VSU victory keeps Union alive

ETTRICK -- Virginia State and Virginia Union might be archrivals, but the Trojans became the Panthers' best friend yesterday.

Union had a chance to wrap up the CIAA's East Division title by beating Elizabeth City. The Panthers lost 21-13.

Union, though, got a reprieve when Virginia State refused to buckle on a goal line stand in the fourth quarter and later repulsed a two-point conversion attempt to hold off Bowie State 14-12.

Had Bowie won, the Bulldogs would have been the division champs. All the craziness left Union, Elizabeth City and Bowie State tied atop the East at 5-2.

Coin flips today will determine which of the three teams moves on to play West Division winner Fayetteville State for the CIAA championship Saturday in Durham, N.C.

If Union sends a thank-you gesture, VSU football coach Andrew Faison is accepting. "Make sure Elizabeth City sends us something, too," Faison said. "They all should send us something."

What the Trojans (4-3, 6-4) really would like is to be sent to the championship game. VSU beat three of the teams still in the mix for the title: Fayetteville State (25-20), Elizabeth City (23-10) and Bowie.

But it lost to Saint Augustine's and Saint Paul's -- teams that went into yesterday with three wins -- and then lost to Union 31-3.

"We should be there," said redshirt freshman linebacker Jamal Gourdine, who had a hand in several big plays. "But the ball is oval. It didn't bounce our way all the time."

Virginia State's goal yesterday was to send its seniors out with a win and to record its first winning season since going 6-4 in 2005. The Trojans used a fake punt on their second possession to set up Antwain Lyde's 20-yard TD run. Bowie got a 27-yard field goal at the end of the first half to make it 7-3.

Early in the second half, Gourdine knocked a punt out of the hands of Dominique Budd and recovered the fumble at the Bowie 4. Rahoo Walker scored from 2 yards out to make it 14-3 with 9:38 left.

From there, the Trojans went into survival mode. Bowie got a 29-yard field goal at the 4:31 mark of the third quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, Kyle Jackson intercepted a screen pass and returned it to the VSU 37.

The Bulldogs moved to the Trojans' 2 and had three cracks. The last two plays ended with pileups at the goal line. The officials marked the ball just barely outside the line each time.

Bowie, though, got another chance when a blocked punt gave the Bulldogs the ball on the VSU 14. They capitalized on Ramono Flowers' 2-yard TD with 2:49 left.

Bowie's attempt to tie the game failed when Andre Johnson's slant pass to Budd was broken up by Alfred Ngauja.

"We should have handled our business," said VSU sophomore defensive lineman James Pratt, who had 4.5 tackles and a sack. "We had stumbling blocks. . . . We knew we couldn't win the championship, but we figured we might as well spoil somebody's chances.

"This is our championship. We'll come back next year and try to build off this."

Bowie State ------------------------- 0 3 3 6 -- 12
Virginia State ------------------------- 7 0 7 0 -- 14

VSU Lyde 20 run (Parker kick)

BSU FG Gagne 27

VSU Walker 2 run (Parker kick)

BSU FG Gagne 29

BSU Flowers 2 run (pass failed)

RUSHING

Bowie State -- Flowers 20 carries, 186 yards, Webb 11-31, Reid 3-14, Redhead 2-9, Budd 5-7, Johnson 3-3. Virginia State -- Lyde 14-89, Walker 14-46, Berry 2-14, Onadipe 1-11, Battle 2minus-1.
PASSING

Bowie State -- Reid 9 completions, 14 attempts, 0 interceptions, 68 yards. Virginia State -- Battle 9-14-1-55.

RECEIVING

Bowie State -- Budd 5 catches, 37 yards, Green 1-20, Proctor 1-6, Flowers 1-4, Webb 1-1. Virginia State -- James 3-31, Berry 2-11, Young 2-5, Norcome 1-5, Walker 1-3.