Central State 41, Kentucky State 14

September 22, 2007

By Oscar C. Woodall, Jr.
HayWood Media Services

LEXINGTON, Ky - For the first time in the History of Kentucky State University and Central State University the two HBCU institutions played a football game at Lexington, Kentucky’s Commonwealth Stadium, on the campus of the University of Kentucky.

In this series match-up between the two arch rivals, that began in 1948, Central State University came away victorious, by a score of 41-14, to increase their series lead, 35-13, and redeem themselves from last season’s 30-27 loss to Kentucky State University, at home, in Wilber Force, Ohio.

“I think the bands played well,” said Fred T. Farrier, the head coach of the Kentucky State University Thorobreds, when after the game he was asked if there was any positive highlights he could point to in his team’s loss to the Central State University Marauders, in the Toyota Lexington Roots and Heritage Football Classic.

From the outset losing the games opening coin toss could have looked upon as a bad omen for the Thorobreds, but instead the Marauders gave the Thorobreds the gift of receiving the game’s opening kickoff, as they deferred to the second half.

Not opting to receive the game’s opening kickoff was as if the Marauders were trying to spot the Thorobreds a few points.

But on the first two plays, after the kickoff, the Marauders committed a five-yard offside penalty before the Thorobreds coughed up the ball, on a fumble, that the Marauders recovered on the Thorobreds 47 yard line.

Six plays later the Marauders punted the ball from the Kentucky State 45-yard line to the Thorobreds’ Jamaree Gordon, who was waiting at the Thorobreds 11-yard line. Gordon missed handled the ball and lost it at the 11-yard line, giving the Marauders excellent field position, at the Thorobreds’ 10-yard line.

But the Marauders wasted the opportunity, when four plays later the Marauders quarterback, Chris Clark, tossed an interception to the Thorobreds DB, Jerry Bryant, who returned the ball from the goal line to the Thorobreds’ four-yard line.

Seven plays later the Thorobreds punted the ball 37-yards to the Marauders’ 31-yard line, where Marcus Clark caught the ball and was thrown back for a one-yard loss on the return.

But this time the Marauders didn’t waste the opportunity, as they methodically marched down field in 15 plays for the game’s first touchdown, and a 6-0 lead, thanks to the game’s MVP, running back Derrick Moss.

Moss would go on to finish the game with 223 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries. He also had one reception for 33 yards.

“Moss is just that kind of player. He’s been doing that for us all year. He’s the real deal,” said Al West, head coach of Central State.

Kentucky State never did get on track as the Marauders took control of the game’s momentum and never looked back.

The Marauders finished the first quarter on four plays, before opening the second quarter with a 30-yard field goal, six plays later, by place kicker Amos Nsengimana.

The Marauders scored once more, to increase their lead to 16-0, when Moss took the ball on a 26-yard touchdown run.

But that didn’t deter the Thorobreds, as they did manage to get on the score board at 10:36 of the second quarter, behind a four-yard run by Andrew Ramsey, who led all of the Thorobreds in rushing, as he finished the game with 56-yards on eight carries for Kentucky State.

The first half came to an end with the Marauders leading 22-7, due to Ronald Perry scoring on a 16-yard touchdown run at the 2:26 mark.

In the third quarter the Thorobreds scored first, at the 6:01 mark, making the score 22-14, on a Michael Woods 38-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Jones.

But that would be where the scoring would come to an end for Kentucky Sate, as Central State went on to score three more times.

The first of those final three scores came at 3:49 of the third quarter, when Victor Tolbert ran the ball for a one-yard touchdown.

The others came in the fourth quarter, when at 6:01 Moss scored on a two-yard touchdown run and when at 5:14 Dominic Young recovered a fumble, by the Thorobreds’ Zack Davis, and took the ball 36-yards for a touchdown and the game’s final score.

The next game for the Central State University Marauders (2-2) will be at 1:30 p.m., eastern time, in Jackson, Tennessee, against their second consecutive SIAC opponent, the Dragons of Lane College.

The Kentucky State University Thorobreds (1-4, 1-1 SIAC) are at home, 1:00 p.m., eastern time, next week to face their last scheduled non-conference opponent of the 2007 season, and that would be Indiana’s St Joseph’s College.