TIGERS
WIN HOMECOMING BACKYARD
BRAWL
October
24, 2009 – ATLANTA
– The Maroon Tigers
staked the Clark Atlanta
Panthers to a first-quarter
14-0 lead then bounced back
for a 24-20 Homecoming victory
and a year of Atlanta University
Center bragging rights.
The
game, which has come to
be called “The Backyard
Brawl,” was played
before a crowd estimated
at more than 23,000, including
tailgaters.
Neither
team generated much offense.
For a while, the defensive
battle became a turnover
fest that featured nine
mishandled possessions.
Morehouse turned the ball
over three times, with two
fumbles and an interception;
CAU lost the ball on three
interceptions and three
fumbles.
The
deciding turnover was a
60-yard interception return
for a touchdown by Morehouse
defensive back Olajawaun
Gooch. The interception
was set up by teammate Charlie
Wilson, who had two interceptions
of his own. Wilson deflected
the CAU pass into the hands
of Gooch, who raced it into
the end zone, with a cordon
of blockers.
Gooch’s
interception was a major
turning point in the game.
It game Morehouse a 24-14
lead, at the 12-minute mark
in the fourth, and a cushion
to offset the 20-yard CAU
touchdown run, five minutes
later.
Morehouse
starting quarterback William
Brack – in the second
quarter -- and backup DaJuan
Thigpen – in the fourth
quarter – limped off
the field with leg injuries.
They were replaced by David
Hart, the emergency quarterback
who spends most of his time
at wide receiver and placekick
holder.
Freshman
running back David Carter
rushed 19 times for 109
yards and a touchdown. His
four-yard TD run, midway
through the second quarter,
put the Maroon Tigers on
the board and cut the CAU
lead in half.
Achille
Hendje caught an 18-yard
pass for a touchdown from
Thigpen, with 2:45 left
in the third quarter to
tie the score at 14-all.
Hendje finished with three
catches for 29 yards.
Ian
Mullen’s 26-yard field
goal made it 17-14.
Brandon
Houston led Morehouse in
tackles with nine. Brandon
Cunningham and Justin Oliver
collected seven tackles
each and DaJuan Holmes and
Darren Jackson had six apiece.
Cunningham forced and recovered
a fumble and recorded a
sack. Christopher Bailey
had 2.5 tackles for loss
and a sack.
Morehouse
(6-2, 5-2 SIAC) will travel
to Albany State (7-1, 6-1
SIAC), to face the Golden
Rams, Saturday at 2 p.m.
Albany State lost to Tuskegee
21-19, on Saturday.
Yusuf
Davis
Sports Information Director
Morehouse College
830 Westview Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30314
404-222-2575 - voice
404-521-9073 - fax |
