WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem (2-8, 2-6) lost to Fayetteville St. (7-3, 6-2) 23-17 on Saturday.
The Rams used a 10-play, 89-yard drive ending in a field goal to take a 17-7 lead in the third quarter, but the Broncos scored 16 points in the fourth quarter. WSSU completed 8 of 22 passes for 121 yards with three interceptions and was sacked nine times. Its defense forced three turnovers, including two interceptions, and blocked a field-goal attempt.
The Rams turned
Bryce Johnson's interception at the WSSU 25 with 13:15 left into the first quarter's only score, driving 49 yards in 12 plays before
Jamison Funderburk's 7-yard touchdown run and
Gilberto Lorenzana's PAT made it 7-0. Before the takeaway,
Mecca Carr-Bordeaux sacked Jamir Dismukes and WSSU stopped a short completion for a loss, leaving the Broncos in third-and-long. On the scoring march,
Brayden Jeffries converted with a 3-yard rush and completions to
Taron Biles-Walker and
Jayden Grimes as the Rams went 3-for-3 on third down in the quarter. After FSU returned the ensuing kickoff to the WSSU 36 and later reached the 3, the Rams kept the visitors out of the end zone, with
Zymiere Dempsey-Freeman intercepting Dismukes at the 1 after pressure from
Christopher McCorkle. Backed up at their 2, WSSU closed the quarter with a 17-yard Jeffries completion to Biles-Walker and a 12-yard Jeffries run, finishing the first quarter with a 7-0 lead.
WSSU's biggest swing of the second quarter came at 5:35, when Yetristan Brown blocked a 25-yard field-goal attempt and
Bryce Johnson returned the recovery 86 yards for a touchdown before
Gilberto Lorenzana's extra point made it 14-0. Earlier, Jeffries hit
Alex Wiley IV for an 11-yard first down, but the Rams' offense was slowed by sacks and turnovers, while the defense answered an early interception with a stop that included
Mecca Carr-Bordeaux's tackle for loss. FSU later drove inside the 10 before WSSU held firm, with Dempsey-Freeman and Brown breaking up passes ahead of the blocked kick. After the Broncos scored on a 35-yard interception return to make it 14-7,
Maurice Odom recovered a fumble to give the Rams a short-field chance, but another interception gave the ball back. WSSU closed the half with another defensive stand, as
Johnny Peake stopped a run for a loss and
Avir Johnson sacked Jamir Dismukes on the final play to preserve a 14-7 halftime lead.
The Rams produced the third quarter's only points on a 10-play, 89-yard drive from their own 1-yard line, capped by
Gilberto Lorenzana's 25-yard field goal with 1:55 left to push the lead to 17-7. Earlier,
Sean Walker Jr. returned the opening kickoff 13 yards to the WSSU 18, and the offense moved the chains on
Florentino Lopez's 3-yard completion to Walker before punting from its own 30. The defense gave up one first down on FSU's next possession, then answered with
Avir Johnson's sack and a third-down stop to force a punt that pinned the Rams at the 1. From there, Lopez hit Grimes for gains of 44 and 18 yards,
C'Quarhion Mitchell added a 20-yard run to the Broncos' 15, and Lorenzana finished the drive after WSSU reached the red zone. FSU crossed midfield on the final possession, but the quarter ended with the Rams holding a 17-7 lead.
The Broncos scored 16 fourth-quarter points while WSSU was held scoreless, closing the game with a 23-17 loss for the Rams. Earlier, the Rams' defense limited a red-zone series to John Hernandez-Vargas' 36-yard field goal after
Maurice Odom dropped Lorenzo Southern for a 7-yard loss, but WSSU's next possession started at its 11 after a penalty and ended with a punt. FSU later drove 38 yards for Jamir Dismukes' 10-yard touchdown pass to Southern, and the Rams followed with a three-and-out. Braylon Vinson's 11-yard touchdown run put the Broncos ahead 22-17 with 1:53 left, and the extra point made it 23-17. WSSU's final drive picked up a first down on a sideline-interference penalty but was stopped by three sacks of Kendall McKoy, ending on downs at the Rams' 20 with 55 seconds remaining.
Rams Top Performers
Chancellor Smith
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- 11 total tackles
Avir Johnson
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- 5 total tackles
- 2 sacks
Jayden Grimes
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- 4 receptions
- 86 receiving yards
Jamison Funderburk
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- 40 rushing yards on 11 attempts
- 1 rushing touchdown
Zymiere Dempsey-Freeman
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- 6 total tackles
- 1 interception
For more information on Winston-Salem State University athletics, visit wssurams.com.
