LINCOLN, Pa. – Bowie State (8-1, 6-0 CIAA) claimed its third straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Northern Division title with a 31-7 win at Lincoln (PA) (1-8, 1-5 CIAA) on Saturday afternoon from Coatesville Area Senior High School.
The win punches the Bulldogs ticket to the 2021 CIAA Football Championship in Salem, Va., on Saturday, Nov. 13 against Fayetteville State (7-1, 6-0 CIAA). Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. from Salem Stadium. The game will be both Bowie State and Fayetteville State’s third consecutive meeting in the championship.
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Although senior quarterback Ja’rome Johnson only played in two quarters, he tallied 146-yards on 10 complete passes and rushed for 16-yards on four carries and a touchdown while senior running back Calil Wilkins rushed for 110-yards on 25 carries and a score.
In addition to Johnson and Wilkins touchdowns, the Bulldogs got a pair of scores from redshirt freshman and running back Corey Johnson and redshirt sophomore and wide receiver Keshane Hinckley.
Redshirt freshman kicker Alen Omerhodzic went 4-for-4 in extra-point attempts and nailed a 28-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Redshirt sophomore and defensive back Jordan Carter led the Bulldogs defense with six total tackles (all solo) and a tackle for loss while redshirt sophomore and defensive back Raymond Boone tacked on four tackles, including three solo.
The Bulldogs struck first when Johnson scored on a three-yard scoot, giving BSU an early 7-0 lead. After a three and out for the Lions, BSU used a 12-play (82-yards) drive, capped off by a one-yard rushing touchdown from Wilkins to end the first quarter with a 14-0 lead over Lincoln (PA).
During the second frame, the Bulldogs found the end zone one more time before the half thanks to a 43-yard dash from Johnson to extend their lead 21-0 at the 7:56 mark. Bowie State would carry that lead into intermission.
In the second half, the Lions finally got on the scoreboard after an eight-play drive worth 77-yards highlighted by a one-yard rush for Isaiah Wilson at the 9:23 mark. On the ensuing drive, the Bulldogs used a handoff sweep for Hinckley to stretch the lead 28-7 going into the final quarter.
A 28-yard field goal from Omerhodzic would be the lone score in the fourth quarter as the Lions failed to score in the red zone during the final seconds.
Courtesy: Bowie State Athletics
