Box Score

Montgomery, Ala.— Kentucky State University football lost a thrilling 33-30 double overtime SIAC Championship game to Fort Valley State University on Saturday night in the Cramton Bowl.
 
"You hate to lose games like this," said head coach John L. Smith. "But, I'm proud of what we accomplished this season and how much this team has grown to put ourselves in this position."
 
The Thorobreds (4-7, 4-4) and Wildcats (5-6, 5-3) competed for the first time in an SIAC Championship against one another, and it marked the first time KSU had ever played for an SIAC title. Saturday's championship was the first time FVSU played for a conference title since 1999.
 
KSU struck early gaining a 14-0 advantage against FVSU as senior running back Reginal Harris pulled in a 40-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Jules St. Ge and on the ensuing Thorobreds position, junior running back Lavelle Cloyd continued his trademark of big plays, scoring on a 58-yard run.
 
The Wildcats cut the lead in half on a two-yard score from Chaunce Jackson, but the Thorobreds jumped back up by two scores when senior running back Damontre Warr found the end zone on a five-yard scamper, at 21-7.
 
The trio of Harris, Cloyd, and Warr combined for 199 of total offense on the night, with three touchdowns. The KSU offense continued a trend of producing over 300 yards of total offense for the third straight contest, totaling 384 yards against FVSU.
 
Midway through the second quarter, FVSU flipped the script with a 90-yard kickoff return by Brian Walker, cutting the KSU lead to 21-14. FVSU answered again to bring the contest to a 21-21 stand still with 7:05 left to go in the third quarter.
 
Senior kicker Bill Rose claimed a career-high 45-yard field goal to put the Thorobreds backup 24-21 but was later matched by Juan Serna on a 37-yard field kick to tie the game at 24. A score that stood till the end of regulation.
 
FVSU scored on the opening position of the overtime as Serna notched a 43-yard field goal, claiming the Wildcats first lead at 27-24. Rose stepped up again punching through a 34-yard field goal to force double overtime.
 
Rose collected his third field goal of the night on a 32-yard kick through the uprights, for another KSU lead at 30-27. The following position senior safety Ray Malone blitzed from the left side for his sixth tackle, and a third tackle for a loss on the day, pushing the Wildcats back from the four-yard line to the 11-yard line. The Wildcats found the end zone for the final time on the next plays as Otis Brown found Jackson in the middle of the end zone, to claim the win and the SIAC title for FVSU.
 
Junior defensive end Rodriguez Jones finished as the Thorobreds leading tackler with ten wrap-ups, all solo, and two tackles for a loss. Sophomore linebacker Keonte Reynolds followed with seven tackles and a sack. Malone was awarded as the Most Valuable Player for the Thorobreds by the SIAC Championship Committee.