SportsWeek
action B Also Religion , Obituaries, C lassifieds august 28, 2008
"Meet The ?
Rams" draws
record crowd
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Coach Kermit Blount and the Winston-Salem State
University Rams football team were home in the friendly con
fines of Bowman Gray Stadium on Sunday afternoon as they
participated in their annual "Meet the Rams" Fan Fest and
Media Day in front of a record crowd that took advantage of
their first chance to see the 2008 WSSU football team.
The Rams, entering into their third year of a transition to
NCAA
Division I
status fol
lowing 61
years of
membership
at the
NCAA
Division II
level, head
into the
2008 season
on the heels
of a 2007
season
which saw
WSSU sur
prise college
football
pundits by
posting a 6
5 record
overall.
16th
year head
coach
K e r m i t
Blount, a
man that
needs only
three more
wins " to
overtake
1^1 gJB Bill Hayes
WSSU's Marcus Coates, (from left) Nathan as. the win"
Munford and Mario Dawson pose with two n 1 n g e s t
tory, fielded questions from both media members and loyal
Ram fans at the annual fan fest and media day.
"Last year was a great jump start into the Mid-Eastern
Athletic Conference" Blount said. "With five MEAC wins, and
six wins overall, we are in the midst of building a successful
Division I program here at WSSU. This season we are looking
to be more consistent on both sides of the football. We realize
that this is going to be a tough year as we were hit hard by some
losses at key positions, but I know that our young team will
come out of the gate hard and this will definitely be another
exciting year at WSSU."
2007 saw the Rams record their first winning season in
WSSU's Division I era as Blount led the Rams to a 6-5 finish
en route to earning his 1 1th winning season in his IS seasons as
the Rams' head coach.
A young team that returns only 41 letterwinners in 2008,
only 27 of which are upperclassmen, will again look to take the
MEAC by storm in 2008. Despite losing 12 starters to gradua
tion and another to the NFL, the Rams return the services of
their entire receiving corps, a pair of quality running backs, a
talented punter, and an offensive line that is virtually
unchanged from a 2007 season which saw the Rams average
over 20 points per game.
The Rams will face 11 opponents in 2008, a schedule laden
with talented programs, nine of which averaged winning per
centages of over 54.5 percent last season.
young Ram fans last Sunday.
coach in
WSSU his
See Fan Day on B2
Vikings
look to
change
fortunes
BY ANTHONY HILL
THE CHRONICLE
The following story is the fifth of a series on
some of the high school football teams in Forsyth
County. Fans will get an early look at what 's going
on with their favorite team this summer.
North Forsyth head football coach James
Gilchrist knew his ball club was a lot better than
their rinal record indicated.
Without some early key
injuries, a couple of forfeit
ed games or suspensions
the Vikings probably
would 've had something to
smile about after last sea
son.
But things didn't work
out that way and the
Vikings suffered through a
long season. But Gilchrist
and his players seemed to
have put the past behind
them. And, they're looking
strong as they move for
(jUchnst
ward ? especially after a 20-3 endowment week
win over Trinity.
"We have a little more consistency than we had
last year during our first game," Gilchrist said. "We
also had less mental breakdowns than we had a year
ago. I saw some good things. But we still have plen
ty of room for improvement."
One of the strong points for North was the play
of quarterback Travis Livingston, who was one of
the key players to suffer an injury last season.
Livingston scored three touchdowns during the vic
tory last week. He ran two touchdowns, while pass
See North on B4
Photo by Charlie Pfiff
North senior quarterback Travis Livingston is one of the leaders of the
Viking football squad this season.
Thinking abQut Pop Warner at Panthers game
I FROM THE I
HUDDLE I
Anthony
Hill
I'm willing to bet that I
was the only reporter in the
press box at Bank of America
Stadium during the Panthers
and Redskins game that cov
ers Pop Warner football.
That's what I was thinking
before the Panthers put that
beat down on Washington last
Saturday.
Before the game, a group
of Pop Warner players and
cheerleaders from the
Charlotte area got to watch
See Hill on B4
Photo by Charlie Pfaff
Several young Pop Warner players were on hand for last Saturdays Panthers / Redskins game
at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Photo try Anthony Hill
Pro bailer Reyshawn Terry poses with a few campers on Saturday at R J. Reynolds High.
Terry's
Kids
Former RJR, UNC star hosts youth camp
BY ANTHONY HILL
THE CHRONICLE
Ask former R.J. Reynolds and
UNC star bailer
Reyshawn Terry what's
the most rewarding part
about being a professional
athlete and he'll more
than likely tell you that
it's the positive influence
he has on young kids.
Terry loves the idea of
being a role model, and
takes advantage of any
opportunity he can to talk
with young kids. Earlier
this summer he spoke at a Porsche
Jones basketball camp. Terry spoke
during one scheduled appearance at
that camp and came back later that
week voluntarily. This past weekend,
Terry volunteered his time for his
own basketball camp ? which was
Gould
held at R.J. Reynolds High last
Saturday. More than 30 kids ? ages
7-17, were on hand to learn from
Terry and a select gToup of coaches
and former players. Terry
will host another camp at his
old high school (R.J.R.) this
coming Saturday.
Registration will take place
from 8:30 a.m. until 9 a.m.
The camp is free of charge.
"It's blessing to be able to
have a camp," Terry said.
"It's also nice to have all of
these young people come out
and support me. That really
means a lot to me. I enjoy
helping them in any way that I can.
Another thing that's special is having
the camp here at my old school. That
means a lot to me and the communi
ty"
S?e Terry on B4
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