(photo - uncpbraves.com)
UNCP running back Travis Daniels looks for room to run.
By Nick Phillips
Asst. Sports Editor
Nov. 12, 2009
The UNCP football team’s third season of football in modern history isn’t over yet.
A 42-14 victory on the road against North Greenville in the regularseason finale Nov. 7 improves the Braves record to 9-1 as they await the NCAA Division II Football Playoff Selection Show on Nov. 8 to see if they will be among the 24 teams whose season will continue.
The Braves came into the game ranked in a variety of polls, which were updated at the beginning of November. In the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, UNCP sits at No. 10.
The D2Football.com Top 26 Media Poll has the Braves ranked at No. 19 and in the NCAA Super Region 2 Poll, the Braves check in with a No. 4 ranking.
The NCAA Super Region Poll is the poll that the NCAA uses in their playoff decision process.
Rushers lead
The Braves finished their second-straight 9-1 season with strong efforts by junior quarterback Corey Smith and a rushing attack that totaled 222 yards on the day.
North Greenville scored early on a 49-yard punt return, and the game was tied 7-all after the first quarter.
The Braves would go on to score 42 straight points before they allowed another North Greenville touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Eight different Braves tallied carries in the game. Junior Rashon Kennedy started the scoring for UNCP in the first quarter with a 4-yard run.
Kennedy finished the game with 10 carries for 65 yards. Sophomore Travis Daniels scored twice in the second and third quarters as part of his 11 carry, 82 yard performance.
Junior Keith Gore finished the Braves’ scoring with his fourth quarter, 2- yard touchdown. Gore finished the game with eight carries for 29 yards.
Smith finished the day with 164 yards through the air, completing 13 of his 16 pass attempts while tossing two touchdowns. Junior Jamelle Banks finished the game with two catches for 44 yards, including Smith’s first touchdown pass in the second quarter.
Senior L.J. Johnson hauled in a 16-yard touchdown from Smith in the third quarter as part of his three catch, 28 yard performance.
Overall, seven Braves tallied at least one reception on the day.
“I am very happy. I am very happy for both our players and our coaches,” UNCP head coach Pete Shinnick said. “Our guys have worked really hard this year and it is going to pay off.”
“We know that we have played a much tougher schedule this year than we did a year ago. I don’t want to take anything from what we did a year ago, but we played better this year. We feel good about the position that we’re in heading into tomorrow,” he said.
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