November 1, 2008 – TUSCALOOSA, AL – In a penalty-filled game, in which victory was decided by a missed extra point, Morehouse pulled out a 17-16 squeaker over the Stillman Tigers.
Both teams combined for 25 penalties totaling 225 yards – more than either team gained in total offensive yardage. On the ground, the rushing stats dipped to a new low for both teams. Morehouse finished with minus-20 rushing yards and Stillman ended with minus-30 rushing yards.
The multiple penalties wiped out numerous big plays by both teams, and kept the game slow and close.
But a win is a win. And Morehouse advances to 5-4 (5-3 SIAC), while Stillman falls to 3-7 (2-6 SIAC).
Because neither team could move the ball on the ground, the game became an aerial battle, in which the punters became major weapons. Morehouse punter Micah Streiff punted seven times for 292 yards and Stillman punter Quinn punted six times for 239 yards.
Morehouse quarterback William Brack completed 16-of-32 passes, for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked three times and intercepted once.
Stillman quarterback Cedric Harris completed 21-of-43 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted three times and sacked eight times.
With the Morehouse win, and losses by Clark Atlanta and Fort Valley, the Maroon Tigers vault into second place in the SIAC, the highest ranking since 2001. On Saturday, Tuskegee beat Clark Atlanta 42-20, in Atlanta, and Albany State trounced Fort Valley 31-7, in Columbus, Ga., in the Fountain City Classic.
Aided by a 55-yard pass play and a subsequent Morehouse 15-yard pass-interference penalty in the end zone, Stillman scored on its opening drive, to take a 7-0 lead.
A Streiff 28-yard field goal made it 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Morehouse scored the only second-quarter points on a five-yard pass from quarterback William Brack to running back Pernez Pinckney, to make the score 10-7.
Early in the third quarter, Brack hit wide receiver Quincy Avery with a 19-yard touchdown pass, to give Morehouse a 17-7 advantage. The remainder of the quarter was a battle for field position, in which both teams seemed to move more backwards than forward.
In the fourth quarter, Stillman did all the scoring. A 32-yard field goal and a 19-yard touchdown pass closed the gap to 17-16, but the extra point attempt off the foot of Porter Quinn clunked off the left upright and bounced back onto the playing field.
As they have most of the season, the Morehouse defense stepped up and shut down any further scoring.
Jeffrey Cargile spearheaded the defensive charge with 10 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Derrick Scott collected two of the three Morehouse interceptions; Randall Ward grabbed the other.
The eight Morehouse sacks and 12 tackles for loss were the most of any game this season. Derrin Nettles and Jamal James each recorded two sacks and DaJuan Holmes and Earl Thomas, with one each, completed the Morehouse sack attack.
Quincy Avery caught five passes for 56 yards. Achille Hendje caught four passes for 62 yards.
Morehouse will play the last home game, Saturday, at 1 p.m. against the Kentucky State Thorobreds.
