Nov. 17, 2007
Final Stats
NORFOLK, VA - One yard short. That is exactly the deficit that the Rams were unable to make up on Saturday afternoon at Norfolk State as WSSU's bid for a new set of downs with under a minute to play and down by three points deep in Spartan territory ended WSSU's season with a 23-20 loss to Norfolk State University in Division I-FCS collegiate football action.
The first half of play lacked for nothing as the fans in attendance were witness to a blocked extra point, a defensive point after touchdown return, a blocked punt, and a trio of lead changes as the Rams and Spartans combined for nearly 400 yards of total offense and 29 points during the contest's first 30 minutes of play.
For the sixth time this season the Rams allowed their opponent to score first as Norfolk State's Daryl Jones found the endzone from one yard out at the 4:43 mark of the first half as the Spartans capped an 11-play, 46-yard drive with a score for an early 7-0 lead.
It would take the Rams eight minutes to answer the Norfolk State challenge as fifth-year senior quarterback Monte Purvis (Winston-Salem, NC), playing his last game as a Ram, found Bryant Bayne (Rocky Mount, NC) in the back of the endzone for a 34-yard touchdown, Purvis' eighth passing touchdown of the season.
As the Rams attempted to tie the score at 7-7 with a routine extra point, the game would get interesting when Terrell Whitehead returned the blocked PAT 83 yards for a defensive point after touchdown en route to a 9-6 lead for the Spartans.
WSSU refused to allow a three-point swing affect their offensive momentum as Monte Purvis and the Rams took the lead from the Spartans only 54 seconds later when Purvis scored his team-leading 10th rushing touchdown of the year from 12 yards out to give WSSU a 13-9 lead following a Matt Mitchell (Belmont, NC) extra point.
The Spartans wasted no time in showing why they sat atop the MEAC standings for 10 weeks as they were able to capitalize on a WSSU special teams mistake with under one minute to play in the half as they handed punter Jamaine Mack (Sumpter, SC) and the Rams their first blocked punt of the season.
NSU turned the blocked punt into a 15-yard touchdown pass from Casey Hansen to Jamar Johnson as the Spartans retook the lead at 16-13 headed into the locker room at halftime.
Another Johnson touchdown reception, a 21-yard strike, increased the NSU cushion to 10 points at the 5:05 mark of the third quarter as NSU strung together a 10-play, 69-yard scoring drive on their second possession of the second half.
As they have done all season, the Rams would respond as WSSU defensive end and NFL prospect William Hayes scored his second career touchdown as he returned a Keith Newton-forced NSU fumble 24 yards for a touchdown to trim the Spartans lead to a manageable three points, at 23-20, as the third quarter came to a close.
The Rams defense, a stalwart for the entire season, held their ground over the contest's final quarter as they did not surrender a score in the final 15 minutes of play as they gave the WSSU offense a chance to regain the lead and earn a victory.
Offensively the Rams would become stagnant as WSSU was unable to record a score on their final four possessions of the quarter as Monte Purvis was able to gain only nine yards on a fourth down and ten yards to go situation with less than one minute to play in the contest sealed WSSU's fate and saddled the Rams with the 23-20 loss.
"These young men fought hard for us all year. Obviously you don't like to finish games this way when you believe that you should have won, but these young men really played their hearts out this season and I, and my staff, are extremely proud of them" WSSU head coach Kermit Blount said in the loss.
The Rams close the season with a 6-5 overall record as Winston-Salem State records their first winning season since making the transition to Division I three seasons ago.
For additional information on WSSU football, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at www.WSURAMS.com.
