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PAGE 14 The News Argus Dec. 2,1988
Sports
Graves, Beligrinis honored on BET
PRESS RELEASE
Three WSSU football players received
awards from two different companies for their
performances in the football game against the
Virginia State Trojans, a game that was telecast
over the Black Entertainment Television network.
Outside linebacker David Graves was
selected to rcceive the Toyota Leadership Award
presented weekly by Toyota Motor Sales USA
Inc. to a flayer from each team participating in
the BET college football game of the week. The
award is based on the players' contributions to
team, school and community.
Graves is a senior from Reidsville, who is
majoring in accounting.
The Virginia State recipient of the Toyota
award was defensive end Kerwin Whatley.
Field-goal kicker Konstantinos Beligrinis
received the BET Player of the Game Award
sponsored by the Anheuser-Busch Co. Backup
quarterback Keith James received Most Valuable
Player honors in the game.
The players winning the Leadership Award
are selected by coaches and faculty advisors
based on their contributions to team, school and
community. Both academic and athletic leader
ship play a part in the selection process.
Award recipients
are honored on the air
by BET during the
telecast of the game.
In addition, Toyota
honors each recipient
by presenting him a-
special award plaque
and donating $1,000 to
his school's general
schcdarsh^ fund.
Toyota also is the exclusive import car/truck
sponsor for the games. The Leadership program
will run throughout the 1988 NCAA football sea
son in association with BET sports.
Graves
Rams eliminated from playoffs by Eagles
By Bryon Tinnin
SPORTS EDrrOR
The Winston-Salem Stale Rams were defeated for
the second rime this season by the North Carolina Cen
tral Eagles. This time was a 31-16 trouncmg in the
opening round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The
win advances the Eagles to the quarterfmals of the play
offs. where they will meet Cal-Davis or Sacramento
Stale.
The Rams trailed through most of the game, but
did show fire later in the game. However, it was the
Eagles who drew first blood and persevered through the
game.
An Earl Harvey 4-yard run put the Eagles up
early in the fourth tpiarter, but a two-point conversion
afterwards failed.
Quarterback Keith James, filling in for the injured
Kenny Jones, quickly drove the Rams down field for a
quick score. James fumbled the ball into the end zone
into the waiting arms of Dwayne James.
Central's Harvey had an outstanding game as he
helped his Eagles team wrap up a school record 30 first
downs. With the Rams up 7-6, a Konstantinos Beligri
nis 42-yard field goal made it 10-6. The Rams would
never again see the lead. Harvey scored again from 6
yards out and added a successful two-point conversion.
A 35-yard pass to Parish Brown from Harvey made it
21-10 Eagles. Darren Stinson added a 24-yard field
goal before the half to make it 24-10.
The Rams, who are known primarily as a second-
half team, were hoping to come out early and convert
on the Eagles. But it just wasn't to be for Coach Pete
Richardson and his Rams team as he watched them
generate only 380 total offensive yards compared to
Central’s 434. They just outplayed us," said Richard
son, "but it's not the end of the world. We played hard,
and we've got next year."
The last two scores for each team came in the
FOOTBALL
ROUNDUP
fourth quarter. A 9-yard pass to Rodney McKoy from
James tallied the Rams score to 16. David Burt scored
the final touchdown for the Eagles with 41 seconds left.
A 9-yard nin by Burt made it 31-16, as the Eagles cele
brated their second victory over the Rams this season.
The Rams, who played the game without five
starters, finished their season at 10-2.
Rams capture CIAA crown
The Rams of Wmston-Salem Stale captured their
second CIAA title in a row with a 13-9 come-from-
behind victory over the Virginia Stale Trojans.
Ace field-goal kicker Konstantinos Beligrinis and
backup quarterback Keith James turned the game
around for the Rams.
James got an unexpected call as starting quarter
back when Kenny Jones went down midway through
the second period with an ankle injury.
James came into the game with the Rams down 9-0.
James, a senior from Greensboro, quickly came in
and took charge of the Rams' offense. "Keith did well
and we're very proud of him," said Coach Pete Richard
son. 'There was no time to be nervous.. .we've always
been a second-half team, but we had our backs to the
wall this time," said James.
A key blocked punt by Cornell Wallace in the
second half led to a 23-yard touchdown pass from
James to Broderick Graves. Beligrinis then stepped
into the picture, kicking two field goals. One was from
27 yards out, and the other, from 28 yards.
The Trojans had one last scoring opportunity as
they had Rams' fans chanting D-E-F-E-N-S-E, D-E-F-
E-N-S-E,. .. With 1:05 left in the game and the Tro
jans on the 2-yard line, a score was certain for them.
But, on the next play, an over-eager Trojan lineman
jumped offside, causing the ball to move hack 5-yards.
The Rams now had room to put the squeeze on the Tro
jans offense. Tliey quickly held for the next two drives
and regained possession of the ball to run down the rest
of the clock. The victray not only gives the Rams their
second conference title, but it also gives kbuUng Pete
Richardson his first Utle as head coach.
Rams rally to beat Bowie
The Rams won their sixth consecutive CIAA
Southern Division championship as they staged a fourth
quarter rally Nov. 5 to beat Bowie State 16-14.
A Les Barley interception set up a 32-yard field
goal by Konstantinos Beligrinis with 3:50 left It
proved to be the game winner. Bowie scored twice in
the second quarter as the homecoming crowd of 13,900
saw their Ram football team 14-0.
WSSU began their rally with 10:23 left in the
game. A 10-play drive led to Broderick Graves' 1-yard
touchdown run, and the point after brought the Rams
within striking distance. A fumble by Bulldogs fullback
Tony Atwater led to a recovery by WSSU's Willie
Jones at the 5. Quarterback Kenny Jones scored three
plays later, however, a two-point conversion attempt
failed making the score 14-13.
The game-winning kick was redeeming for Beli
grinis as he missed a chance a couple of weeks ago
from 47 yards out to beat North Carolina Central.
Bowie State had one chance to come back, but
quarterback Don Haney had his pass intercepted by
Raymond Puryear with 2:42 remaining.
The victory placed WSSU in the CIAA Champi
onship game against Northern Division winner Virginia
State.
10 named
to all-CIAA
team tionors
By Bryon M. Tinnin
SPORTS Eom*
This year the Rams placed 10
players on the All-CIAA team.
A great effort as a team, clutch
defense, a fabulous running attack, and
kicking game are the reasons.
Coach Pete Richardson is excited
about his team's success and being
able to play in the title game.
Selected for this year's offensive
team are center Horace Spencer, a 6-2,
250-pound sophomcare; offensive line
man Darren Peebles, a 6-4,275-pound
senior, offensive lineman Clayton
Suggs, a 6-0,265-pound sophomore;
two-time selection at running back,
Broderick Graves, a 6-0,195-pound
sophomore; and another two-time
selection, kicker Konstantinos Beligri
nis, a 5-7,155-pound sq)homore.
Selected for this year's defensive
team are defensive lineman Jeff Kelly,
a 6-3,257-pound senior, defensive
lineman Roy Phillips, a 6-2,250-
pound junior; linebacker Leslie Barley,
a 6-2,210-pound sophomore; defen
sive back Anthony McCord, a 5-8,
178-pound sophomore; and punt
returner Keith Torrence, a 5-7,152-
pound junior.
Those players who are chosen
All-CIAA, showed tremendous char
acter in a team effort that brought them
back to the promise lands of the cham
pionship.
Good luck to the team in their
quest for the gold ring this year!!
Young Rams rebuilding this basletbali season
Coach Clarence "BIghouse" Gaines
By EuGenia Williamson
Losing five starters is a blow to any team. It puts a
damper on its ability to win.
Clarence "Big House" Gaines, the head coach of the
Winston-Salem State University basketball team, can
relate to this situation. Since the 1987-88 season, he has
been working on a major rebuilding project with the
Rams.
Despite the odds against it, the team is predicted to
finish second in the Southern Division. Coach Gaines
feels that other teams surpass the Rams in talent.
"I feel that I am in competition for second place
because there are teams that are stronger in many areas
in addition to experience," he said.
Coach Gaines said that his two main problems
would be overall inexperience and the absence of a
dominating big man inside. With the starting positions
open, the players have been practicing very hard in
order to get in shape and prepare themselves for the sea
son.
Returning players — Jamal Pierce, a 6-1 point guard,
and Michael LeSane, a 6-3 shooting guard - performed
well for the team last season. So this year. Pierce and
LeSane will serve as Gaines’ strongest leaders, he said.
The rebuilding project will be a tremendous task,
but the coaching staff is beginning to see improvements.
Coach Gaines' objective is to always win the champi
onship.
"I have won 785 games," he said, "and I plan to
make the 800 mark in the CIAA championship this sea
son."
EuGenia Williamson is a junior majoring in mass
communications.