Livingstone knocks JCSU out of CIAA title game

HERBERT L. WHITE | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Livingstone president Anthony Davis hoists the Commemorative Classic trophy after the Blue Bears beat Johnson C. Smith 15-10 in Salisbury. The win clinched Livingstone's first plus-.500 campaign since 2015.

Livingstone put a dagger in Johnson C. Smith’s CIAA title game hopes.

The Blue Bears’ 15-10 win in Saturday’s Commemorative Classic not only pushed their oldest rivalry out of next week’s conference showcase, it clinched Livingstone’s first plus-.500 season since 2015. It also opened the door for Virginia State to grab second in the CIAA after the Trojans beat rival Virginia Union 85-28. The same teams will square off in Salem, Virginia next week for a rematch with the title at stake.

“I don’t look at it as knocking anybody out,” Blue Bears coach Sean Gilbert said. “I look more at what we've been doing and what we’ve been trying to build, and our focus has just been that, and trying to get the guys to buy into their ability and their potential to compete at a high level.”

The loss was JCSU’s second straight after opening the season 8-0, and it dealt a fatal blow to their CIAA title game aspirations. The Golden Bulls (8-2, 5-2 CIAA), who lost 27-0 last week to Fayetteville State, again struggled on offense, particularly in the passing game. The physicality that propelled JCSU to the best start in school history was undone by mental and physical mistakes that Livingstone (6-4, 4-3) exploited.

“I’m the offensive coordinator, and I used to be a good one,” JCSU coach Maurice Flowers said. “It’s my job to get us going, and I didn't again. Just didn’t press the right buttons. Got to be a good offseason of soul searching and getting our program right and getting us back going.”

The Golden Bulls had their chances, but turned the ball over on downs at Livingstone’s 6 in the first quarter and the Blue Bears blocked a field goal try in the second to force a 3-3 deadlock at halftime. Livingstone broke ahead in the third on Calvin Scott’s 64-yard touchdown catch and Bryce Robinson’s 11-yard grab with 11:20 to play.

Keion Joyner’s 3-yard touchdown catch on fourth-and-goal with 4:39 to go pulled the Golden Bulls within five, and had a final shot at going ahead at Livingstone’s 43 with 2:54 left but Ty Conley picked off Darius Ocean’s pass to ice the win.

“Overall, guys fought hard and just was up and down all doggone day, blew a bunch of opportunities in the red zone,” Flowers said. “Field goal was blocked, missed the fourth down, missing assignment in the blocking scheme, just didn't get us going.”

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