The #7 ranked Winston-Salem State University Rams used a punishing rushing attack and scored 34 unanswered points to defeat the UNC-Pembroke Braves, 34-7 on a cold and blustery afternoon at Grace. P. Johnson Stadium on the UNCP campus.
With the win, the WWSSU Rams move to 10-0 overall, 7-0 in the CIAA. This is the first undefeated regular season for Winston-Salem State, since the 1978 season led by head coach William “Bill” Hayes, current Director of Athletics. The win virtually cemented WSSU a playoff bid in this year’s NCAA DII Playoffs.
With the loss the UNC-Pembroke Braves fall to 7-3 overall.
UNC-Pembroke broke into the scoring column first, going on a 12 play, 91-yard drive that was capped off with a Luke Charles to Jamelle Banks five yard pass and catch, putting the Braves up 7-0. That was just WSSU’s second deficit of the season.
Winston-Salem State would answer back with an eight pay 47 yard drive that was capped off with a Maurice Lewis 11 yard run for a score, tying the game at 7-7 .
The Rams would force a punt on UNCP’s next possession and would embark on a 72 yard, 18 play drive, emptying nearly eight minutes off the clock. Nicholas Cooper would find the endzone, giving the Rams their first lead of the afternoon, 14-7.
After forcing UNC-Pembroke to punt after holding the Braves to a 3-and-out, WSSU would punch it in once again, this time 1:26 later, when Kameron Smith would find Tehvyn Brantley for a 10 yard score with 11 seconds left before halftime, pushing the score to 20-7. The PAT attempt was blocked ending freshman Alejandro Suarez’s perfect streak at 46.
After the intermission, WSSU would find paydirt two more times in the third quarter. A Kameron Smith to Jerry Chandler 13 yard scoring strike with 3:33 left in the period, and shortly after Smith would hook up with Brandon Akinbiyi from nine yards out to push the lead to the final score of 35-7.
The Rams ground attack racked up 278 rushing yards, as they finished the contest with 435 yards of total offense. UNC-Pembroke finished with 262 yards of offense. Read the Full Article at WSSU
