MONTGOMERY, Ala. – With head coach Reggie Barlow being inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame on Thursday evening, the Alabama State University football team placed eight players on the 2013 All-SWAC team.
Highlighting this list of recipients is redshirt freshman linebacker Kourtney Berry; Berry a 6-0, 215, LB, from Merrillville, Ind., was named the SWAC’s Newcomer of the Year and also received first team All-SWAC honors at the linebacker position.
In his first collegiate season after responding from an injury that applied a redshirt year, Berry posted a team-leading 107 total tackles (57 solo, 48 assists) in the 11 games. In addition, he complemented his stops with seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss. He also finished the year with an interception, two fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. Berry was named the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week once, the league’s Newcomer of the Week twice, while spotlighting a defense that finished second in the SWAC in points allowed (25.8). He was also selected as a nominee for the Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman of the Year).
Joining Berry on this year’s list of postseason honors, on the first team All-SWAC is Isaiah Crowell (RB), Edmond Davis (OL), Derrick Billups (DL), and Bobby Wenzig (P). Representing the Hornets on the second team are Robert Roquemore (OL), Carlton Jones (DL), and Myles Everett (RS). There was one lone Hornet that received both first and second team honors. Bobby Wenzig was selected to the second team as a kicker.
“I’m so excited for these young men. I’m sure they would like to thank the coaches and their teammates for these honors,” head coach Reggie Barlow said. “I’m honored to be their coach.”
A full listing of all of the ASU honorees on this seasons All-SWAC teams are as follows:
Bobby Wenzig – Alabama State (P, K, 6-2, 185, Sr., San Diego, Calif.) – Bobby has fought through injuries this season and has still been a success on the field with his punting…he has 74 punts for 3,197 yards averaging 43.2 yards per punt…24 of his punts have been downed inside the 20 yard line and has 24 punts that have traveled over 50 yards…his longest punt of the year has covered 67 yards…Bobby holds school records in punts, yardage and punting average…he has been named the SWAC Specialist of the Week three times and the CFPA Specialist of the Week. Bobby’s mid-season injuries only allowed him to punt, but he still averaged over five points per game in scoring…he hit 26 of his 27 PAT’s and 10 of 15 field goals to score 56 points.
Isaiah Crowell– Alabama State (RB, 5-11, 190, Jr. Columbus, Ga.)Has played in all 11 games with 10 starts…has carried the ball 163 times for 1,089 yards…averaged 6.7 yards per carry and scored 15 times…he has also caught seven passes for 31 yards…was leading the conference in yards and touchdowns until ankle injury limited his playing time…scored 24 points against Alcorn State…has longest rushing play in the SWAC of 84 yards at Jackson State…Leads SWAC in scoring (8.2)…enters final game of the season second in the conference in rushing yards, touchdowns and average per game…still leads SWAC in yards per carry average…has been named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week and the CFPA Running Back of the Week three times…He is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award.
Edmond Davis– Alabama State (C, 6-1, 285, Sr., Montgomery, Ala.)Edmond is a four-year starter for the Hornets and is the leader on the Hornets offensive line at center…played and started in all 11 games this season…helped the Hornets lead the conference in rushing averaging over 200 yards per game and scoring over 32points per game…makes all the blocking assignment calls at the line of scrimmage.
Derrick Billups- Alabama State (DT, 6-3, 3-8, Jr., Carrollton, Ala.) Derrick has started all 11 games at defensive tackle…he has 49 total tackles (18 solo, 31 assists)…has 5.0 sacks (-23 yards) and another 12.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (-49 yards)… has four quarterback hurries and has recovered a fumble, forced three fumbles and blocked a kick…another reason why ASU leads the SWAC in quarterback sacks and rushing defense…has been named the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week twice, the College Sports Madness Player of the Week and was named the Defensive Player of the Game in the Magic City Classic…he is tied for first in the SWAC in forced fumbles, tied for 8th in sacks and is seventh in the conference in TFL’s…has helped ASU lead the SWAC in sacks with 48 and rushing defense.
Robert Roquemore– Alabama State (RG, 6-5, 313, So., Oxford, Ga.) Robert has played and started in all 11 games this season at guard…helped the Hornets lead the conference in rushing averaging over 200 yards per game and scoring over 32 points per game.
Carlton Jones– Alabama State (DE, 6-1, 250, Sr., Shreveport, La.) Started each game at defensive end…has recorded 36 total tackles (19 solo, 17 assists)…has 6.5 sacks (-56 yards) and 10.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (-70 yards)…also has five quarterback hurries and has forced a fumble…he is third in the conference in sacks and 15th in the SWAC in tackles for lost yardage…his sack total is one of the reasons ASU has 48 league-leading sacks and leads the conference in rushing defense.
Edward Mosley- Alabama State (DE, 6-3, 260, Jr., Atlanta, Ga.) Edward has started all 11 games at left defensive end…he has 26 total tackles (15 solo, 10 assists) with 8.0 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (-26 yards) and 7.0 sacks (-23 yards)…he leads ASU with six pass breakups and has six quarterback hurries…he has recovered two fumbles and forced one…he is second in the SWAC in sacks and tied for second in recovered fumbles and tied for 14th in passes broken up…has helped ASU lead the SWAC in sacks with 48 and rushing defense.
Myles Everett-Alabama State (KR, 5-10, 170, So., Marietta, Ga.) – Myles has returned 29 kickoffs for 660 yards a 22.8 yards per return average…He returned a kick 86 yards for a touchdown at Jackson State…he has also returned 17 punts for another 114 yards…he has averaged 6.7 yards per punt return with a long of 20 yards…in all he has 774 yards in return yardage this season…he has been named the CFPA Kickoff Return Player of the Week and the BSN Kickoff Return Player of the Week.
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), established in 1920, is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., which is comprised of historically Black universities in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA’s Division I for all sports and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Hornets Fall To Troy 85-69
Troy, Ala. – This week in basketball action, the Alabama State University Hornets battled the Trojans of Troy.
The Trojans got on the scoreboard first on a lay-up by Wes Hinton, but a lay-up by ASU’s Maurice Strong would give the ballgame its first tie at two just under a minute into the ballgame.
The Hornets would gain their first lead of the ballgame 8-7, on a jumper by Luther Page at the 17:59 mark. The lead changed hands twice before the Trojans, with a one point lead 11-10, went on an 11-0 run that would push the score to 22-10 at the 10:56 mark and give the Trojans their largest lead of the first half.
The Hornets would whittle away at the Troy lead getting as close as two, with 5:01 on the clock, as DeMarcus Robinson knocked a three pointer to make the score read 30-28.
That would be as close as the Hornets would get in the first half, as Troy pushed the lead back to seven 41-34, and would take that lead into the locker room for the intermission.
“It was a tough day. They were a little more aggressive than us,” head coach Lewis Jackson said. “We started a little slow and couldn’t get our shots to fall early.”
In the second half, the Trojans looked to capitalize on their half time and would hold on to the lead the entire second half. ASU would get as close as three 50-47, with 15:03 left in regulation, when Robinson would get a tip-in off of missed lay-up by Bobby Brown. Troy would push the lead to as much as 16, 81-65, in the second half, hitting on 55 percent of their shots from the field.
The Hornets outscored the Trojans on points off of turnovers, 19-8, but would lose the edge on points in the paint, second chance points, and in bench scoring.
Robinson led all Hornets scores with 17 points, 5-13 shooting and connecting on all six of his opportunities from the free throw line. Jamel Waters would add 14, on 50 percent shooting, going 6-12 from the field. Maurice Strong, despite fouling out, chipped in with 10. Both Luther Page and Bobby Brown would grab seven rebounds apiece, respectively.
Troy would have four players in double figures, led by Kevin Thomas who turned in a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Antoine Myers also recorded 19 points, on 6-10 shooting from the field. Jeff Mullahey would add 16points, knocking down three of his five attempts from behind the arc. Hinton would add 11, as the Trojans would hold off the Hornets 85-69.
“Our defense was off today. We’ve got to do a better job of defending the basketball,” said Jackson. “Being off for the last two and a half weeks had us not as sharp as we could’ve been. It’s part of the game and we have to go back to the drawing board.”
Next up for the Hornets will be a home match-up against Western Illinois on December 16. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
#Go Hornets#
Lady Hornets Defeat Samford In Overtime
Led behind the efforts of senior Nakiya Smith’s 12 points the Lady Hornets of Alabama State defeated the Bulldogs of Samford University in an overtime victory, Wednesday night at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
A slow first half saw the Lady Hornets down 20-15, with 11 turnovers to add to the damage. Alabama State couldn’t find their rhythm from the beginning and the shots just weren’t falling, shooting only 23 percent from the field (6-26) in the first half. The Lady Hornets attacked the boards hard grabbing 21 rebounds with center Quentori Alford getting four. Smith led the team with four points in the half.
“Our girls had great discipline which is what we have been working on leading into this game,” said head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson. “Samford is a good team that plays with that international stlye. They love to go backdoor and shoot the ball deep we defended them great. We think we have really got the ladies (said of ASU) to buy into the concept that defense wins ball games. ”
The Lady Hornets came out strong in the second half as they held Samford to only 15 points as they scored 40. Alford recorded six points and 6 rebounds before the Lady Bulldogs were still able to push the game in to overtime.
Alabama State (4-1) secured the game for the Lady Hornets by making a series of crucial shots. Alford led on the boards with 11 rebounds and being one point shy of a double-double with only nine points.
“Alford Started off slow in the first half but she really stepped up and was there for us in the second half when we needed her the most,” stated Freeman-Jackson. “Nakiya did what we was looking for out of her, she was taking good shots in regulation but just couldn’t get them to stay down, in overtime she gave us that separation we needed to win the game.”
Samford (2-5) was led by Ellen Riggins with 15 points and Christy Robinson who had seven. Krista Stricklin was the leading rebounder for Samford with 13.
The Lady Hornets shot 70 percent from the striped line (12-17), while Samford was 14-22 shooting 63 percent. Alabama State out rebounded Samford 41-32.
Alabama State will return to play on Saturday as they travel to Starkville, Miss. to face the Bulldogs of Mississippi State. Game time is set for 5 p.m.
