Box Score
BOWIE, Md. —Bowie State delivered the necessary plays late, rallying from a double-digit deficit to defeat the Lincoln University football team, 24-18, at Bulldog Stadium. Rodney Webb's two-yard touchdown run with 12:56 remaining proved to be the game winner.
Lincoln scored the game's first 12 points before BSU's (4-4, 4-1 CIAA) defense demonstrated why it is No. 1 in the CIAA, limiting Lincoln to 207 yards of offense and just 129 yards following LU's opening score.
The game bore an eerie resemblance to last week's visit to Chowan as LU led big early but saw the Hawks inch their way back into the game. While coach O.J. Abanishe, in his third season of the resurrection of the football program, repeatedly says that the team does not take solace in moral victories, there is reason for optimism these last few weeks following a display of greater competitiveness.
In 2008, LU lost at Bowie State and in 2009, a 51-20 decision went to the Bulldogs. This year the Lions (1-6, 0-4 CIAA) not only tussled with a perennial conference power but had it on the ropes until Webb's go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
After forcing a Bulldog punt, on LU's first play from scrimmage, sophomore quarterback Laquan Williams (Philadelphia, Pa./John Bartram HS) (Philadelphia, Pa./John Bartram) faked a handoff to Gerald Swain (Burlington Township, N.J./Burlington Township HS) (Burlington, N.J./Burlington) and raced down the left sideline for a 42-yard gain. Later in the drive, junior back D'Ante Smith (Bowie. Md./Riverdale Baptist HS) (Bowie, Md./Riverdale Baptist), playing in his own Homecoming game of sorts as a Bowie native, not only converted a fourth-and-11 but scampered off tackle down the right seam 26 yards with 8:56 remaining in the opening quarter. It was his first rushing touchdown of 2010.
On Bowie State's ensuing drive and facing third-and-17, LU defensive end and reigning CIAA Defensive Player of the Week Timothy Green (Fanwood, N.J./Scotts-Plains-Fanwood), sacked dynamic quarterback Clifton Budd and forced a fumble, which he promptly fell on. The offense capitalized when Williams found Anthony Wilson (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington HS) (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington) while under pressure for a five-yard touchdown connection for a 12-0 LU lead.
Midway through the second quarter, LU appeared to deliver another dagger. Bowie State drove from its own 44 down to the Lincoln seven, but the Lions' defense stuffed Webb on third-and one, and on fourth-and-one, senior defensive back Jairon Bailey (Compton, Calif./Locke) (Los Angeles, Calif./Southwest C.C.) delivered a crushing blow on Webb, stopping him just shy of the marker to force the turnover on downs.
Bowie State, though, would catch a break. Lincoln could not move the football following the defensive stop, and punting out of its own end zone, a blocker was flagged for holding, resulting in a safety.
Given a short field on the free kick, Budd and the Bulldogs maneuvered down the field, thanks largely to a 42-yard grab by Gregory Jackson. Several plays later, Budd hit Douglas McNeil on a jump ball in the left corner of the end zone to cut the deficit to 12-9 with 3:51 to go before a halftime.
After halftime and an LU three-and-out, the Lions desperately needed a play, which Bailey again delivered. When he popped Tarik Jones, the ball squirted loose, and Bailey alertly recovered the football on the BSU 29-yard line.
Williams rushed twice for a combined 15 yards before trying to hit Matthew Coston (Queens, N.Y./Dover HS) (Queens, N.Y./Dover) in the end zone on a post pattern. Although the pass fell incomplete, the defender was called for pass interference and the ball was moved to the two. Williams kept it on the next play and muscled past the goal line for an 18-9 Lincoln edge.
Those would be Lincoln's last points.
Late in the third, Budd, who was contained for most of the day, broke left and found a hole and beat the defenders to the corner for a 20-yard touchdown rush with 6:50 left in the third, capitalizing on a short field aided by a Smith fumble to creep within 18-16. Then, after a Williams fumble set Bowie up at the LU 27, Budd scored from two yards out to give the Bulldogs their first lead at 24-18, a score that would hold up.
Although the lead dissipated over the final three quarters, the Lions played extremely well defensively. Brucelee Sterile (Miami, Fla./North Miami Beach HS) (Miami, Fla./Miami North Beach) led LU in tackles with 11, the third-straight game and 12th time in his career he recorded double-digit stops. Green finished with eight tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble. Bailey also had eight stops and a game-high 3.5 tackles for loss with a forced fumble and a recovery
Up Next
LU wraps up its four-consecutive road games with a 1:30 p.m. game against Virginia State next Saturday.
— LU —
