RAMS CONTINUE TO ROLL WITH BIG WIN OVER NCCU

CIAA Football Week in Review
For the week ending September 11, 2010, (Week 3)

RAMS CONTINUE TO ROLL WITH BIG WIN OVER NCCU

DURHAM, NC-For the second week in a row, Winston-Salem State hit the road to do battle with a longstanding state rival from the Division I FCS Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Different week, same outcome as the Rams traveled to Durham and pulled out a thrilling 34-27 win over the North Carolina Central Eagles.
 
Sophomore quarterback Kameron Smith passed for 294 and five touchdowns, including a 31-yarder to Tehvyn Brantley that put the Rams ahead for good with 1:34 left in the game as the Rams improved to 3-0 for the first time since 1991.
 
Playing in front of a raucous crowd of over 9,000 at NCCU’s O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium, Winston-Salem State jumped out to an early lead to quiet the partisan crowd. After a scoreless first quarter, Smith, a transfer from the Naval Academy, found his rhythm in the second quarter connecting on 5 of 7 passes for 107 yards and TD tosses to Tyrone Gholston and Brantley, as the Rams took a 14-0 lead. The Eagles would avoid a first half shutout when Frankie Cardelle kicked a 20-yard field goal with :23 seconds left in the second quarter to make the score 14-3 at the half.
 
Cardelle would add another field goal in the third quarter as the Eagles trimmed the lead to 14-6.  The Rams would stretch the lead again on their next possession when Smith hooked up with Dominique Fitzgerald on a 50-yard catch and run for a score. Landon Thayer’s PAT was blocked and the Rams led 20-6 with 4:15 left in the third quarter. In danger of being embarrassed on their home field, the Eagles quickly responded as the aptly named Arthur Goforth took the ensuing kickoff and raced 97 yards for a touchdown to cut the Rams’ lead to 20-13.
 
Energized by Goforth’s electric return, North Carolina Central seized the momentum and tied the game up on the first play of the fourth quarter, as Tim Shankle scored from one yard out to cap a 5-play, 66-yard drive and knot the game at 20-20.  Winston-Salem State was forced into a three and out on their next possession. A 52-yard punt by Thayer
that was downed at the NCCU 7-yard meant that the Eagles would have to march 93-yards to pay dirt. It took them one play, as running back Tony McCord broke loose for a 93-yard touchdown. Cardelle added the PAT and North Carolina Central had their first lead of the day at 27-20 with 12:09 left in the game. The Rams would draw even again when Smith hooked up with Gholston on a short touchdown pass to tie the game at 27-27 with a little over eight minutes left to play.
 
Following a Winston-Salem State punt, NCCU got the ball back at their 42-yard line with 5:38 left and the game tied. Relying almost exclusively on the running of Tim Shankle, the Eagles moved the ball down to the WSSU 33-yard line and into range for a go ahead field goal attempt. On the next play, quarterback Michael Johnson attempted a pass to the end zone that was picked off by the Rams’ Rashaun Jones and downed for a touchback.  The Rams would only need three plays to take the lead for good. Following an incomplete pass on first down, tailback Nic Cooper (14 carries, 88 yards) would get loose for a 49-yard gain down to the NCCU 31-yard line. On the next play Smith found Brantley (6 catches, 166 yards, 2 TDs) for the go ahead score to shock the Eagle faithful and notch their second win over a MEAC opponent this season.

Conference Scoreboard

September’s Upcoming Games: