Paae 6. The News Ar^s, September 1982
Sports
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Ronnie Johnson;
Ram Asset
By Ralph McKnight
“Making my first touchdown as a Ram
was a feeling I’ll never forget. It was my
sophomore year at homecoming time I ran
a ten yard pass reception and turned it into
a 93 yard TD. The longest in the CIAA that
year and the longest ever at WSSU. I felt
great! The TD against A&T was a TD we
needed to get rolling. I knew we needed a
big play so when they called on me to help I
gave them just what they wanted,” stated
Ronnie Johnson, a Charlottean who attend
ed West Charlotte High School. Ronnie, a
senior plans to return to Charlotte after
graduation to seek a job in his major. Art.
In 1981, he was named MVP in football
and attended the NCAA Track & Field
Championship. “My biggest achievement
will be getting my B.A. degree in
December of ’82,” stated Johnson. Wide
receiver and flanker, Ronnie runs a mile
every day, lifts weights and works on his
weaknesses-which are few-from season to
season.
“My football and track coaches have
been a great help to me in keeping my
body physically fit. They work me hard
and I can take everything they dish out. A
good player knows his sport and has con
fidence in himself,” said Ronnie. He feels
that his achievements in sports are due to
the teaching of his parents. “Never give up
when things are not going your way, but
wait until it’s your turn then make the best
of it.”
When asked why he decided to attend
WSSU, Ronnie said “I had a chance to at
tend Southern Illinois, A&T, Johnson C.
Smith and Elizabeth City. I didn’t want to
go too far from nor stay too close to home,
so I narrowed my choices down to two-
A&T and WSSU. Ronnie’s ambition is to
play pro football and to be financially well
off, not rich, but living comfortably. As an
athlete, Johnson has definite ideas about
mixing sports and drugs. “I wouldn’t play
on a team with someone who uses drugs
because a person cannot play up to his
abilities when drugged. If you want to use
drugs, then leave sports alone!” Johnson
feels that WSSU has a strong chance to
earn a place in the NCAA division II cham
pionship game that will be held at
Charlotte’s Veterans Memorial Stadium
Nov. 20.
I’m not saying that we are going to win
the CIAA Southern Division, but we do
have as good a chance as anyone to win
and we are going for it!”
Rams Punish Aggies
The Rams assaulted the A&T Aggies'
before a crowd of 23,353 fans at Groves
Stadium by a score of 21-7.
The Rams found out that the best way to
travel is by establishing the running game
by totaling 327 yards on the ground.
Michael Ferguson, a senior from Dan
ville, Va. carried the ball 22 times for 139
yards and one TD. Thomas Turner and
Michael Winbush totaled 168 yards bet
ween them.
The most exciting play of the evening
came when Winbush was slightly injured
and turned his job over to Greg Stokes, the
Rams’ “Mr. Excitement”. Stokes faked
the option right then pitched to wide
receiver Ronnie Johnson going the other
way. Johnson scampered 40 yards down
the left sideline for the TD giving the Rams
a 14-0 lead.
Winbush returned to the game and
directed an 8ft-yard scoring drive which
closed the door on the Aggies.
The defense of the Rams was outstan
ding throughout the evening, creating Ag
gie turnovers. Dan Bryson, Tim Platt, and
Eddie Sauls kept pressure on the Aggie
quarterbacks all night. Bryson recovered
a fumble, which led to a Ram score. Defen
sive back Dominique Jeralds picked off a
pair of passes while punter Carl P. Town
send kept the “ailing” Aggies deep in their
territory with booming punts throughout
the game. IT AIN’T NOTHING LIKE
BEATIN’ THEM AGGIES! I
Oct. 2—Norfolk State—Away
Oct. 9—Livingstone—Away
Oct. 16—Fayetteville—Home
Oct. 23—Lenoir Rhyne—Homecoming
Oct. 30 J. C. Smith—Away
Nov. 6—Elizabeth City—Away
Nov. 13—Elon—Away
bits & pieces
Bits & Pieces
Professional Sports:
When the 1982 NBA season starts, Moses Malone, formerly of the Houston Rockets
wiU wear a Philadelphia 76er uniform and earn $1.6 million over a six year period That
is over $13 million for six years of service.
Calvin Peete, one of few blacks on the professional golf tour, has earned over S-5on non
for six years of walking the greens. ’
Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield, and Rod Carew earn more money per year than the
entire Minnesota Twins of the American Baseball League.
Dallas Cowboy running-back and former Ram standout Timmy Newsome has been
switched from fullback to tailback. At 6’2” tall and 235 lbs., he is one of the lareetf
tailbacks in the NFL. ®
College Sports:
Johnson C. Smith Holden Bulls opened its 1982 football season with an impressive 28-7
thrashing of northern division power Elizabeth City State University. The Bulls will
host the Rams on Saturday, October 30 in Charlotte’s Memorial Stadium.
The A&T Aggies football outlook is bleak in 1982. They are expected to worsen their
overall record of three wins and eight losses of a year ago.
Dallas Cowboy Executive, Gil Brandt, who should know his football calls Reesie
CoUier of Southern Mississippi, the “best black” quarterback since Doug WUliam^
Winston-Salem State University football team and fans are lucky to have the h^t
band in the CIAA. Who in the world is its choreographer?
Eagles Fly High
Over Rams
The NCCU Eagles looked like Super
Bowl contenders, as they pounced on the
Rams 37-17, before 11,500 fans and the
eastern region (ABC Television
Coverage).
The Eagles jumped out to a 17-0 lead by
the end of the first quarter. Gerald
Fraylon, the Eagles’ quarterback led a no
huddle offense up and down the field like a
general, while the 80 degree temperatures
melted the Rams defense. They spent 40
minutes of a 60 minute game on the field,
as Fraylon taunted them passing for
262-yards and four TD passes.
The game was marred by li turnovers
(Rams 6, Eagles 5). The Rams offense was
held to 41-yards in the first half as the
Eagles ran off to a 20-3 haltime lead.
Greg Stokes, a junior from Henderson,
N.C. who replaced Michael Winbush at
quarterback, found Harold Hairston in the
end zone late in the fourth quarter for a
nine-yard TD pass.
Thomas Turner was the bright spot on
offeree as he rushed for 89-yards on nine
carries. Place-kicker Calvin Boswell con
nected on a 42-yard FG in the second
quarter for the Rams only score of the
half, (^rl P. Townsend opened the eyes of
professional scouts as he boomed an
80-yard punt in the first half.
Eddie Sauls was the only Ram defender
0 have an excellent game as he got to the
Eagles QB six times.