WEST GROVE, PA. (September 27, 2008) – Sophomore linebacker and environmental science major Brandon McElwee (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City Junior and Senior HS) (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester City) had a game and career high 16 tackles, but it wasn't enough as the Livingstone College football team ended a 19-game losing streak by defeating Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, 27-10, at soggy Avon Grove High School Saturday afternoon. (BOXSCORE)
Playing in a steady light rain, the Blue Bears (1-4) turned two of Lincoln's five turnovers into touchdowns to earn their first victory since a 7-3 decision over Bowie State on September 23, 2006. Lincoln (1-4) fell despite outgaining Livingstone College, 245-225 and having 11 plays go for 10 or more yards.
Lincoln sophomore wide receiver and physical education major Trey Thomas (Canton, GA/Woodstock) (Woodstock, GA/Canton) finished with nine catches for a game-high 125 yards. One of his catches was a 12-yard touchdown reception with 13 minutes, 16 seconds remaining in the second quarter that pulled Lincoln to within, 14-10.
Lincoln quarterback and physical education major Kareem Dennis (Philadelphia, PA/Lincoln) (Philadelphia, PA/Abraham Lincoln) completed 12 passes for 149 yards. Freshman running back and business management major D'Ante Smith (Bowie. Md./Riverdale Baptist HS) (Bowie, MD/Riverdale Baptist) had a 47-yard kickoff return late in the first quarter. Overall, Smith finished with 131 all-purpose yards.
Lincoln freshman kicker Michael Marchand (Oxford, PA/Oxford Area) (Oxford, PA/Oxford Area) connected on a 20-yard field goal with 7:44 remaining in the first quarter that pulled Lincoln to within, 7-3. It was Lincoln's first field goal of the season.
Defensively for the Lions, and business major Bruce-Lee Sterile (Miami, FL/North Miami Beach Senior) finished with 13 tackles. McElwee and defensive lineman and criminal justice major Joseph Billups (Philadelphia, PA/Glen Mills) (Philadelphia, PA/Glen Mills) recorded Lincoln's only sacks of the game. Overall, Lincoln finished with 10 tackles for losses and four quarterback hurries. Freshman Gerald Foster (Temple Hills, MD) had nine tackles for Lincoln.
Livingstone was paced by senior running back Rashaad Flucker, who gained a game-high 150 yards on 25 carries. Flucker got Livingstone going early in the game as he handled on the ball on six of the Blue Bears' first eight plays from scrimmage. The Blue Bears scored 95 seconds into the game on their fourth play, a 7-yard touchdown run by Steven Williams.
The Blue Bears answered Marchand's field goal with a six play, 61-yard drive that ended with Kerry Hammock catching a 24-yard touchdown pass with 4:42 remaining in the opening period.
The game turned on a pair of big plays in the second quarter. First, the Blue Bears recovered a fumble at the Lincoln 40-yard line that turned that into Williams' second score of the game, a 1-yard run for a 20-10 advantage. Then, the Lions saw a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown by freshman defensive back and mass communications major Anthony Bell (Atlanta, GA/Lithonia) (Atlanta, GA/Lithonia) negated by a defensive holding penalty.
Defensively, Robert Massey led the Blue Bears with 12 tackles. He also recovered a fumble in the end zone with 7:49 remaining in the third quarter for the final points of the game. Livingstone's Devonta Harmon had two interceptions. Matthew Shipman and Ronald McCauley had eight tackles each for the Blue Bears.
Lincoln returns to action next week when it travels to Bowie State University for the Fifth Annual Prince George's Classic beginning at 1:00 p.m. Livingstone meets neighbor Johnson C. Smith in the annual Commemorative Classic at 2:00 p.m.
--LU--
