Oct. 14, 2006
Final Stats
BOWIE, MD- The Elizabeth City State University Vikings held on to defeat Bowie State University 16-12 in front of a Homecoming crowd of 7,138 Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium.
ECSU has now matched the Viking team from the 1995 season with a 6-1 overall start. The Vikings now has sole possession of the CIAA Eastern Division with a perfect 4-0 record.
However the road to their sixth win of the season was not an easy one. The Vikings were clinging to their lead in the fourth quarter while the Bulldogs attempted to manufacture a game winning drive. In a drive began from that started on their own 25-yard line with 7:10 remaining, BSU marched all the way to the Viking 37 yard line before a holding penalty backed them up to the ECSU 47. On the very next play Bulldog quarterback Lamar Manigo called his own number, rushing to the Viking 33 yard line where he lost a fumble to ECSU's Lorinzo Lovely with 4:22 left to play. ECSU would milk the clock then punt the ball away to the Bulldogs with 8 ticks left. Manigo's desperation pass would be picked off by Justin Hamilton as time expired.
The Vikings' win came in spite of being held scoreless in the second half for the first time this season after going 3-3 in red zone chances in the first half. The Vikings did not advance the ball beyond the Bulldog 44 in the second half. ECSU's two touchdowns both came in the first quarter courtesy of a 2-yard run by Brandon Fields at the 5:42 mark and a 9-yard scoring pass from Curtis Rich, Jr. to Marvin Jackson with 2:36 to go in the first stanza. Kevin Dodson accounted for the Vikings' final points with a 33-yard filed goal at the 6:34 mark in the second quarter. Although they were dominated in the first half of play, the Bulldogs did avoid being shutout courtesy of a miscue by the Vikings. After a Manigo pass was intercepted by Justin Hamilton in the end zone, Shawn Dickerson was called for an illegal block on the return. Since the infraction occurred in the end zone the Bulldogs were granted a safety. In the third quarter Manigo connected with Anthony Green on a 24-yard scoring pass to pull the Bulldogs to within a touchdown. John Riley would add a field goal in the final quarter for the final point spread. The Bulldogs fall to 3-4 overall, 1-3 in the CIAA.
Rich finished the afternoon with 106 yards on 10-21 passing and a touchdown and he also carried the ball a season high 12 times for 38 yards. Brandon Fields passed the century mark for the second straight game with a season high 27 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown.
The Vikings return to Roebuck Stadium on Saturday, October 21, 2006 as they will play host Shaw University. Kickoff is slated for 1:30pm. For more information ECSU Athletics, visit www.ecsuvikings.com.
