THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510190202
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 30 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
There were plenty of happy faces on the sidelines last Saturday in Roebuck Stadium. As the Elizabeth City State University football team was putting a hurting on Bowie State, the offensive players on the bench shouted to the defense to preserve the shutout.
And they would have had it, too, if not for a bum touchdown call by the referees.
The Vikings still won the game, 43-7, and in the process set up a CIAA title game against Virginia State which was scheduled to be played yesterday (Saturday). ECSU coaches and players called the game one of the biggest in the school's history.
``This might be the biggest game in ECSU's history,'' running back Aaron Murchison said. ``These guys have been really pumped up. They wanted this game three weeks ago.''
George Moody, ECSU head coach and a former head coach at Virginia State, thought it ironic that the Vikings were to play the Trojans for the CIAA title.
Elizabeth City State University's running backs took turns scoring and Aaron Murchison, running through gaping holes, rushed for 160 yards to lead the potent Vikings' offense.
ECSU took command of the game early, scoring on its first two possessions. Murchison led off the scoring with a six-yard touchdown run with 11:24 gone in the game. Wilton Evans missed the extra point and the lead held at 6-0.
On the Vikings' next drive, Malcolm Mackey scored from three yards out after recovering a fumble by Kenny Crump with 2:41 to play in the first quarter. The Vikings' lead stood at 12-0 when Evans missed the extra point kick.
ECSU took a 20-0 halftime lead when Crump ran it in from one yard out and Mackey ran in the two-point conversion with 6:19 to play in the half. The drive was highlighted by a 39-yard run by Murchison, an 18-yard pass play from Crump to Lamont Avent, and a 15-yard run by Avent.
The Vikings upped the lead to 28-0 on their second possession of the second half on a six-yard run by Abe Jones and a two-point run by Murchison. Mackey scored again for the Vikings on a four-yard run with 6:55 to play in the third quarter. The three-play drive was set up by a fumble recovery by ECSU's Derrick Wikes.
Bowie scored its lone touchdown with 58 seconds to play in the game when backup quarterback Delmar Glanton hit Thomas Destry with a 45-yard touchdown pass. It appeared that Destry dropped the pass in the end zone, but the officials still signaled for a touchdown.
The Vikings added insult to injury when Montez Wilson threw a touchdown pass to Collier Mullins on a halfback option with seconds to play.
Bowie, turnover-ridden in the steady rain, lost fumbles on the ECSU 23 in the second quarter and lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. The ECSU defense held the Bulldogs to just 67 yards of offense in the first half.
``We spent a lot of time on defense this week, going over each and every thing,'' Moody said.
Moody said the team's preseason goals have nearly been met.
``Our goals were to win eight games and in addition to be near the top of the standings so we would have a possibility for the championship,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Aaron Murchison
Kenny Crump
Abe Jones
by CNB