Braves Roll in Home Opener

The Braves football team picked up right where it left off last season in their 2009 home opener at Grace P. Johnson Stadium – with defense and high-powered offense – resulting in a 37-0 win on Sept. 5 over visiting St. Paul’s College.

The offense, which totaled 422 yards, was lead by quarterback Cory Smith and L.J Johnson. Smith, a junior, passed for 223 yards, including four passes to Johnson for 75 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson, a senior, tied his own school record for most TD receptions in a single game.

Caylon Hann, an All-American selection for the Braves last season, recorded two interceptions in the game. Hann and the rest of the Braves defense, the reigning Division II Statistical Champions for holding the opposing teams to an average of 11.2 points per game, held St. Paul’s to just 141 yards of total offense for the game, including a 3-for-13 passing performance for the Tigers.

“I don’t think we are going to get three touchdowns on four catches every week, but we expect him to keep being a big contributor to our offense week in and week out. Overall I’m excited he had the kind of night he did,” said UNCP head coach Pete Shinnick on Johnson’s performance.

UNCP got on the scoreboard when Smith connected with Johnson for a 30-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter, redshirt-freshman Adrian Williams broke free and found the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown run, and just before halftime, Smith found Johnson for a 12-yard touchdown.

UNCP’s James Alexander, a junior, fulfilled a defensive lineman’s dream when he recovered a St. Paul’s fumble in the end zone to stretch the Braves lead out to 27-0. The duo of Smith and Johnson hooked up on a one-yard fade route for their final touchdown of the night, capping a 70-yard drive for the Braves.

Sophomore kicker Taylor Baskett knocked home a 28-yard field goal with two minutes to go to finish up the Braves scoring for the night.

The Braves, which have now won six home games in a row, improved their all-time record in home openers to 3-0. With the long Labor Day weekend, the game was not a sell-out. It was the first home game not to be sold-out in the school’s football history.

A week earlier, on Aug. 29, Black and Gold football had defeated the Fayetteville State Broncos in a 41-34 double overtime win in the Braves' season opener and the inaugural Two Rivers Classic at Fayetteville.