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THE COMPASS
Thursday, October 17, Im
SPORTS
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ECSU's Andre Nelson looks to find an opening on a run play against Norfolk State. The sophomore tailback
rushed over 100 yards in this game. Despite a hard fought game, the Spartans defeated the Vikings 26-21
Sept. 28 at Foreman Field in Norfolk, Va. Photo by Pfedro HoJley
ECSU has new athletic director
By Mark Morris
and Jody Riddick
Two years after the departure of
Curtis Williams, ECSU has a perma
nent replacement for the position of
Athletic Director.
Willie Shaw, a native of Jackson,
Tennessee, came to ECSU fromNorth
Carolina Central University in Dur
ham where he worked in the Physical
Education Department for four years.
Prior to that, Shaw spent 22 years as
head basketball coach and athletic
director at his alma mater, Lane Col
lege in Jackson, Tennessee where he
played football and basketball as a
student. Now in his 27th year working
in college athletics, Shaw is deter
mined to bring ECSU’s athletic pro
gram “up to par” and make it more
competitive in the Central Intercolle
giate Athletic Association.
‘The CIAA is broad and compe-
tetive and overall it’s a good confer
ence,” said Shaw. “The main goal for
ECSU is to be well represented in the
conference, but this will not happen
over night.”
One reason for Shaw’s optimism
about ECSU is the improvement in
the Athletic Program’s financial situ
ation.
“It’s no secret that this athletic
department had incurred somewhere
in the neighborhood of a $500,000
debt,” said Shaw. “Our Chancellor
(Jimmy Jenkins), through his exper
tise was able to get General Admini
stration to forgive us for that debt.
That means we have to start operating
a little bit more efficiently than we
have before.”
Shaw admitted that rumors have
been flying about the Athletic Depart
ment’s financial woes. Included in
those are speculations that non reve
nue sports like indoor and outdoor
track, volleyball, baseball, and soft
ball will either suffer or even be
dropped.
“I don’t know where the rumors
came from,” said Shaw, “but I do
know that we are going to have to
streamline our funds in the athletic
department so that we can stay under
budget. I’m not at liberty right now to
say how that will be handled.”
Shaw did say that sports such as
football and men’s and women’s
basketball that generate more funds,
usually require more funding to run.
Shaw takes into consideration the size
of the teams, travel, scheduling, and
equipment when deciding funding for
athletic programs. Currently, athletic
scholarships at ECSU are limited to
football and basketball.
“All of the sports here should be
considered equal, but this isn’t pos
sible due to how the budget is set up
for the various sports.”
In his quest to improve the Vi
king’s sports program Shaw hopes to
involve the entire University as well
as the community. His major concern
is student turn out at home games.
“I was disappointed by a small
attendance in Roebuck Stadium for
the football game between ECSU and
Knoxville College,” he said. “I would
like to see more students in the stands
when the Vikings play at home.”
Community support for the pro
grams will require a “joint effort” by
students, faculty and staff, Shaw be
lieves.
“In order for the University family
to become more involved, they must
make a commitment to themselves
and to the university,” he said “You
can’t simply win every game every
time you play, but if we don’t pull
together to show that true Viki ng spirit,
then the people here at the Unversity
will continue to base everything on
the scale of wins and loses. If wc don’t
market our teams out in the newspa
pers and other publications that we
have, then people will not gel as in
volved as they should.”
Shaw said that he has a good rela
tionship with the coachcs, faculty, and
staff at ECSU.
The few problems he has encoun
tered, he said, “are a result of things
still being in transition.”
Shaw said his style of administer
ing will be a little different from the
lastathletic director (Thomas Caldwell
served as acting athletic director for
1990-91. He feels there won ’ t be any
problems once he knows everyone.
“Athletics are a major part of the
University as a whole,” Shaw said “I
can’t change everything overnight to
make things o.k. for athletics here at
ECSU; it’s going to take time and
patience, but my door is always open
to people who want to talk to me.”
Shaw is married to his “college
sweet heart,” Brenda Johnson. The
couple have a son, now freshman at
Crescent Academy in Durham, N.C.
and a daughter, who is in her third year
at Howard University.
Shaw’s hobbies include golf, ten
nis, raquetball and listening to con
temporary jazz.
** *>« •’c'
Kelley finally makes head coad
4-1 is Vikes' best start in 5 years
By Robert Wilkins
For nearly three decades, Alvin T.
Kelley was a bridesmaid on the Vi
king’s football coaching staff. Last
spring, when former head coach
Johnnie Walton left the program for a
second time, Kelley got the nod. The
fast results are ECSU’s best start in
five seasons, a renewed team spirit
and a realistic shot at winning the
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Asso
ciation.
The Viking ’ s 24-23 victory in their
Oct. 12 contest with Virginia Union
placed them in a unique position.
Unique because it marked their best
start in five seasons and put them
within reach of their first conference
title in over a decade.
After Alabama State cancelled the
season opener with ECSU in order to
host return of a team to their confer
ence, the Vikings launched their sea
son with a warm-up at Fayetteville
State on Sept. 14. ECSU outclassed
the Broncos with nearly 300 yards
gained on offense and posted a 21-6
victory. The Fayetteville State game
was symbolic of the balanced attack
the Vikings have prepared for their
opponents this year.
Quarterback Tim Johnson passed
the ball for 128 yards and one touch
down; a 24 yard strike to Andre Nel
son with 11:32 remaining in the sec
ond quarter.
The Vikings also scored defen
sively as Mark Hines, a junior defen
sive lineman from Greenville, N.C.
recovered a fumble and advanced the
ball for a touchdown in the same pe
riod.
A third score came from the Vi
kings special teams when Freshman
receiver Philip O ’Neal ran 91 yards to
return a kick for a touchdown after
Fayetteville’s only score of the game
in the fourth quarter.
A week later, ECSU played their
home opener against Knoxville State
and improved their record to 2-0 with
a 17-8 victory.
The Vikings closed out the month
playing against interstate rival Nor
folk State University. For the past
three years, the Vikings have played
well in their first two games of the
season, faltered againstNorfolk in the
Fish Bowl Classic, and spent the
remainder of the season in the “L”
column.
However, the “Fish Bowl” label
was dropped from this year’s matchup
and by the third quarter, so was the
trance that the Spartans had on the
Vikings.
In front of more than ten thousand
fans, the Vikings recovered from a
first half whitewash by NSU and
staged a monumental battle that re
sulted in a 26-21 win forNorfolkState
and a newfound confidence for the
Vikings.
The Vikings bounced back and took
out their frustration on North Carolina
Central University at home on OcL 5.,
routing them 40-15 with outstanding
play by their defensive backs, 56 yards
rushing by Sophomore, Andre Nel
son, and 99 yards passing from
Johnson. ECSU dominated Central in
»na
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1th
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all aspects of the game, reglstij^
315 yards total offense as opposf
12 for Central.
Heading into their week 5 co
with Virginia Union Universii)
Vikings had out scored their o
nents 99 to 55, averaged more
350 yards offense per game andj
their opponents to less than half o|
amount.
The stage was set for a c|
meeting between the two schooi
Virginia Union’s homecoming.
ECSU scored the only touchi
of the first quarter when running
Mike Freeman ran in from 1 yard
With 11:04 left in the second qm
the Vikings struck again as Joh
hit Andre Nelson for a 34 yard lo
down pass.
The two teams then excha
touchdowns through the air to
them a half-time score of 21-14;
Then with 4:55 remaining i£
third quarter, James Gonzo hit
yard field goal which provideC
Vikings with just enough poinj
win the game. With 6:22 remaini
the contest. Union scored a to
down to bring the score within al
goal. A safety with under a mi
brought them within a point of E(
but time ran out on Union beforei
could produce any more points.
ECSU will face Bowie State
versity on Saturday for the Hi
coming game.
Coaches and players both s]
late that a win over Bowie would
the Vikings “sitting pretty
CIAA.
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ECSU's new Athletic Director, Dr. Willie Shaw, takes time out from his paper work to pose for a photogit
Shaw brings 27 years of experience in college athletics to his new position. Shaw, a native of Jacid
Tennessee, came to ECSU from North Carolina Central University in Durham. photobyj.ckii
Freshmen learning 'hard footbal
say, 'It's SO hard to be a Viking!
folk State on Sept. 28
“I was very excited when I got the
two interceptions, 1 wanted to score
butitjustwasn’tthere,”Stovalladded.
The switch from the high school to
college level football, has been a fun
and painful experience for some of the
freshmen. Talton Free, a linebacker
from Greensboro, N.C., injured his
shoulder in a practice session, and
said it helped him to believe the team
motto “It’s so hard to be a Viking.”
Elizabeth City native Phillip
O’Neal experienced his first battle
Miami. Unable to play in the
game due to technicalities, Ca
finally got his chance in the
quarter against Knoxville Colle
“I was nervous when I first
because I thought college fo
would be at another level like it
television,” said Calhoun.
In the last seconds of that j
Calhoun turned what would have
a penalty into a productive scot
quarterback Tim Johnson calie
cadence, Calhoun jumped of
pretended to go in motion, reo
r iiio Xiiot iy£tLLiC Lw i** lllyJUVyllt ivv
scar in the third garne against Norfolk the handoff and rushed in the ew
State when four Spartans pounced on for a score ^
him while he was returning a kick.
O’Neal came away from the pile with
a sore nose and a busted lip which
Junior quarterback Tim Johnson avoids the msh of a Norfolk State defender as he looks down field for an
open Viking receiver. Johnson also rushed for over 100 yards in an effort to beat the Spartans.
Phnto by Pcdto I liiley
By Janies Sims
Most college athletes don’t see a
lot of playing time during their fresh
man year. However, a unique group of
freshman on ECSU’s 1991 football
team have proven to be exceptions to
that rule.
Gene Stovall, a free safety from
Miami; Phillip O’Neal, a wide re
ceiver and return specialist from Eliza
beth City; and Norman Calhoun, a
running back from Miami say they
have comfortably fit into the Viking’s
concept of “hard football”.
“Hard football,” according to sen
ior linebacker, Lee Macon, “consists
of giving 110% for four quarters; ev
ery game and willingness to sacrifice
your body during battle.”
“It’s been great being a part of the
Viking team,” said Stovall, a free
safety from Miami Fla.
Stovall said he didn’t expect to
become a starter in his first year but
felt that if he worked hard enough he
would eventually get to play with the
“big guys”.
“When they (ECSU stafO recruited
me they told me I had a go^ chance
at getting playing time but I knew
recruiters would say that kind of thing
just to get you to come to their col
lege.”
Stovall quickly discovered that the
promises of ECSU were real and has
been a starter since the season began, school again,” said O’N^.
Thus far, he has handled the role well. Another freshman showing a spe- couruand Hill from St Louis
snatching two key interceptions in the cial talent for handling the football, is souri, John Page of Miami and
iking s memorable battle with Nor- Nofman Calhoun, arunning back from non Pendergrass of Weldon,
swelled tremendously.
“I knew I would get hurt sooner or
later,” said O’Neal, son of ECSU art
instructor Eugene O’Neal. “When
Roderick Barfield, the receiver I idol
ized in high school, got hurt in the
game againstNorfolk, I had to suck it
up become a man and get back in
there.”
In the first game against Fayettev
ille University, O’Neal was able to
run back a kick-off return 91 yards for
a touchdown.
“I was really surprised in that
game,” O’Neal said “I thought I was
going to get hit bad, but when I was
“That was a great feeling
Calhoun, “I was already hungf
the ball so when I jump^ off si*
managed to keep my head and
my best to score.”
The common denominator
fourfreshman, was the initial
However, when itcame down to
the job they have produced, wt
what makes them outstanding.
Other freshmen making ws
the Viking program are: Rafaell
of Detroit, Michigan, Willi®
from Maxton, N.C., Rodney
from Washington, D.C.,
Norman from Plymouth, N.C
Hunt from South Windsor, Con
cut, Jesse “short dog” Johnson
Miami, Omar Foster from Holly'
^eadofeveryone.itfeltjustlikehigh Fla., Ronaquin Clark from PatM
NJ., Tuan Bell from Columbia!
Courtland Hill from St. Louis
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