Tigers Honor Seniors, Dominate NCA&T in Final Home Game of the Season
By: D’Mari Dreher-Smith, Sports Editor and Jackson Palich, Staff Writer
Towson received the opening kickoff and instantly clicked, dialing up a five-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Devin Matthews touchdown reception. The first receiving TD of his career would put the Tigers up 7-0 just two minutes into the quarter. A very ideal start for the Tigers.
“All week, my boys let me know, this is a big one,” said Matthews. “This was our last home game and we definitely want to finish strong.”
Towson would get off the field quickly due to a third-down sack by Rodney Roane Jr and the offense would continue streaking down the field, led by an explosive 36-yard run by RB Tyrell Greene Jr. The drive would stall on the five-yard line though, as Coach Pete Shinnick elects to take the 23-yard field goal over the 4th and 2.
After the field goal, both teams would go on to punt twice, but an NCA&T fumble forced by DB Xavier Terry would set the Tigers up in enemy territory. They’d go on to capitalize off the turnover with a seven-yard touchdown run by Devin Matthews, giving Towson a 17-0 lead with 7:11 left in the 2nd quarter.
The Tigers would remain up 17 at the half, out gaining NCA&T 265 to 90. Sean Brown completed an efficient 11 out of his 18 passes, docking a 140.1 QBR. Towson’s run game was also thriving, with RBs Devin Matthews and Tyrell Greene Jr. combining for 108 yards on just 14 carries, along with accounting for both first-half scores. Towson’s defense also can’t go uncredited, holding the two NCAT QBs to just 50 passing yards on the half.
“Every week, we really strengthen our unity as a defensive unit,” said LB John Gioia. “We thrive off each other’s energy.”
As usual, the Tigers opened strong but lost the momentum they showed in the first half, with incomplete passes and missed tackles halting their progress. On defense, however, Towson held firm, preventing any big plays from NC A&T. Both of NC A&T’s drives ended in punts on fourth down, giving Towson the field position they needed for a two-yard rushing touchdown by Greene.
Later in the fourth, a series of penalties put NC A&T in the redzone.Two plays later, quarterback Kevin Fomby connected with Cortez Lane for a 16-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 31-6 with just under eight minutes remaining.
Despite Towson’s dominance, A&T managed a final scoring drive, culminating in a six-yard touchdown catch by Antonie Bell on a fourth-down play with only six seconds left on the clock.
Senior Nathan Kent took the field to handle the final kneel-down, sealing the 31-13 victory for the Tigers.
Towson’s final game of the season is on the road, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m against the Fighting Camels at Campbell University.
