By Ricky Rogers
sports@salisburypostocom
CHARLOTTE ó The 2011 Livingstone football season came to an end Saturday as the Blue Bears fell 31-0 to the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls in the 3rd Annual Commemorative Classic hosted at Memorial Stadium.
Livingstone finished 1-10.
On the opening drive for Johnson C. Smith, the Golden Bulls set up for a 50-yard field goal attempt, but senior Devonta Harmon broke through the front line and blocked the attempt. The ball was returned by fellow senior Jerrell Gaynor Golden Bull 30 yard line. Despite the momentum and the solid field position, the Livingstone offense turned the ball over on downs after only four plays.
Johnson C. Smith broke through on its first drive of the second quarter, an eight-play, 77-yard drive together for a 7-0 lead.
A muffed Livingstone punt led to a 14-0 Golden Bukll lead at halftime.a lead they took into halftime.
Linebacker Tyheim Pitt picked off his third pass of the season in the third quarter, erturning it 28 yards. The Blue Bears moved to the Golden Bull 13 and set up for a 30-yard field goal attempt. Holder Anthony Holland was unable to put the ball down and looked to throw a pass to Tabi, but it went into the waiting arms of a Johnson C. Smith defender who returned the ball 81 yards for a touchdown, giving the Golden Bulls a 21-0 lead. JCSU then tacked on 10 more oh-by-the-way points.
Craig Murdock finished the game 7-for-16 passing for 41 yards with one interception. Anthony Holland was the leading receiver with five catches for 31 yards.
Defensively, Wesley Jackson led the Blue Bears with 10 tackles including one sack and one forced fumble. Seniors Travis Holliday and Justin Johnson and Devonta Harmon finished with nine, eight and seven tackles respectively. Tyheim Pitt and Justin Avery who had the two interceptions for the Blue Bears recorded six and five tackles each.