceptions into touchdowns on three successive possessions in an eight minute span to put the game away. Smith scored on interception returns of 70 and 34-yards and Miguel Johnson returned a pick 63 yards for a score as the defending CIAA Champion Bears won their season opener.

The Vikings won most of the statistical battles over the defending champs, racking up 488 yards of total offense to the Bears' 321. ECSU also dominated time of possession 36:56 to 23:04 and got big plays from its special teams, including a punt return and a kickoff return for touchdowns, but was ultimately done in by the four interceptions and Smith's (who also returned a 90-yard interception for a score in the 1^st quarter) stellar play.

Conference Scoreboard

BOWIE STATE                      27                    SLIPPERY ROCK                  31
CHOWAN                              21                    ALBANY STATE                    36       
FAYETTEVILLE ST.               34                    UNC-PEMBROKE                  41  2OT
JOHNSON C. SMITH             39                    WEST VIRGINIA TECH        49
SAINT AUGUSTINE'S              7                    CATAWBA                            25
SHAW                                    54                    ELIZABETH CITY ST.           30                   
VA. UNION                               6                    EAST STROUDSBURG         19
VIRGINIA STATE                   37                    LIVINGSTONE                       7  

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
2009 Football Standings
Through games of August 29, 2009 

                                 
CIAA EAST

                                                Div/Conf                                 Overall
----                                          W        L         PCT                W        L         PCT
Virginia State                         0          0          0.000              1          0          1.000
Saint Paul's                            0          0          0.000              0          0          0.000
Bowie State                            0          0          0.000              0          1          0.000
Elizabeth City State                0          0          0.000              0          1          0.000
Virginia Union                         0          0          0.000              0          1          0.000

                                                CIAA West

----                                          W        L         PCT                W        L         PCT
Shaw                                      0          0          0.000              1          0          1.000 Chowan                                  0          0          0.000              0          1          0.000 
Fayetteville State                  0          0          0.000              0           1         0.000
Johnson C. Smith                   0          0          0.000              0          1          0.000
Livingstone                            0          0          0.000              0          1          0.000
Saint Augustine's                   0          0          0.000              0          1          0.000