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4SHOT Sports College Hoops Gateway Classic Alltel Stadium - Jacksonville, Fla
4SHOT Sports hit the road to cover the 52nd Annual Gateway Classic between the Bulldogs of South Carolina State University versus the Wildcats of Bethune Cookman College. This game will be labled the battle of the undefeated and someone must take a loss home. The classic was cancelled last year because of Hurricanes Charley and Frances. Bethune-Cookman head coach Alvin Wyatt grew up on the Eastside of Jacksonville and makes the visit to his back yard to try to coach his Wildcat team to victory. The Wildcats have posted 8 consecutive winning seasons under coach Wyatt. The Wildcats best year might have been in 2002 when they finished with an 11-2 record and their first trip the Division I playoffs. The Wildcats come equipped with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) offensives player of the week in Eric Weems. Weems is an explosive utility guy at 5’9, scored 2 rushing touchdowns in a win over Arkansas Pine Bluff and finished with 60 yards rushing on 9 carries along with 53 yards on five receptions. On the other sideline the South Carolina State Bulldogs enter the game on a roll with a 3-0 record. The Bulldogs come in off a victory over Winston-Salem 52-12, where the defensive only allowed 222 yards. The defense is young and action packed, freshman linebacker Tony White lead the team last week with 12 tackle (7solo). On the offensive side of the ball everyone contributes but be on the look out for junior wide receiver Chris Burgess who carried the ball seven times for 72 yards and caught five passes for 113 yards. Kut Note: Chris Burgess is a type of player that can break a game open at anytime. With all that being said, you know we came to see the bands and the dancer do their thing. Let’s get ready to kick off the 52nd Annual Gateway Classic and get this thing Crunk.
Kut Take: Hat’s off to MEAC football. This was a great game. The Bulldogs would start the game on their 20-yard line and quarterback Cleveland McCoy would excuse the drive. Running back Jonathan Woods would rush left, right, up the middle for a combine 23 yards and McCoy would run the quarterback option for 12 yards. With 12:28 to go in the first quarter, McCoy would hook up with the playmaker Chris Burgess on the slant route for a 45-yard burst into the end zone to put the Bulldogs on the board first 6-0. Kicker Stephen Grantham would nail the point after touchdown and it would be on. (South Carolina State 7 Bethune-Cookman 0)
After the Bulldogs Defense would illustrate a three and out. The Wildcats punter Davis Player would come on to punt a 42 yarder to return man Rondrieka Darby. “I knew when Darby caught it he was going to return it back, cause he is that fye,” fan Mike Stizell stated. Darby would return the punt back 54 yards for a Bulldog touchdown with 10:27 to go in the first. Grantham would miss the point after touchdown but the damaged would be done 13-0. The Wildcats look to get their offense started but the Bulldog defense wasn’t having it. Wildcats quarterback Jimmie Russell (Jonesboro, GA/Riverdale High School) would rush for a yard when he is hit by a Bulldog defender forcing a fumble and recovered by Bulldogs Marsha McFadden. The Bulldogs would take over at the Wildcat 36 yard line and McCoy would find receiver Burgess again for a one-play 36-yard strike in the end zone for another Bulldog touchdown.
After that score Wildcats head coach Alvin Wyatt would huddle the troops together and after the chewing out the Wildcats got on a roll. Back up quarterback Jarod Rucker would make his first entry into the game with 7:04 to go in the first and the drive would start on their 25-yard line. Rucker would come in and complete a 41-yard pass to Jonathan Summers for a Wildcat first down in Bulldogs territory on the 34-yard line. After Ruckers complete a second pass to Summers for 10 yards, starter Russell would come back into run the option in which he would pitch to Eric Weems from five yards out to go in for the score and the Wildcats would scratch the boards. Jesus Cortez would come on to complete the extra point and the score moves to Bulldogs 20 Wildcats 7. To start the second quarter the Wildcats would execute a 72-yard touch down drive, orchestrated by Russell on an 11-yard quarterback option down to the 1-yard line. Running back PJ Smith would rushing in from the one yard line to bring the Wildcats closer with 13:48 to go in the half. Extra point good and at the half the score Bulldogs 20 Wildcats 14. After the half, the Wildcats looked to come out focus and bring into this half the same momentum that carried them in the second quarter. The first points would come on a drive that started at the Wildcats 35 yard line. Russell would hook up with Eric Weems on the 15 yard up and out play putting the Wildcats at midfield. Three plays later Weems would rush for 10 yards giving the Wildcats a first down at the Bulldogs 33 yard line. Russell would hook up with wide receiver Summers for 29 yards down the left sideline. With 13:30 to go in the third quarter, first and goal with the ball on the 4-yard line. Russell would pitch the ball left to Eric Weems would go in for his second touchdown of the game. Jesus Cortez did his thing with the extra point and also kicks a 48-yard field goal with: 26 seconds left in the third quarter. End of the third quarter Wildcats 24 Bulldogs 20. Kut it Up: We haven’t heard from the Bulldogs of South Carolina State since the first quarter and the Wildcats have taken the lead. The band is raising its level can their football team get on their level? Who knows but I know one thing, the band is always jamming!!!! The Bulldogs would not let the fans down, for on 1st and 7. Quarterback McCoy would hook up with Mr. Playmaker Chris Burgess on a slant pass to the corner to gave the Bulldogs back the lead. South Carolina State 27 Bethune 23 with 7:45 to go in the game. The Wildcats would get one final chance to either score for the win or tie the game with a field goal. With: 24 seconds to go in the game the Wildcats would drive the ball down to the Bulldogs 17 yard line, bring on kicker Jesus Cortez to tie the game. On the 34-yard field goal attempt, Bulldogs corner man Marsha McFadden would block the kick. Terrance Bennett would recover the football for the Bulldogs and that would end the game folks. What a game! Final Score: South Carolina State 27 Bulldogs 24 Congratulations to the Bulldogs for winning the 52nd Annual Gateway Classic and improving to 5-0.
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