™ FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2011 WINSTON-SAL EM STA TE IN D2 QUARTERS; PIONEER BOWL ON TAP; MEAC HONORS COOPER: Big running back Nicholas Cooper (9) will carry Winston-Salem State's hopes of reaching Div. II national semifinals. WSSU Sports Photo WSSU RAMS MARCH ON F O O T B A L L T H I S W E E K SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 Pioneer Bowl XIII Johnson C. Smith vs. Miles in Columbus, GA 1p NCAA DIV II PLAYOFFS - SECOND ROUND New Haven vs. W-Salem State in W-Salem, NC 12n FCS - First Round Old Dominion 35, Norfolk State 18 MEAC champion Norfolk State scored on its first play from scrimmage but then surrendered 35 straight points on five touchdown passes from freshman QB Taylor Heinicke to fall to Old Dominion in a first round FCS playoff game in Norfolk, Va. Saturday. NSU QBChris Walleyhit Derrick Demps on a 96-yard pass play to put the Spartans (9-3) on the board early. Old Dominion would answer on the ensuing drive going 85 yards in seven plays to tie the game at 7. An interception of a Walle y first-quarter pass led to the second TD for the Monarchs (10-2) to go up 14-7. A second Walley interception at the end of the first quarter led to ODU's third score, a 24-yard pass from Heinicke to put the Monarchs up 21-7 early in the second quarter. A blocked Ryan Estep field goal attempt led to ODU's next score, a 2-yard Heinicke scoring toss midway thru the third quarter. Their final TD came at the end of a 6-play, 69-yard drive as Heinicke connected from 18 yards out. NSU would add a fourth-quarter field goal by Erik Goldberg and a Walley TD pass to Victor Hairston with 3:16 left. Walle y finished 28 of 43 for 363 passing yards with two TDs and the two costly picks. He was sacked twice. The NSU rushing attack was held to 43 yards on 28 carries. NCAA Div. II - 2nd Round Super Region I Winston-Salem State 35, California (Pa.) 28 Undefeated CIAAchamp Winston-Salem State picked off California (Pa.) QB Peter Lalich three times and converted those turnovers into touchdowns to lead 35-14 and that lead stood up as they held on to knock off the Vulcans (10-3). The Rams (12-0), th e No. 1 team in Super Region I, got 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns from star running back Nicholas Cooper and two touchdown passes and 267 passing yards from QB Kameron Smith (20-33-1) in the win, the first for a CIAA school in the last ten trips to the playoffs. But it was the defense that created the scoring opportunities and stymied Cal when they mounted a late comeback. WSSU's Jonathan Setzer got the first pick of Lalich deep in Vulcan territory which led to Cooper's first TD, a 6-yard run with 10.42 left in the first period. Cal would come back to score two first-quarter TDs on long drives, the second after recovering a Smith fumble, to go up 14-7. The Rams drove right back down the field covering 83 yards in nine plays scoring on a 1-yard Cooper run. The PAT was blocked leaving the Rams trailing 14-13. Two plays after the kickoff, CJ Washington would step in front of a Lalich pass to again put the Rams in business. Smith hit Cedric Hickman at the end of the drive on a 6-yard scoring toss to put the Rams up 21-14. Smith later hit Jamal Williams with a 26-yard TD pass to give the Rams a 28-1 4 halftime lead. After the break, WSSU linebacker Antonio Gates got into the act, picking off Lalich and setting up Cooper's third TD on a 1-yard run. WSSU led 35-14 with 11:23 left in the third. Cal scored on two Lalich passes late in the third quarter, the second after another Smith fumble, to pull within 35-28 but the Rams' defense did not allow any more points, stopping the Vulcans on fourth down in WSSU territory and blocking a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. PLAYOFF GAME RECAPS WSSU advances in D2 playoffs FOOTBALL SCORES NCAA DIV. II PLAYOFFS - 2nd ROUND SUPER REGION I W-Salem State 35, California (Pa.) 28 FCS PLAYOFFS - 1st ROUND Old Dominion 35, Norfolk State 18 LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor Second-year Winston-Salem State head coach Connell Maynor said in August that the goal for his 2011 Rams football team was to go 15-0 and win the NCAA Div. II Football Championship. So far the Rams are on track. The undefeated Rams (12-0), the top ranked team in black college football and the No. 1 team in NCAA Div. II Super Region I, held off No. 5 California (Pa.) 35-28 (see related story) in a second round playoff game Saturday to advance to the region finals and national quarterfinals this Saturday. It had been 1993 since a CIAA team won an NCAA Div. II playoff game – a drought that had reached nine games before the Rams ended that drought on Saturday. The Rams will now host New Haven (11- 1), the No. 2 team in the region, who advanced with a 44-37 second round win over Kutztown. The winner of WSSU/New Haven will face the winner of the Delta State/North Greenville game in the national semifinals. Only four black college teams have reached the Div. II semifinals since the NCAA went to a playoff format to determine its champion in 1973 and all of the previous teams got that far in eight (8)-team playoff fields. The last black college team to reach the national semifinals (Final Four) was the 1986 Central State team of head coach Billy Joe. Joe's 1983 Marauders' team is also the only black college squad to reach the championship game losing to North Dakota State for the Div. II title. The 1979 Alabama A&M squad under head coach Ray Greene, then play- ing out of the SIAC, made it to the semifinals as did Winston-Salem State under then head coach Bill Hayes, now the WSSU athletic director, in 1978. Grambling, under legendary head coach Eddie Robinson, was the first to reach the semifinals in the first year of the championship playoffs, 1973. New Haven, who was the top ranked team in the region for much of the season, has a high- powered offense that is equal to the Rams. UNH averages 43.5 points per game while WSSU averages 43.0. SWAC Alabama State 30, Tuskegee 21 Grambling State 36, Southern 12 vs. CHAMPION SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TEAM RECORD 2011 Overall: 7-4 2011 SIAC: 5-2 2011 BCSP Ranking: NR All-Time vs. JCSU 0-0 Last Time vs. JCSU: NA Pioneer Bowls: 0-0 COACH'S RECORD Alma Mater: North Alabama ('94) Vs. JCSU: 0-0 At Miles: 7-4, .636 (1st year) Career Record: Same Head Coach REGINALD RUFFIN 2011 RESULTS MILES 7-4 9 ........Morehouse .... ... 47 L 13 ... Concordia-Selma....6 W 20....@ West Georgia ... .. 23 L 27 .....Albany State .... . 34 L 20 ........ Benedict ........14 W 19 ...@ Clark Atlanta ..16 W 45 ... Kentucky State ...24 W 37 ...........Lane .............3 W 9 ........@ Stillman. .......7 W 25 .....@ Tuskegee.... ..27 L 20.......Albany State ...... 17 W S A T U R D A Y , D E C . 3 , 2 0 1 1 - C O L U M B U S , G A . - M c C L U N G S T A D I U M - 1 P . M . P I O N E E R B O W L X I I I MILES GOLDEN BEARS (7-4) JOHNSON C. SMITH GOLDEN BULLS (5-5) (TIE) SOUTH DIVISION RUNNER-UP CENTRAL INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION TEAM RECORD 2011 Overall: 5-5 2011 CIAA South: 4-3 2011 BCSP Ranking: NR All-Time vs. Miles: 0-0 Last Time vs. Miles: NA Pioneer Bowls: 0-1 COACH'S RECORD Alma Mater: Savannah State ('94) Vs. MC: 0-0 At JCSU: 7-13, .350 (2nd year) Career Record: Same Head Coach STEVEN AYCOCK 2011 RESULTS JCSU 5-5 64 ......West Va. State ......27 W 35 .........@ Brevard ....... ...38 L 14 .......Virginia State .........7 W 7 ..........@ Davidson .........35 L 10 ...@ W-Salem State ....28 L 36 ...........@ Shaw...........27 W 26 ...... Virginia Union ......19 W 15 ..@ Saint Augustine's ..34 L 23 ....Fayetteville State ....44 L 31 .........Livingstone ....... ...0 W BCSP Notes Postseason MEAC football honors Norfolk State quarterback Chris Walley and North Carolina A&T State running back Mike Mayhew were selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's (MEAC) Co-Offensive Players of the Year and Bethune-Cookman lineman Ryan Davis earned the Defensive Player of the Yea r honor, as voted on by the MEAC head football coaches and sports information directors. Greg McGhee of Howard earned the Rookie of the Yea r award and Norfolk State lineman Blake Matthews was selected as the Offensive Lineman of the Year. Seven-year head coach Pete Adrian of Norfolk State was named the Coach of the Year. Adrian led the Spartans to its first-ever MEAC football title following a 9-2 overall finish and 7-1 mark in conference play. The Spartans earned the MEAC's automatic berth to the FCS playoffs. Mayhew led the MEAC in rushing with 231 carries for 1,120 yards and nine touchdowns. Walley led the MEAC in total passing yards (2,309), average yards per game (209.9), efficiency (148.5) and completions (211). He also led the conference in total offense averaging 235 yards in 11 games. Davis led the MEAC in sacks (12.0) and tackles for loss (21.5) and ranked in the top 10 nationally in both categories. McGhee led the Bison and was third in the MEAC in total offense averaging 197.5 yards per game. The rookie connected on 56-percent of his passes (182-321-5) with 1,7 84 total yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 starts. Matthews aided a powerful Spartan offense that accounted for 4,319 total yards including 1,843 yards on the ground. 2011 All-MEAC FIRST TEAM OFFENSE QB - Chris Walley;, r-Sr., NSU; RB - Isidore Jackson, r-So. , B-CU; RB - Mike Mayhew, Sr., NC A&T; TE - Lamont Bryant, Sr., MSU; WR - Willie Carter Sr., HOWARD; WR - Xavier Boyce, r-Jr., NSU; OL - Kendall Noble, r-Sr., NSU; OL - Steven Robinson r-Sr., FAMU; OL - Corey Gwinner, r-Sr., HOWARD; OL - Blake Matthews, r-Sr., NSU; C - Shelly Anthony, r-So., FAMU DEFENSE DL - Ryan Davis, Sr., B-CU; DL - Sackie Kerkulah, r-Sr., HOW; DL - Josh Turner r-Sr., NSU; DL - Pat Washington, r-Sr., SCSU; LB - Keith Pough, r-Jr., HOW; LB - Corwin Hammond, r-Sr., NSU; LB - Donovan Richard, r-Sr., SCSU; DB - John Ojo, Jr., FAMU; DB - Micah Pellerin, Sr., HAMPTON; DB - Justin Ferrell, Sr., NC A&T; DB - Dominique Ellis, r-Sr., SCSU; P - Branden Holdren, Jr., FAMU; P/K - Ryan Estep, r-Sr., NSU; RET - Edmond Baker, r-Jr., FAMU SECOND TEAM OFFENSE QB - Greg McGhee, Fr., HOWARD; RB - Asheton Jordan, Jr., SCSU; RB - Travis Davidson, Jr., MSU; TE - Joe Hawkins, Jr., NSU; WR - Wallace Miles, Sr., NCA&T; WR - Kevin Elliott, r-Sr., FAMU; OL - Alex Harper, r-Sr., NC A&T; OL - Terrance Hackney, So., B-CU; OL - Lawrence Brewer, Sr., MSU; OL - Branden Curry, r-Sr., FAMU; C - Natiel Curry, r-Sr., B-CU; DEFENSE DL - Joey Christine, Sr., NSU; DL - Corey Berry, r-Sr., HOW; DL - Ian Davidson, Sr., HAM; DL - Zackary Stewart, Sr., Joey Christine, Sr., MSU; LB - Reginald Sandilands, Sr., B-CU; LB - Delbert Tyler, So., HAM; LB - Ryan Lewis, Sr., B-CU; DB - Jean Fanor, r-Sr., B-CU; DB- Devonte Reynolds, r-Sr., NSU; DB - Christian Thompso n, Sr., SCSU; DB - Lenny Kelly, Sr., HOW; P - Jordan Stovall, Jr., HAM; PK - Trevor Scott, r-Sr., FAMU; RET - Geovonie Irvine, r-Jr., NCCU BLACK COLLEGE TEAMS IN DIV. II FOOTBALL SEMIFINALS 1986 (8 teams in playoff field) Head Coach CENTRAL STATE Billy Joe 1983 (8) CENTRAL STATE Billy Joe 1979 (8) ALABAMA A&M Ray Greene 1978 (8) WINSTON-SALEM STATE Bill Hayes 1973 (8) GRAMBLING Eddie Robinson SCHOOL.HEAD COACH YRS W L ALABAMA A&M Ray Green '79 1 1 1 George Pugh '89 1 0 1 ALBANY STATE Hampton Smith '93, 94, 95, 96, 97 5 1 5 Mike White '04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11 8 2 8 TOTAL 13 3 13 ALCORN STATE Marino Casem '74 1 0 1 BETHUNE-COOKMAN Andy Hinson 77' 1 0 1 UNH Charger quarterback Ryan Osiecki has thrown for 3,127 yards completing 67.3% of his passes (208 of 309) with 35 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. His favorite target, Josh Smart, has 45 receptions for 467 yards and 2 TDs but his most prolific receiver is Jason Thompson who has 39 catches for 995 yards and 14 TDs. Thompson had six receptions for 214 yards and four TDs of 43, 5, 44 and 64 yards in Saturday's win over Kutztown. WSSU faced another prolific passer last week in California's Peter Lalich. The Rams picked him off three times in their victory Saturday. The only other game on tap t his weekend is the 13th Pioneer Bowl in Columbus, Ga. pitting Johnson C. Smith of the CIAA against SIAC champion Miles in the only postseason bowl game involving black college teams. Both teams were selected by their respective conferences. Miles completed perhaps its most successful season ever under first-year head coach Reginald Ruffin. The Golden Bears, who were 3-8 a year ago and had only three winning seasons since 1963, won the SIAC West Division with a 5-2 conference record and then upset East division winner and defending conference champion AlbanyStatein the first-ever SIAC Championship Game (20-17). Miles is led by quarterback David Thomas (165 passing yards per game, 11 TDs) and running back Jordan Lewis (63 ypg., 7 TDs). JCSU, in its second year under head coach Steven Aycock, finished 5-5 overall and in a tie with Fayetteville State behind Winston-Salem State in the CIAA South Division with a 4-3 mark. The Golden Bulls feature freshman quarter- back Keahn Wallace, who led the CIAA in total offense at 264.7 yards per game. In its first year under returning head coach Doug Williams, Grambling State is going back to the SWAC Championship Game. The Tigers defeated Southern 36-12 at Saturday's Bayou Classic to claim the West Division title and spot opposite East Division champ Alabama A&M in the Dec. 10 title game at Legion Field in Birming- ham, Al. GRAMBLING Eddie Robinson '73 1 1 1 HAMPTON Fred Freeman '85 1 0 1 Joe Taylo r '92, 93 2 1 2 TOTAL 3 1 3 MOREHOUSE Rich Freeman '10 1 0 1 MORGAN STATE Clarence Thomas 79 1 0 1 NORFOLK STATE Willard Bailey '84 1 0 1 N.C. CENTRAL HISTORY OF BLACK COLLEGE TEAMS IN NCAA DIV. II FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS DIV ALL N. DIVISION W L W L Bowie State 0 0 3 1 Eliz. City State 0 0 3 1 Virginia Union 1 0 4 2 Lincoln 0 0 4 3 Chowan 0 0 2 4 CIAA CENTRAL INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 2 0 1 0 - 1 1 B L A C K C O L L E G E B A S K E T B A L L (Men's Standings and Weekly Honors thru 1 1/28) SIAC SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SWAC SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CONF ALL W L W L Alabama A&M 0 0 2 2 Southern 0 0 2 4 Prairie View A&M 0 0 2 5 Ark. Pine Bluff 0 0 1 4 CONF ALL W L W L South Carolina State 0 0 4 2 Norfolk State 0 0 4 2 N. Carolina A&T 0 0 4 3 NC Central 0 0 3 3 CONF ALL W L W L Fort Valley State 2 0 2 4 Kentucky State 3 1 3 1 Stillman 2 1 3 2 Albany State 2 1 2 4 MID EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEAC With a win Saturday vs. New Ha- ven, Winston-Salem State and head coach Connell Maynor join this elite group. Walley Mayhew Davis McGhee Matthews