ETTRICK, VA — The Winston-Salem State football team fell to Virginia State, 49-19, on Saturday afternoon. The Rams were held scoreless in the first half as Virginia State built a 28-0 halftime lead before WSSU scored all 19 of its points after halftime.
WSSU spent much of the first quarter defending Virginia State possessions, as the Trojans turned two drives into rushing touchdowns to take a 14-0 lead. The Rams' first possession began at their own 12-yard line following a penalty and ended with Anthony Barrett's 54-yard punt after three rushing plays. Sean Walker Jr. provided WSSU with better field position with a 45-yard kickoff return in the final minute, and Jayvion Danzy's 16-yard run moved the ball to the Virginia State 36-yard line as the quarter ended.
The Rams' best scoring opportunity of the second quarter came on their opening possession. Deiondre Goldston connected with Alex Wiley IV for seven yards on third down, and the drive reached the Virginia State 16-yard line before a false-start penalty preceded Gilberto Lorenzana's missed 39-yard field-goal attempt. VSU responded with two touchdown drives, while WSSU finished the quarter with two first downs and 42 total yards. Zymiere Dempsey-Freeman intercepted a pass at the WSSU 8-yard line with 42 seconds remaining, and Virginia State took a 28-0 lead into halftime.
Brethan Barnhill forced a fumble following a Virginia State completion, and Dempsey-Freeman returned the recovery 25 yards to the Trojans 20-yard line to set up the Rams' first touchdown. Jamison Funderburk capped the short field with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Lorenzana's extra point cut the deficit to 28-7 with 1:11 remaining in the third quarter. Earlier in the quarter, WSSU's defense kept Virginia State out of the end zone in the red zone, with Maurice Odoms and Camden Martin combining on a tackle for loss before Avir Johnson's sack helped force a missed 38-yard field-goal attempt.
WSSU answered a 49-7 deficit with two fourth-quarter touchdown drives. The Rams first converted on fourth-and-1 before Jeffries connected with Biles-Walker for a 45-yard touchdown with 4:03 remaining. Jeffries added a 13-yard touchdown run with 32 seconds left to cap a 54-yard drive that included a 23-yard completion to Kevyn Farmer. VSU scored three times earlier in the quarter, including a fumble-recovery touchdown on WSSU's first offensive snap, to close out the 49-19 final.
WSSU Top Performers
Brayden Jeffries
- 4-for-6 passing for 80 yards
- One touchdown pass
- 21 rushing yards on four carries
- One rushing touchdown
Zymiere Dempsey-Freeman
- Eight tackles
- One interception
- One forced fumble
- One fumble recovery for 25 yards
Chancellor Smith
Taron Biles-Walker
- Two receptions for 44 yards
- One touchdown reception
Up Next
Winston-Salem State will rest and recover during the bye week before hosting CIAA foe Bowie State University on Saturday, Oct. 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside Bowman Gray Stadium.
For more information on Winston-Salem State Athletics and its 12 varsity sports, visit wssurams.com.
