SALISBURY, NC – The Livingstone Blue Bear football team bid farewell to five of it's seniors Saturday afternoon as they fell to the Fayetteville State Broncos 31-8.
Livingstone fell to 0-10 overall on the season and 0-7 in the CIAA while Fayetteville improved to 7-3 overall and 6-1 in the conference.
Prior to Saturday's contest the Livingstone football team honored their seniors: quarterback Steven Williams, running back Linwood Jenkins, wide receiver Kevin Shelf and offensive linemen Kyle Blackwell and Justin Norton.
Fayetteville got the opening kickoff and moved the ball well, but a 33-yard field goal attempt missed wide left and Livingstone took over. Livingstone wasn't able to move the ball from their end as their drive ended after only four plays with a punt. Fayetteville took over on the Blue Bear 45 yard line and took the ball to the end zone on six plays for a 7-0 lead.
Livingstone's offense continued to sputter on their next drive as Williams fumbled the ball on the third play from scrimmage. The ball was recovered by Fayetteville and ran back five yards for a score to put the Broncos up 14-0. Livingstone's ensuing drive went for 12 plays and 47 yards, but again ended in a punt.
Fayetteville increased their lead with a touchdown with just under seven minutes remaining in the first half. The Broncos took the ball 41 yards on eight plays to go up 21-0. Livingstone's next drive went three plays for negative five yards and the Blue Bears punted. Fayetteville's ensuing drive went six plays for 30 yards and ended in a 34-yard field goal to put the Broncos up 24-0. The half ended with Fayetteville leading 24-0.
Livingstone got the ball to start the second half, but their first drive was stopped after only three plays when a Williams' pass was picked off. Fayetteville turned the ball over on downs on their next possession. The following two possessions both ended in punts. With just over six minutes left in the third quarter, Livingstone lined up to punt, but a bad snap forced punter Martin Hague to fall on the ball at his own nine yard line. Fayetteville's first plays was rush to the three yard line following by another rush for no gain. The third play of the drive was a pass into the end zone that was picked off by Devonta Harmon, his third in the last two games.
Livingstone, however, wasn't able to capitalize as they were forced to punt after three plays. Fayetteville's next possession ended in a punt as well and the Blue Bears had the ball at their own 36 yard line. Facing a third and 14 yards to go, Williams connected on a long passing play with junior wide receiver Christopher Peoples for 47 yards down to the Fayetteville 21 yard line. On the next play, Williams found junior Kevin Shelf in the end zone for the score. Livingstone converted a two-point conversion, a pass from Williams to Peoples to cut the Fayetteville lead to 24-8.
The Broncos didn't stay down for long, however, as they took the ensuing drive 54 yards on only six plays for a touchdown to go back up 31-8 early in the fourth quarter. Neither team was able to threaten the end zone for the remainder of the game, and Fayetteville took down Livingstone 31-8.
Livingstone finished with 151 total yards. Steven Williams completed 16 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown. Junior defensive back Alkeem Deloatch finished the game with 10 tackles including one for a loss.
Fayetteville will now play for the conference championship next Saturday against an opponent to be determined Sunday. In the eastern division, Virginia Union lost to Elizabeth City and Bowie State lost to Virginia State creating a three-way tie atop the Eastern Division. After all tiebreakers were exhausted the teams were still tied. A three-way coin toss will be conducted Sunday at 1 p.m. at the CIAA offices in Hampton, VA.
