By Perry Green
AFRO Sports Editor
BSU freshman quarterback Emmanuel Yeager was named CIAA Freshman of the Week after completing 15 of 22 passes for a team-high 128 yards and two touchdowns. He was one of five Bowie State representatives honored by the CIAA on Sept. 28. (Courtesy Photo/BSU)
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(September 29, 2009) - The sixth annual Prince George’s County Classic was a football game attendees will never forget. They witnessed the Bowie State Bulldogs escape with a 31-24 win in double-overtime against the Shaw University Bears on Sept. 26 at Bulldogs Stadium. The thrilling victory gave the Bulldogs their third win of the season and advanced them to a 2-0 record in the Central Interscholastic Athletic Association. Meanwhile, Shaw lost its first game of the season, but still remains at the top of the CIAA with a 4-1 overall record.
The win was in the bag when Bears quarterback Brandon Landers threw an incompletion on fourth down and seven, failing to match the Bulldogs’ touchdown scored on the first possession of the second overtime period.
BSU freshman quarterback Emmanuel Yeager had hooked up with a senior receiver Larry Dixon Jr. on a perfect 30-yard touchdown pitch and catch during the prior possession, which was ultimately the game-winning score.
Yeager was among five Bulldogs recognized for outstanding play when the CIAA released its weekly Players and Coach of the Week list on Sept 28. BSU junior tailback Rodney Webb was named the CIAA Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a game and career-high 174 yards and two touchdowns, while teammate Yeager was named CIAA Freshman of the Week. Yeager was called off the bench late in the first quarter and completed 15 of 22 passes for a team-high 128 yards and two critical touchdowns. Bulldogs sophomore linebacker Delano Johnson was named the CIAA Defensive Player of the Week for recording a team-high eight tackles (five solo), one sack, 2.5 tackles for a loss and two quarterback hurries. Bowie State’s Gregory Jackson followed Johnson with five tackles, mostly recorded during special-teams play, which earned him the CIAA Specialty Player of the Week.
And after winning his third career game, first-year head coach Damon Wilson was named the CIAA Coach of the Week.
“It’s a great honor to get my first award as a coach, but I’m more so proud of the effort from my players,” Wilson told the {AFRO.} “It goes back to our 2009 motto, ‘United We Stand.’ I told my guys they were going to have to play great as a team to win and they did a great job done executing as a unit.”
Bowie State (3-2, 2-0 CIAA) will travel to Pennsylvania on Oct. 3 to face the Lincoln University Lions at 1 p.m. Until then, they will continue enjoying their win against Shaw.
“Every win is good in college football, but anytime you’re able to defeat the two time defending CIAA Champs, it’s huge,” said Wilson. “This win helps us identify how much we’ve progressed as a team, and shows us what we have to do maintain success.”