M-Tigers Fourth Tames Breds

Maroon Tigers quarterback Kivon Taylor’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Tremell Gooden clinched a 31-21 win over the Thorobreds at B.T. Harvey Stadium.

Morehouse traded punches with Kentucky State for three quarters before Gooden and Taylor’s late heroics. The M-Tigers had a tenuous three-point lead at the end of the third quarter. Both teams knew a slim lead wasn’t safe after watching the lead change hands five times.

Taylor threw his first of four touchdowns to Frank Bailey capping an 11-play, 77-yard drive in the M-Tigers first possession of the game.

Kentucky State answered back on two drives later. The Breds converted third-and-13 after a holding call pushed them back from third-and-3. Paul Campbell pass to Demetrius Anderson covered 19 yards. Morehouse added 15 yards to the Breds drive with a 15-yard personal foul penalty while tackling Tyron Wilkerson. The penalty gave the visitors first down at the 20. Four plays later, Campbell hit Jordan White for a 6-yard touchdown.

The tie lasted precisely 4 minutes and 7 seconds. Morehouse scored despite a penalty that nullified a 43-yard play and a fumble by Taylor that he was able to recover. On the next play following the near fumble, Taylor found Amyr Smith for a 24-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead.

Three minutes later Brett Sylve tied the game with an 85-yard punt return.

This tie lasted a lot longer than the previous two. It was 10 minutes before the M-Tigers were able to move the ball into ‘Breds territory. Again it was a Taylor completion. The senior hit Tamarick Vanover with a 41-yard pass from the M-Tigers 22. After a sack, Taylor hit Tremell Gooden with a 23-yard pass that reclaimed the 11 yards lost on the sack on first down plus 2. Fern Sdelamora split the uprights from 37 yards out to finish out the half.

The scoring was a bit more spread out in the second half. Sylve added another touchdown to his accomplishments on the day. This time he did it out of the backfield with a 24-yard jaunt on fourth down. His touchdown gave the ‘Breds a 21-17 lead, their first of the game.

For the fifth and last time, Morehouse regained the lead behind the strong throwing of Taylor. The former Grady HS star finished the game with 373 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. His third touchdown went to speedy wide-out Ricci Nuckles for 78 yards.

Morehouse’s defense took over after the touchdown. Kentucky State never made it any farther than the M-Tigers 44-yard line. The Breds were limited to one first down and no more than 12 yards on any of their drives in the fourth quarter.

With the win, the Maroon Tigers improved their record to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the SIAC.