Albany State comes up short vs. C. Arkansas
SIAC champion Albany State battled gamely but came up on the short end of a 28-20 decision against Central Arkansas in a first round NCAA Div. II home playoff game.Albany State RB Antonio Atkins ran for 145 yards and scored two long touchdowns to put the Golden Rams (8-2) ahead early, and defensive back Marcus Jefferson had three interceptions, but it was not enough to keep alive their hopes of advancing in the 2005 playoffs.
Atkins scored ASU's first touchdown on a 56-yard run on their first possession of the game with 8:13 on the clock in the first quarter. The seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive was set up by Jefferson's first pick of UCA quarterback Nathan Brown pass in the end zone. In addition to his three interceptions, Jefferson had seven tackles and three pass breakups.
The Bears answered with a three-yard rush by Kentrel Rogers on the Bears' first possession in the second quarter to tie the game at seven.
The Golden Rams put six more points on the board when Atkins caught a 69 yard pass from QB Hosea Harris on a three-play, 77-yard scoring drive, but the lead wouldn't last long. Austin Cade caught a five-yard pass from Brown to tie the game at 14 at the half. Harris finished the day 14 of 23 passes for 185 yards.
Brown, who completed 17 of 26 passes for 132 yards, found Cade with a two-yard touchdown pass and Willie Hopson rushed for 16 yards to the end zone to give the Bears a 28-14 lead in the third.
The Golden Rams closed the gap when Brandon Green caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Harris late in the fourth quarter.
Albany State gained 388 total yards, including 274 rushing yards on 62 plays. Central Arkansas amassed 406 total yards, with 274 rushing yards on 82 plays.
On the other side of the ball, Mike Pittman led the Golden Rams with 17 tackles (six solos), with one for a loss. Roderick Whipple added 15 tackles (nine solos) and Roderick Cummings added 11. For the Bears, Maxfield Quant led with 13 tackles (six solos) and Ryan Taylor added seven tackles with two solos.
UCA (10-2) will face the No. 1 seed in the region, the Presbyterian Blue Hose, Saturday in the second round game in Clinton, S.C.
© 2005 Azeez Communications, Inc.