Bears start off strong, unravel in second half
Morgan St. builds 17-14 lead at half before turnovers doom their upset chances
At the end, after Morgan State had committed its umpteenth turnover of the season — an interception that killed a last-ditch rally — wide receiver Ladarious Spearman unleashed his frustration. The Bears wide receiver pounded his helmet with both hands. The helmet was still on his head.
Morgan State lost, 21-17, on Saturday to favored North Carolina Central on a wind-swept field at Hughes Stadium. That the Bears (2-4) fought back from a twotouchdown deficit against a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference power, and actually led late in the game, made the outcome that much more painful.
“We’ve got to find a way to play 60 minutes,” Bears interim coach Fred Farrier said. “For 56 minutes, we played well enough that everyone in the stands [at homecoming] was happy. But we’ve got to find a way to finish the game.”
The loss left Morgan State at 2-2 in the conference, while North Carolina Central improved to 6-2 and 5-0.
It began as a rout, the Eagles scoring twice in the first 41⁄2 minutes to lead 14-0. But the Bears clawed back, going 80 yards in five plays as quarterback Chris Andrews hit Ricky Fisk with a 12-yard touchdown pass. Morgan State pulled even in the second quarter after the Eagles’ Mike Jones (Milford Mill) fumbled a punt on his 7-yard line that was recovered by Ian McBorrough (Eastern Tech). On the next play, running back Eric Harrell found the end zone, standing up.
On its next possession, North Carolina Central lost its star quarterback, Malcolm Bell, who fumbled after being hit hard by defensive back Darius Johnson (St. Paul’s). Bell lay sprawled on the field for several minutes with an apparent head injury, then left the game.
On the Eagles’ next offensive play, Bell’s replacement, freshman Naiil Ramadan, was intercepted by defensive end Malachi Washington. With less than one second remaining, and a 40-mph wind at his back, Alex Raya kicked a 40-yard field goal. At halftime, the Bears led 17-14 against a team that had entered the game with 11 straight conference wins.
The home team wouldn’t score again. Morgan State, which has managed three points in the third quarter all season, frittered away opportunities in the second half on the interception and two lost fumbles. The Bears punted twice for a total of 35 yards, and the offense was penalized 15 yards for a face mask infraction.
Moreover, Andrews was shaken up in the third quarter and played little thereafter, leaving both teams in the hands of freshman quarterbacks. With 3:59 minutes left, Ramadan — having found his rhythm — hit Jalen Wilkes for 16 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
Morgan State had two more chances. A fumble by quarterback DeAndre Harris killed one drive, and the interception, with 10 seconds remaining, squelched the other.
“We were in control going into the second half, but we blew it. We’ve got to play better at the end,” said Washington, who contributed a pick and a sack. “If we can learn how to finish, we’re going to win some games.” Harrell agreed. “We beat ourselves,” said the sophomore, who ran 21 times for 121 yards, including a 57-yarder that set up the Bears’ first touchdown.
Farrier said Harrell “did a good job. He was patient and found some creases and holes. It has been a while since we had a 100-yard rusher. We’ve got to use him to extend some drives and score some points.
“It’s disappointing to not come away with a win on homecoming, but we are our own worst enemy. Teams aren’t lining up and beating us from start to finish. With us, it’s like playing golf — the opponent is almost immaterial. It’s really just us and the ball. If we hit and swing and execute our game plan, we’ll be fine.”