Sports

Shaw Bears Blast WSSU Rams on Senior Day

Thomas Tripp

RALEIGH, NC – The Shaw Bears (6-3 overall and 5-1 CIAA) keep winning and winning.

After trailing 14-10 at the Half over Winston-Salem State (3-5 overall, 3-3 CIAA), the Shaw Bears regroup during the Second Half, to emerge victorious by the score of 38-14.

Led by the rushing attack of Sidney Gibbs, who had 152 rushing yards and a touchdown, and the strong passing from Quarterback Torrin Campbell, who passed for 130 yards and three touchdowns, the Bears made sure not to let their fans go home disappointed during Senior Day.

After a quiet first quarter, the Bears first got on the board, when Freshman kicker, Devin Versteegen (Rolesville, NC), kicked a 20-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead in the 2nd Quarter, with 12:16 to go.

Shaw Junior Wideout Adrian Dangerfield from Jacksonville, NC, scored the first touchdown of the game in the second quarter when Redshirt Junior Quarterback Torrin Campbell (Toledo, Ohio) dished out a 15-yard pass to him with 8:44 to go, leading 10-0.

However, the Rams of Winston-Salem State refused to let up, thanks to Junior Quarterback Cameron Lewis’ (Atlanta, Georgia) 17-yard touchdown run, with 4:25 to go, trailing 10-7.

Thanks to some miscues by Shaw, the Rams were able to follow it up by another touchdown run by Lewis, this time for 11 yards, as the Rams led 14-10, with 2:14 left in the 2nd Quarter. This would be their Halftime lead.

On the Rams’ effort during the 1st Half, Coach Robert Massey (who was a 1992 Pro Bowler for the Phoenix Cardinals), commented, “Once we got field position, we were able to run and spread the ball and take the lead into halftime.” On the defense, he observed, “We’re doing a good job of stopping the run.” He added, “We have been very resilient since we’ve had the change. We can score against anybody and defensively, we’re pretty good. We feel confident, even if we’re down by a couple of points.”

However, the Rams’ lead wouldn’t last long. During 4:17 of the 3rd Quarter, Sophomore Runningback Sidney Gibbs (Black Mountain, NC), recorded a three-yard touchdown run, to put the Bears on the board, with the score of 17-14.

The Bears dominated the fourth quarter thanks to two touchdown passes by Torrin Campbell (one to Sophomore Wideout from Janesville, NC named Ah’Shaan Belcher for 9 yards during 10:35 and another to Senior Wideout from Rocky Mount, NC named Ty’Traveon Roberts for 14 yards during 3:01) and a two-yard run from the Sophomore Runningback from Baltimore, MD named Andre Brandon, Jr., during 7:39 remaining.

On Shaw’s performance, Gibbs commented, “When we started clicking on the offense, that’s when the game started changing up a bit. Shoutouts to the O-Line! We started putting together a bigger game as a unit and it paid off!”

On the Senior Day victory, Senior Defensive Back – Kevin Sherman from Powder Springs, GA (5 tackles and one interception), commented, “It was very good, especially for the Seniors. I knew Winston was going to come out here and give us they’re all. But, we kept fighting until the end!” He added, “We came out pretty slow, but we adjusted and came out strong until the end!”

Freshman kicker Devin Versteegen commented on the victory, “I think it was a great tribute to the Seniors. Overall, it was a pretty fun game.” On Winston-Salem State, he commented, “They’re a really good team and I like their pass game. We still came out on top and props to them!”

Next week, both teams will close out their regular season. Winston-Salem State travels down to Fayetteville, NC, to face CIAA South Division Rival and CIAA leader, Fayetteville State (6-1 overall, 5-1 CIAA) at Jeralds Stadium on the campus of Fayetteville State University, at 2 PM for Fayetteville State’s Senior Day. On the other hand, Shaw returns to the campus of Saint Augustine’s University – this time, as part of the road team, as they take on the Falcons of Saint Augustine’s University at 1 PM for the Raleigh Classic.