Box Score September 30, 2017 – ATLANTA – Quarterback Kivon Taylor threw for 373 yards and four touchdowns and guided Morehouse to a 31-21 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds.
Directing the Maroon Tigers to a season-high 423 yards, Taylor connected on touchdown strikes of 23, 24, 32 and 78 yards.
The 78-yard run and catch by Ricci Nuckles was the Tigers' longest scoring play of the season and lifted Morehouse from a 21-17 deficit.
Frank Bailey Jr. caught the first of the touchdown passes -- a 23-yarder – which gave Morehouse a 7-0 lead. The touchdown, on the opening drive, was 11 plays and 77 yards.
The Thorobreds rebounded with a 73-yard scoring drive, to tie the score, when Jordan White caught a six-yard pass from Paul Campbell.
Taylor struck again with a 24-yarder to Amyr Smith, early in the second quarter. It was the fourth touchdown grab by Smith who leads the SIAC in receptions per game and receiving yards.
Once again, KSU responded. Brett Sylve, the SIAC's leading kick returner fumbled then fielded cleanly an Alex Gonzalez punt and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown.
Neither team made any headway for the final 10 minutes of the second quarter, until Fernando Sdelamora hit a 37-yard field goal, with :25 seconds remaining, to give Morehouse a 17-14 halftime lead.
The Thorobreds scored on their first drive of the second half, when Brett Sylve ran it in from the 24-yard line, giving KSU its first and only lead.
On their next possession, the Maroon Tigers needed only three plays and 1:51, for their season-long scoring play.
Tremell Gooden gave Morehouse breathing room with a spectacular touchdown grab, his first of the season.
While the Morehouse offense was having its best game of the season, the SIAC's leading defense also came to play. The Maroon Tigers held KSU to 190 yards of offense.
On KSU's final possession, David Smith ended the Thorobred's hope of a comeback, with his first interception of the season. The Morehouse leading tackler again led the defense, collecting 10 tackles.
Bundrea Conway matched Smith's 10 tackles and posted 2.5 tackles for loss, with a sack. Kenneth Hagins got in on the Morehouse hit parade with eight tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss.
The Tiger's best defensive stand was a three-and-out series, which featured sacks by Treyvon Luckey and Kamari Jones-Hunter for a loss of 11 yards.
Morehouse improved to 3-2 (1-0 SIAC). KSU fell to 2-3 (1-1 SIAC).
The Maroon Tigers travel to Columbus, GA, Saturday, at 2 p.m., for the 82nd Annual Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic.
(Details to follow)
