Box Score October 15, 2016 – ATLANTA – The Maroon Tigers scored two third-quarter touchdowns to tighten the score but couldn't close the deal and lost 26-21 to the Albany State Golden Rams.
With the fifth consecutive loss, Morehouse dropped to 2-5 (1-4) and must run the table to equal last season's 5-5 record. Albany State improved to 3-3 (2-1).
Morehouse fell behind early when quarterback Monqavious Johnson was sacked in the end zone.
On their next possession, the Maroon Tigers drove it 55 yards on nine plays and running back Bricen Terry punched it in from the four-yard line. The PAT by Alexis Gonzales gave Morehouse its only lead of the game, at 7-2.
The lead lasted only until early in the second quarter, when the Golden Rams scored 24 unanswered points and put the game out of reach. The Rams scored on passing touchdowns of nine and 10 yards, a 37-yard field goal and a 61-yard rush by quarterback Caleb Edmonds.
Two of the Rams' scores were set up by special teams' gaffs. A bad snap then a mishandled snap led to two Maroon Tigers punts that travelled 11 total yards and twice gave the Rams the football deep in Morehouse territory.
Morehouse rallied in the third quarter, scoring twice on short drives. The first touchdown was set up by a Rashay March interception. The freshman defensive back picked off a Rams' pass at midfield.
The Tigers didn't take long to put the ball in the end zone. Kivon Taylor who alternated with Monqavious Johnson at quarterback hit Tamarick Vanover Jr. with two consecutive passes. The first went for 20 yards in the right flat. On the next play, on a nearly identical route, also in the right flat, Vanover hauled in the pass and muscled his way into the end zone, still in the grasp of the defender.
The Morehouse defense stepped up on the next ASU possession, holding the Rams to minus-18 yard and forcing a punt. Linebacker David Smith had a sack and a tackle for loss in the sequence and the Rams were forced to punt.
Buoyed by the defense, Morehouse immediately marched the ball downfield and scored on a Taylor to Lance McGuffie pass from the four-yard line. The touchdown took the score to 26-21. Taylor completed 10 of 14 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.
Both defenses stiffened in the fourth quarter and neither team scored.
Speaking of defense, David Smith had another outstanding game, collecting 19 tackles, one-and-a-half sacks and four-and-a-half tackles for loss. The sophomore from Newport News, Va., surpassed the 15-tackle performance from last week that earned him SIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Joshua Burton also put up the defensive stop sign, with eight tackles, a half-sack and three tackles for loss. Kenneth Hagins, Lynd Parrish and JaQuan Simpkins recorded six tackles each.
Morehouse travels to Columbia, S.C., Saturday, at 2 p.m., to face the Benedict Tigers, at their Homecoming.
