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by Hal Lamar Morehouse wins season finale, misses playoff berthMorehouse Head Coach Richard Freeman, anticipating good news from the NCAA Division II selection committee, ordered pizzas and assembled members of the team for what they call thought would be a post-season celebration. The pizzas were eaten but the occasion was bit less joyous after Freeman and theteam received news Sunday afternoon, November 8 that the West Alabama Tigers would be the sixth team invited to Division II post-season action. The Tigers were given the final slot because of their upset triple overtime victory Sunday over number one ranked University of North Alabama. Prior to the loss, the Tigers were undefeated at 10-0. “Is it disappointing?”, said Freeman in response to a question from the INSIDE Sunday afternoon. “Man, that is an understatement.” Interestingly, West Alabama was 6-4 before Saturday’s win and unranked in the D-2 top 25 or the 10 team Super Regional II poll. But the upset over UNA catapulted them from nothing to the top 6 regionally. “I can understand that,” said Freeman.
Morehouse finished 2009 at 7-3 , winning their season finale 30-14 over Miles College. The Tigers led 17-14 at halftime but added seven more points late in the third quarter thanks to senior defensive lineman Derrin Nettles. The 6-4, 305 pounder scooped up a Miles fumble and lumbered 85 yards for a score. “I did the best I could,” said the native of Montgomery, Alabama. “When I got to the 50, I knew I had to take it in.” Miles junior quarterback Carlton Hill said it was mistakes like that that haunted them against Morehouse and throughout the season. “It was either an interception or a fumble or something. Mistakes just hurt us all season.” Hill finished with 128 passing yards, threw one touchdown and rushed seven times for 50 yards Morehouse freshman running back David Carter had one his best outing of the season. The Marietta Georgia native carried 23 times for 181 yards and rushed for two touchdowns. ‘I’m happy with the 7-3 season, “ said Freeman. “We played tough opponents and the ball didn’t always bounce our way all the time. But I won’t look back on it. I’ll just go out in the off-season and try to build a bigger, stronger football team.” Later, when it was confirmed that Morehouse’s 2009 season had ended with the Miles victory, Freeman said he hoped to build a team that can take the Tigers to an unmistakable next level. “ If we can go 8-2 , 9-1, or 10-0, then there would be no question about our post-season. That’s where I want to take this program.”. Meanwhile . the SIAC will be represented by the Rams of Albany State University. Their loss to Fort Valley at the Fountain City Classic didn’t affect their position in the NCAA Regional rankings. The Rams will also enjoy home field advantage, opening November 14 against West Alabama.
ELSEWHERE IN THE SIAC: Benedict ‘s head coach Stan Connor will likely get a few votes for conference coach of the year and for good season. The Tigers started slow at the alpha of the 2009 season but wound up one of the SIAC’s hottest, losing only one of its last nine games. They won the season finale 49-26 over hapless Clark-Atlanta , finished out 8th among the top 10 colleges in the NCAA Super 2 regional and at 8-3, finished third in the conference .They were picked in the pre-season to finish seventh….Speaking of CAU, changing coaches in the middle of the season did the Panthers no good. The loss to Benedict was their fourth loss since the big change by the CAU administration which is facing a suit from former coach Ted Bahhur and another from the family of Spelman sophomore Jasmine Lynn who was shot September 3 via a stray bullet while walking through the CAU campus back to her dorm………Tuskegee’s win over Stillman 41-14 solidified their first place finish in the SIAC and assured the Goldens another conference crown…..Kentucky State fooled everybody. Predicted to finish last in the conference, they wound up 6th and won their season finale over winless Lane 26-7. That has fueled speculation over the coaching futures of Lane’s Trenton Boykin and possibly Billy Joe at Miles. It also appears that CAU interim coach Keith Higdon has lost out for the permanent job. In fact, the scuttlebutt has the school set to decide on either Concordia coach Shepherd Skanes or Deondra Clark, former Fort Valley head man who is at Kentucky State……. SIAC GAMES AND PICKS Got an item or comment?
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MOREHOUSE BAND REBOUNDS: Saturday was a great day all around for Morehouse which contrasted sharply to the near nightmare of October 31. One of three buses transporting the Morehouse band and owned by local carrier Superior Motor Coach ( the founder is former Clark-AU Head Coach Jesse McClardy. It’s currently run by his son Steven who is a former CAU ballplayer and graduate) overturned on a rain-slicked Interstate 75 en-route to a game against Albany State. Thirteen of the 42 bands-persons aboard were injured. But Saturday, wearing a makeshift uniform of tee-shirts and caps and playing instruments loaned to them by area high schools, the band marched into BT Harvey Stadium to a standing ovation from fans attending the game. Several of the injured students also attended and watched from the sidelines as the band dedicated their halftime routine to them, substituting popular secular music to spirituals like “The Lord’s Prayer” and Call him Up.” ….