LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. — Lincoln pieced together two fourth quarter scores, but Virginia State staved off the flurry with its own big plays for a 34-14 win Saturday at Avon Grove High School in West Grove, Pa.
Lincoln scored on a one-yard quarterback keeper by Laquan Williams (Philadelphia, PA, Bartram) to cut the deficit to 13-7 with 13:19 remaining, marking the first LU points in six meetings with the Trojans.
The Trojans and the Lions traded three-and-outs, and Lions were positioned for another big defensive stop, but on third and nine, wide receiver Corey Young took a screen pass, and with some blocks, cashed in for 75-yard touchdown with 9:36 to go.
On Lincoln's ensuing possession, Shawn Bethea (Piscataway, NJ) delivered what may have been the LU play of the year. Williams' pass sailed deep down the visitor sideline but was picked off by Howard Spencer, but Bethea stripped Spencer as the defensive back reeled in the pick and cradled the ball in a fluid motion, ripping it from the defender's hands.
The effort went for naught two players later when Alfred Ngauja jumped a comeback pattern along the home sideline. After a couple of nifty spins and broken tackles, he had a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 27-7 lead.
Williams, though, refused to be rattled and showed resiliency not found in most true freshmen. As the Lions have done all year, they continued to fight.
Williams turned to senior Trey Thomas (Canton, GA, Woodstock) twice for a first down to the Lincoln 48. Later in the drive, Thomas caught a 13-yard pass to set up Lincoln at the Virginia State 38. Matthew Coston (Brooklyn, NY, Dover) then took a wide receiver screen 17 yards. Sophomore back D'Ante Smith (Bowie. MD, Riverdale Baptist) made several cuts and beat a defender to the pylon for a 20-yard touchdown run for a 34-14 game with 5:01. The drive took eight plays and went 63 yards. Smith led LU with 48 rushing yards.
Virginia State, though, went on a scoring drive of its own when Rahoo Walker punched in a rush from four yards out with 2:04 to go. He eclipsed the century mark with 101 yards in the rainy affair.
The frantic fourth-quarter pace contrasted the strong defensive play that characterized the first three quarters. Virginia State led at halftime 10-0 on a 1-yard touchdown run by walker and a 42-yard field goal. The Trojans entered the fourth up 13-0 before Lincoln's offense began making plays midway through the third.
Williams hit Bethea for 21 yards on a second and seven from the Lincoln 38 and immediately found Thomas for a 26-yard gain. In all, Thomas, one of nine seniors recognized on Senior Day prior to the game, caught six passes for 66 yards to lead the Lions.
After a 10-yard pass to Anthony Wilson (Philadelphia, PA, George Washington), Lincoln was inside the VSU 10. Williams finished the game 14 of 32 for 131 yards and two interceptions against the nation's No. 2 passing defense. The Lions moved the ball inside the one, but VSU held on fourth down.
The drive failed to yield points, but it shifted the field position tremendously. The Lions defense snuffed out three VSU runs to force the Trojans to punt from inside their own end zone, giving Williams and the offense the short field that resulted in Lincoln's first score on the quarterback sneak.
Brandon McElwee (Gloucester City, NJ, Gloucester City Junior and Senior) led the defensive effort with 13 tackles, but he also had 2.5 tackles for loss, including takedowns in the fourth quarter that allowed Lincoln to get the offense on the field and score points. Gerald Foster (P.G. County, MD, Oxon Hill) had a season-high 10 stops.
Lincoln concludes the 2009 season with a tilt against St. Paul's College Saturday in Lawrenceville, Va.
— LU —
