Box Score DURHAM, N.C. – Winston-Salem State’s Will Johnson (High Point, N.C.) kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired to defeat Bowie State 17-14 in the CIAA Football Championship game on Saturday afternoon.
“This was tough loss for us today, but hopefully we’ll get a chance to see these seniors play more games this year”, said a somber Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson.
Bowie State lit up the Durham County Stadium scoreboard first when freshman quarterback Nyema Washington (Forestville, Md.) pounded in from one yard out at the 14:56 mark of the second quarter. The Christopher Palmer extra point gave the Bulldogs the 7-0 lead. Bowie State used 6:38 on a 20-play, 86 yard drive.
The Bulldogs went up 14-0 at the 1:19 mark of the second quarter on a Washington to sophomore Kerrick Pollock (Miami, Fla.) 64-yard bomb.
Winston-Salem finally got on the board with 8.2 seconds remaining before halftime on a 4-yard run by Tyree Massey (Bunnlevel, N.C.). Will Johnson (High Point, N.C.) to trim the Rams deficit to 14-7.
The Rams tied the game at 14-all at the 8:38 mark of the fourth quarter on a 20-yard pass and catch from Rod Tinsley (Charlotte, N.C.) to Reggie Wilkins (Shelby, N.C.).
The Bulldogs were led on offense by Washington with 209 passing yards, completing 19-of-34 and one touchdown but sacked six times. Graduate student Kendall Jefferson (Temple Hills, Md.) rushed for a team-high 62 yards on 18 carries and sophomore Kerrick Pollock (Miami, Fla.) was Bowie State’s top receiver with 97 yards on five receptions.
Junior Sean Copeland (Baltimore, Md.) paced the Bowie State defense with eight tackles (7 solo and 1 assisted) and senior Brian Hall (Capitol Heights, Md.) contributed seven tackles. Juniors Joshua Davis-Stokes (Baltimore, Md.) and Heleaince Gates (Philadelphia, Pa.) tallied six tackles each.
Tinsley led the Winston-Salem State offense with 175 passing yards, completing 15-of-27 and one touchdown while Massey led the Rams on the ground with 69 rushing yards. Rashan Williams (Carson, Calif.) was the Rams’ top receiver with 102 yards on five catches.
Defensively, the Rams were led by Kyrell Williamson (Kannapolis, N.C.) with eight tackles while Phillip Williamson (Durham, N.C.) along with Vernon Brandon (Raeford, N.C.) recorded seven tackles respectively.
Bowie State entered the game ranked second in the Super Region I Poll and will now await Sunday’s (11/15) 5 p.m. NCAA Playoff Field announcement.
