St. Augustine's releases 2006 football schedule

April 27, 2006

With five home games on the 2006 football schedule, Saint Augustine’s College is looking to build off last season’s success which included an 8-2 record and NCAA Division II regional ranking, a first for the Falcons. The eight victories tied a season record and Coach Michael Costa was named 2005 CIAA football coach of the year.

At one point, the Falcons were the Southeast Region’s top-ranked team, becoming the first CIAA squad to achieve such a feat. The 8-2 mark was the Falcons’ best since the program revived football in 2002 after an absence of more than three decades.

The Falcons will attempt to duplicate or better last season’s mark against a challenging schedule which includes home games against Lane College, perennial Division II power Carson Newman, CIAA champion North Carolina Central, up-and-coming Elizabeth City State, and much improved Livingstone. The Falcons have away dates against Virginia State, Mars Hill, Johnson C. Smith, Fayetteville State and Winston-Salem State, which moved to Division I. The site of the home games will be announced soon. In 2005, the Falcons played their home games at Broughton High School.

The 2006 schedule, released Tuesday (April 25), kicks off with a home game against Lane College on Sept. 2. This is the second straight year the Falcons open the regular season against Lane. Last year, the Falcons won 24-6 in Tennessee to start a string of eight consecutive victories.

On Sept. 9, the Falcons visit Virginia State in their first CIAA contest. The Trojans will be looking for revenge after the Falcons trounced them 44-14 last year at home. The following weekend (Sept. 16), the Falcons face their biggest test yet when they host Carson Newman. The game will be a measuring stick for Coach Michael Costa and the Falcons’ program.

Following Carson Newman, the Falcons travel to the state’s Western mountains Sept. 23 to face Mars Hill in a rematch of last year’s battle which the Falcons won in a 13-6 stunner. The victory over a team from the strong South Atlantic Conference opened eyes around the CIAA and served notice the Falcons were league contenders.

On Sept. 30, Elizabeth City State comes to Raleigh to play the Falcons, which edged the Vikings 7-0 in the Down East Classic in Rocky Mount last year. After Elizabeth City State comes the anticipated rematch at home against CIAA champion North Carolina Central on Oct. 7. Last year, the Falcons surprised the Eagles 22-8 on Central’s homecoming game. The loss was the only blemish on Central’s conference record on its way to the league crown.

After four of six games at home to start the season, the Falcons finish with three of four contests on the road. On Oct. 14, the Falcons play Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte after beating the Golden Bulls 26-7 last season for homecoming. This year (Oct. 21), the Falcons host Livingstone College for homecoming. Last year, Livingstone’s upset bid fell short when the Falcons’ Kente Blount made a game-saving tackle near the goal line on fourth down late in the game.

Awaiting the Falcons the last two games are Fayetteville State (Oct. 28) and Winston-Salem State (Nov. 4), the two teams which handed Saint Augustine’s its only losses. Both games are on the road which makes the task of winning even more difficult but expect Coach Costa’s squad to be up to the challenge. Though linebacker Tyrone Pettaway, the 2005 CIAA defensive player of the year, speedy receiver-specialist Eddie Montgomery and quarterback Darrell Nesbitt are gone, the Falcons expect to contend for the CIAA title. Stalwarts Alex Hall, Kente Blount and Kevin Jones return from a nationally-ranked defensive unit.

The CIAA championship contest, scheduled for Nov. 11, will again be held at North Carolina Central’s O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Game time will be announced.

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