FINAL STATS


(MURFREESBORO, N.C.) Bowie State rolled up a season-high 582 yards of total offense, crushing Chowan University 59-19. However, due to Virginia State's victory over St. Paul's, Bowie State wraps up their season with a record of 6-4 overall and 6-1 in the CIAA. The 6-1 conference record is the team's best since 1989.

Senior Rodney Webb (Baltimore, MD, Milford Mill Academy) capped-off a 7-play, 63 yard opening game drive with a 16-yard touchdown run. Junior Michael Gagne (Baltimore, MD, Parkville) added the extra point for an early 7-0 lead. Chowan answered with a Ryan Simpson to Elliot Smalls' 17-yard pass and catch to pull within 7-6 at the 2:29 mark of the first quarter.

Gagne booted a 26-yard field with 10:52 remaining in the second quarter to give BSU's Bulldogs a 10-6 advantage. Junior Clifton Budd (Silver Spring, MD, Sherwood) connected on a 57-yard passing touchdown to senior Derrick McPhearson (Columbia, MD, DeMatha, Hampton). Gagne's extra point extended the Bowie State lead to 17-6 with 55 seconds left in the first half.

Chowan's Smalls pounded in from one-yard out on the Hawks opening drive of the third quarter to cut the Bowie State lead to 17-12. Senior Gregory Jackson (Accokeek, MD, Gwynn Park) hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Budd, doubling up the Hawks by the score of 24-12.

Bowie State padded their lead at the 14:40 mark of the fourth quarter, after senior Troy Gibson, Jr. (Columbia, MD, Atholton) rushed up the middle for a four yard score and a 31-12 cushion. Senior Anthony Green (Randallstown, MD, Randallstown) caught his first touchdown pass of the season, scoring from 31 yards out, increasing the Bulldogs lead to 38-12.

Senior strong safety Sterling Grant-Jones (Baltimore, MD, Edmondson) was given the pigskin at the 7:52 mark of the final period, rushing for his first career touchdown from four yards out. Gagne extra point made the score 45-12 Bulldogs.

Sophomore Ramono Flowers (Largo, MD, Largo, Central Michigan Univ.) recorded his third touchdown of the year, rumbling 24-yards for six more Bulldogs points. Freshman Gregory Koepping (Crofton, MD, South River) converted the extra point, giving Bowie State a 52-12 stronghold.

Chowan's Eddie Coard caught an eight yards pass from Simpson with 2:32 left in the season and Ryan Murphy added the extra point, but the deficit was too big at this point.

Budd flipped a 28 yard pass to junior Seth Minter (Baltimore, MD, Catonsville) with 38 seconds remaining in the contest and Gagne added the extra point to close out the game.  

Budd completed 15-of-25 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns. Budd's four passing touchdowns tied the season-record for the second time this season. Webb tied his season-high of 20 carries and rushed for a season-high 103 yards. McPhearson wrapped up his brief Bulldogs career with a game-high 107 reception yards on five catches. 

Budd set a new school record for passing yards in a season with 1,538. The old season mark of 1,462 was set by Jimmy Whitehead (1999).

Defensively, the Bulldogs were led by senior Terence Peete, Jr. (Memphis, TN, Northwest) with a team-high eight tackles. Junior Delano Johnson (Baltimore, MD, Dunbar) along with seniors Gregory Jackson and Sterling Grant-Jones added six tackles each. Johnson also had two blocked kicks giving him seven for the season, setting a BSU record.  The old record of six was held by Robert Zachery - 1990.

Simpson led Chowan's offense with 240 passing yards, completing 22-of-38 passes and one touchdown, but was sacked five times and intercepted once.

Jason Ampy paced the Hawks defense with eight tackles and Gatlin Williams and Venel Hippolyte added a half dozen tackles apiece. 

Chowan closes out the year with an overall record of 3-7 and 3-5 in the CIAA.