Sept. 27, 2001
Sports
Page 21
Football team stumbles in first game at Rhodes Stadium
Colin Donohue
Rqjorter
The Elon football team traveled to
Greensboro last year and defeated
North Carolina A&T, spoiling the
Aggies’ first-ever night game at home.
Saturday, the Aggies retumed the fa
vor, defeating the Phoenix 23-7 in the
first game ever played in Rhodes Sta
dium. But the Aggies claimed revenge
was not on their minds.
“We weren’t looking for revenge.
I respect Elon’s football team,” Aggie
head coach Bill Hayes said. Whether
they were or not, the Aggies handed
Elon its third straight loss, keeping
the Phoenix winless this year.
President Leo Larhbert opened
the ceremonies with a ribbon-cutting
by Dusty and Peggy Rhodes. “This
fulfills a dream of 50 years. We fi
nally get to play a home game on
campus,” Lambert said. The day was
off to a ceremonious beginning, but
would end in disappointment.
Linebacker Kelsie Langston ac
knowledged the fact that this match
up has become a rivahy, but they pre
pare the same way, rivalry or not. “It
was the little things, and those little
things add up to big plays.” And it
was those little things that eventually
thwarted the Phoenix’s chances of
winning.
The Phoenix’s (0-3) continued
their inability to generate a passing
game, while giving up too much in
the air to the opposition. After the
game, Elon head coach A1 Seagraves
noted there was no quick fix. “I Jiave
three major concems right now,” he
said. “No. 1, we have to play smart
football. Right now, we’re not play
ing smart football. No. 2, we must play
together as a team if we’re going to
win a game. And No. 3, we’re not
playing to an excellent standard.”
Langston added, “We didn’t see any
thing today that we didn’t see before.”
A&T (2-0) elected to receive the
opening kickoff, and the new era of
Rhodes Stadium had begun.
The Aggies opening six-minute
drive was highlighted by running
back Maurice Hicks’ (21 carries, 158
yards) 22-yard run, putting the
Aggies deep in Elon territory.
Damian Phillips (13-17, 213 yards)
quickly silenced the crowd of 10,450
with a one-yard quarterback sneak to
put the Aggies up early.
Elon’s fu-st drive at Rhodes Sta
dium ended after a tumover on their
first play from scrimmage. Aggie
comerback intercepted quarterback
C.W Singletary’s pass and retumed
it 30 yards to the Elon 40-yard line.
The Phoenix defense stepped up as
linemen C.J. Habersham and David
McCallum sacked Phillips on key
second- and third- down plays, forc
ing A&T to punt.
Elon’s second drive featured a 30-
yard run by fullback Martin Swindell
(13 carries, 120 yards) and a 17-yard
scamper by Singletary. However, the
Phoenix’s 40-yard field goal attempt
was no good, giving A&T posses
sion once again.
The Aggies brought the ball down
the field for a 27-yard field goal to
push their lead to 10-0 with 8:57 re
maining in the first half
Seagraves replaced Singletary
with quarterback Scott Stevens for
the team’s third drive. The junior
completed Elon’s first pass of the
day, a 10-yard pass to tight end
Phillip Johnson. From there,
Rashaud Palmer (6 carries, 25 yards)
ran 15 yards into the endzone to
score Elon’s first touchdown in
Rhodes Stadium history.
“I told Mr. Rhodes on my first re
cruiting visit here that I’d score the
first touchdown,” Palmer said after
the game. Kicker Beau Wegmann
tacked on the extra point, bringing
the Phoenix to within 3 points. “We
were fortunate to be at 10-7 going
into the half as sloppily as we
played,” Seagraves said.
Elon took the ball in the second
half headed again by Singletary af
ter Stevens suffered a concussion at
the end of the first half. The
Phoenix’s drive went nowhere, and
Elon was forced to punt. A long punt
allowed the Elon special teams to
down the ball at the A&T one-yard
line.
It seemed the Phoenix had stolen
the game’s momentum. But the
Aggies took the ball 99 yards for a
score. Hicks had five carries for 40
yards during the drive. Phillips ended
ISS
An Elon receiver jumps between
the possession with a 12-yard pass
to wide receiver Jamal Jones, who
leaped over Elon comerback Jamal
Abdur-Raheem to increase the
Aggies’ lead to 17-7.
Fmstration began to set in as Elon
wide receiver Arketa Banks received
a personal foul after Elon failed to
convert on third down, forcing the
Phoenix to punt. A&T finished the
third quarter with the ball already in
Emily Hudson / Photography Editor
two defenders for the grab.
Elon territory.
The Aggies opened the fourth
quarter in a five-receiver set, from
which Phillips completed passes of
12 and 11 yards to Steve Shipp and
Hicks before finally scrambling for
the score. Phillips received a personal
foul after the play, backing up the
extra point attempt 15 yards; the kick
sailed wide left, resulting in the final
score of 23-7.
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Emily Hudson / Photography Editor
Beau Wegmann boots the ball to the A&T’special teams to begin the Rhodes Stadium tradition.
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