Shaw Beats Elizabeth City State

The streak is over.

Shaw quarterback Jermonty Kimbrough accounted for 449 yards of Shaw's 459 yards of total offense as the Shaw football team snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Vikings of Elizabeth City 41-17 before a crowd of 2,221 at John Baker Stadium.

Shaw (5-3, 3-3) scored first as they moved the ball 48 yards on eight plays and scored on a one-yard run by Jermonty Kimbrough with the first quarter putting the Bears up 7-0. The Vikings scored in the second quarter ending a 12-play 35-yard drive with a 36-yard field goal by Kenneth Milhayov to cut the lead to 7-3. Shaw would answer back late in the second quarter on a 30-yard pass from Kimbrough to Damon Harrison to cap of a six-play 75-yard drive going up 14-3.  The Vikings would score again just before halftime on a 27-yard pass to Teyon Pender from Daniel Herlihy cutting their deficit to 14-10 at halftime.
 

In the second half, the Vikings (1-7, 1-5) were the first to strike on a 22-yard pass to Carlos Smith from Herlihy to give the Viking their first lead of the game 17-14 with 10:20 left in the third quarter. On the ensuing kickoff it looked as if the Bears would score as they had the ball first and goal from the one after Torrance Nunnally returned the kickoff 61 yards to the Viking 35.  Kimbrough completed passes to Charles Leonard for 12 yards and Mark Bransom (eight catches 166 yards) for 17 and the Bears had it first and goal from the Viking six.  The Bears failed to score and the Vikings took over.  
 

Nunnally would make his presence felt again as on the Vikings next possession, they were forced to punt.  Nunnally ran Kevin Dodson's punt back 63 yards for what looked like a touchdown but was called out at the one-yard line.  Kimbrough ran right behind Robert Rhodes for the one-yard plunge and the Bears took the lead for good 20-17 after the missed extra-point.  After the team's traded possessions, the Vikings were driving when Khaleel Sutherland intercepted his first of two passes and ran it back 12 yards into Viking territory.  Two plays later, Kimbrough found Bransom for a 20-yard touchdown and the Bears extended the lead to 27-17. 
 

Kimbrough had his best game of his career completing 21-40 passes for 379 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.  He also carried the ball 14 times for 70 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bears will play Virginia State on homecoming next Saturday at Garner Senior High. Kick-off will be at 2:00pm.
 

Note: The 2002 Shaw women's cross country team was honored in a ring ceremony before the start of the game.  Chairman of the Board Willie E. Gary presented the rings to the 2002 CIAA Champions.