GREENSBORO – The Campbell Camels and North Carolina A&T Aggies finished their first season in the Coastal Athletic Association with a matchup in Greensboro on Saturday afternoon. The Camels jumped out to a 28-0 lead before holding on to defeat the Aggies, 28-14. With the win, the Camels finish .500 in conference play in their first season in the CAA while the Aggies finished winless in the CAA.
How it Happened
The game kicked off with the Campbell Camels taking an early lead in the first quarter. Jalen Kelsey made a 10-yard touchdown pass from Hajj-Malik Williams, followed by a successful PAT kick by Williams. Shortly after, Tai Goode scored another touchdown for the Camels, catching a 9-yard pass from Williams, with another successful PAT kick by Williams.
In the second quarter, the Camels extended their lead with Hajj-Malik Williams catching a 24-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Fitez, followed by a successful PAT kick by Caleb Dowden. Lamagea McDowell also rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, with another successful PAT kick by Dowden. However, the Aggies fought back with Eli Brickhandler rushing for a 1-yard touchdown, followed by a successful PAT kick by Owen Daffer. In the fourth quarter, Wesley Graves scored a 3-yard touchdown pass from Alston Hooker, with another successful PAT kick by Daffer, making the final score 28-14 in favor of the Campbell Camels.
On the Ground
The Campbell Camels' rushing attack was led by Lamagea McDowell who rushed for 70 yards on 14 carries, scoring one touchdown. NaQuari Rogers also contributed significantly with 64 yards on 13 carries. The team had a total of 187 rushing yards. On the other side, the Aggies' rushing game was spearheaded by Shimique Blizzard who rushed for 79 yards on 15 carries. Eli Brickhandler and Wesley Graves also made notable contributions with 27 and 26 yards respectively. The Aggies ended the game with a total of 142 rushing yards.
Through the Air
In the passing game, Hajj-Malik Williams of the Campbell Camels completed 15 out of 20 passes for a total of 188 yards, throwing two touchdowns. Brandon Fitez also completed a pass for 24 yards and a touchdown. Jalen Kelsey was the standout receiver for the Campbell Camels with 39 yards and a touchdown from 4 receptions. VJ Wilkins also had a good game with 71 yards from 3 receptions. For the Aggies, Alston Hooker completed 11 out of 15 passes for a total of 159 yards, throwing one touchdown. Eli Brickhandler also contributed with 16 yards from 5 completed passes. Amonte Jones led the receiving game with 49 yards from 4 receptions. Ger-Cari Caldwell and Damond Harmon also made significant contributions with 52 and 31 yards respectively.
Defensive Standouts
The Campbell Camels' defense was led by CJ Tillman, who had 10 total tackles, including 5 solo and 5 assisted. He also had 0.5 sacks for a loss of 4 yards. Monchovia Gaffney and Trevon Booker also made significant contributions with 6 total tackles each. The team had a total of 3 sacks for a loss of 20 yards and 1 forced fumble. On the other side, the North Carolina A&T Aggies' defense mirrored the Camels' stats. CJ Tillman led the Aggies' defense with 10 total tackles, including 5 solo and 5 assisted, and 0.5 sacks for a loss of 4 yards. Monchovia Gaffney and Trevon Booker each contributed 6 total tackles. The Aggies' defense also had 3 sacks for a loss of 20 yards and 1 forced fumble. Both teams showcased their defensive strengths in the game, contributing to the intense competition on the field.
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