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NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk State defense forced a season-high seven turnovers and scored two touchdowns in winning its second consecutive game, 35-9, over Morgan State on Saturday afternoon at Dick Price Stadium.
Quarterback Dennis Brown (Miami, Fla.) ran for two touchdowns and DeAngelo Branche (Norfolk, Va.) added another for the Spartans (4-6, 3-4 MEAC), who did serious damage to the MEAC title hopes of the Bears (6-4, 4-2).
NSU cornerback Don Carey (Norfolk, Va.) put an exclamation point on the victory when he returned his second interception of the day 94 yards for a score with 1:24 left in the game, providing the final margin.
Branche got the Spartans on the board first, capping a 64-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge with 10:26 remaining in the first quarter. Branche rushed for 37 yards on the drive.
On the Bears' third possession, NSU defensive lineman Deon Norris (Ewing, N.J.) recovered an errant option pitch by Jeremy Glover at the Morgan State 2-yard line. Three plays later, Brown scored on a 5-yard run to give NSU a 14-0 lead with 11:51 left in the first half.
The Bears got within 14-3 midway through the third quarter on James Meade's 29-yard field goal. But NSU answered on the next drive, when Brown finished a 66-yard drive with a 4-yard run for a 21-3 lead with 3:33 left in the third quarter. It was Brown's sixth rushing TD of the year.
MSU tried to mount one last rally on Mario Melton's 9-yard TD pass to Jephte Cherenfant with 9:30 left in the game. The two-point try failed, keeping NSU's lead at 21-9.
But NSU forced turnovers on three straight Morgan State possessions. After forcing the Spartans to punt, MSU took advantage of a short field and marched to the Spartans' 8. But linebacker Anthony Taylor (Virginia Beach, Va.) sacked Melton and forced a fumble, which A.J. Harris (Hampton, Va.) recovered.
The Bears got the ball back again, but Melton fumbled the ball while being rushed by Norris, and NSU linebacker Hasan Craig (Rocky Mountain, Va.) scored his first career touchdown on a 34-yard fumble return with 1:54 left in the game.
On the Bears' next possession, Carey snared a Melton pass and sprinted down the left sideline untouched for his first career score.
The Bears outgained NSU 264-184, most coming in the fourth quarter. But NSU held the MEAC's leading rusher, MSU's Devan James, to 69 yards rushing, his second-lowest total of the season.
Branche ended with a game-high 86 yards on 23 carries for NSU.
Linebacker Mike Alphonse (Miramar, Fla.) led the Spartan defense with 13 tackles, one for a loss, and half a sack. Taylor had 1.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Dennis Marsh (Greensboro, N.C.) and Terrell Whitehead (Virginia Beach, Va.) also added five tackles apiece and both recorded an interception. Marsh's second-quarter pick was the first of his career, while Whitehead tallied his fourth interception of the year and third in as many weeks.
NSU closes its 2008 home season next Saturday against Delaware State. The game will be shown on tape-delay on ESPNU. The game is also Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day at Dick Price Stadium.
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