Eagles Soar High Over Bison
WASHINGTON, DC – The North Carolina Central University Eagles (5-5 overall, 3-1 MEAC) made their trip to the Nation’s Capital look very easy!
They defeated the nefarious Howard Bison (2-8 overall, 1-4 MEAC) by the score of 45-27, in front of 10,000 people at William H. Greene Stadium, on the campus of Washington DC.
Howard struck first, thanks to a one-yard touchdown run by Junior Quarterback Quinton Williams – the Upper Marlboro, Maryland native, for a 7-0 lead at 11:37 in the 1st Quarter. The Eagles responded, thanks to a four-yard run by Sophomore Quarterback Davius Richard, to even it up at seven, with 8:34 in the 1st Quarter. Howard responded at the end of the 1st Quarter when Junior Runningback Ian Wheeler, rushed a touchodwn for eight yards, to make the Bison lead 14-7, with 4:24 remaining.
During the second quarter, it appeared that it would be a shootout. However, it wasn’t the case as NCCU dominated. Davius Richard ran for a touchdown, as they tied the score at 14, with 9:34. Jorden Freeman, the Redshirt Senior Runningback from Charlotte, NC, added points on the board, when he rushed for a 23-yard touchdown at 3:01, to make it 21-14. The quarter commenced when Sophomore Placekicker Adrian Olivo drilled a 24-yard field goal, for the Eagles to seize the lead at the Half, with the score of 24-14.
The Eagles opened up the third quarter, as Isaiah Totten – the Redshirt Senior runningback from Apex, NC, ran for a one-yard touchdown run, to inflate the lead, 30-14, with 10:01 remaining. Howard battled back, thanks to a Ian Wheeler 2-yard touchdown run at 6:40, where a field goal attempt was missed, as NCCU led 30-20, at 6:47. Then, Redshirt Sophomore Runningback Latrell Collier, scored a one-yard touchdown run for NCCU, as they ended the 3rd Quarter, with the score of 36-20.
Howard showed plenty of poise during the fourth quarter, as Senior Wideout Antoine Murray from Miramar, Florida, caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Junior Quarterback – Quinton Williams from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, at 1:04 remaining. Prior to this, NCCU put up their last points on the board at 12:25, when Latrell Collier ran a touchdown for 51 yards. Collier concluded the game with 115 rushing yards. He also led the team in touchdowns in this game, along with Davius Richard, where both of them had two touchdowns each.
North Carolina Central amassed 293 rushing yards to Howard’s 148. However, in the receiving side of things, the Howard Bison outgained the Eagles by 313-237.
Sophomore Defensive Back, JaJuan Hudson from Camden, NJ and Redshirt Senior, Noah Rainbow-Douglas, from Philadelphia, PA – led the Eagles with five tackles each, while for Howard, freshman linebacker, Terrance Hollon – from Cleveland, OH, led the Bison with seven.
NCCU’s next game is against Delaware State at 2PM, at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium on their campus. This will be Senior Day for the Eagles. On the other hand, Howard hosts Virginia-University at Lynchburg at 1PM, at Greene Stadium on their campus. Both teams will play their final games of the season next week.