By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Elon’s football team lost a game and then it became worse for the Phoenix on Saturday afternoon in Greensboro.
A postgame brawl broke out following North Carolina A&T’s 13-10 victory that was part of the Greatest Homecoming On Earth celebration.
The Elon side took responsibility for the fighting.
“I was extremely disappointed in our behavior which does not align with who we are as a football program or as an institution,” coach Tony Trisciani said Monday. “. . . It was about our actions and how we have to handle ourselves in those situations and have better judgment and better discipline.”
Following the game, Elon officials released a statement: “We are disappointed in our actions at the conclusion of today’s game at North Carolina A&T. We apologize for detracting from what should have been a moment for North Carolina A&T to celebrate a hard-fought victory. Elon Athletics holds our student-athletes, coaches and staff to a high standard of sportsmanship. We are reviewing what occurred and will take appropriate action.”
Trisciani said disciplinary action is taking place within the football team. Video footage shows that a small number of Elon players were involved in the fracas on the N.C. A&T sideline.
The game was attended by Gov. Josh Stein and Coastal Athletic Association commissioner Joe D’Antonio.
In the game, the Aggies took the final lead on Asher Holland’s 34-yard field goal with 2:18 remaining.
Elon then drove to the N.C. A&T 14, but quarterback Brady Stober fumbled on a sack with 44 seconds left.
N.C. A&T (4-5 overall, 3-2 CAA), which has a three-game winning streak, beat Elon (4-5, 2-3) for the first time in four meetings since joining the CAA.
Running back Kamerin McDowell-Moore accounted for 102 rushing yards, but Elon’s rushing total was at 101 because of lost-yardage plays. Stober threw for 100 yards.
“We made him earn it,” Aggies coach Shawn Gibbs said of McDowell-Moore’s rushing.
Elon trailed 3-0 at halftime but pulled even on Luke Barnes’ 25-yard field goal following N.C. A&T’s muffed punt in Aggies’ territory.
Trey Woods recovered a fumble at the N.C. A&T 27, leading to McDowell-Moore’s 2-yard fourth-down touchdown run as the Phoenix went up 10-3.
N.C. A&T completed an 11-play drive late in the third quarter with Kevin White’s 8-yard pass to Jayvonne Dillard, creating a tie going to the fourth quarter
Elon tries to break a four-game losing streak Saturday afternoon vs. last-place Hampton (1-8, 0-5) at Rhodes Stadium.
“We’re just trying to keep a positive mindset,” said Elon freshman cornerback Xavier Porter, who made an interception in his first career start Saturday. “We’re not focusing on anything that happened. You can’t change the past. Staying together as a team.”
Receiver Jaedon Alford said the team’s mindset needs to be on doing enough to finish with a 7-5 record. After last weekend, another game can’t come soon enough for the Phoenix.
“Definitely anxious,” Alford said. “We get to play football. We’re excited and grateful to play. The best is not behind us.”
Porter said: “Everybody is trying to keep the energy high. Nobody is slacking. Even if the season isn’t going how anybody wanted it to, we just can’t give up.”
