Oct. 12, 2009
Hampton, Va. - On Saturday, the Fayetteville State football team beat rival Shaw, 29-28, and seized control of the CIAA's Western Division.
On Monday, the CIAA honored senior Gerard Atkinson, head coach Kenny Phillips and kicker Austin Turner with weekly awards.
Atkinson, a native of Yonkers, N.Y., was named the CIAA's Linebacker of the Week. Atkinson intercepted a Shaw pass on its second drive of the game and returned it 72 yards for touchdown. It was the third longest interception return in FSU history. Atkinson finished with 13 tackles and has an interception return for a touchdown in the Broncos' last two games.
"As soon as I caught it I was looking for the end zone, "Atkinson said. "I saw the end zone and just cut it back and started digging."
Turner continued to boost FSU's special teams, hitting field goals from 28 and 40 yards, to be named the conference's Speciality Player of the Week.
The San Diego native punted nine times for 408 yards, averaging 45.3 yards per punt. Three of Turner's punts were downed inside the 20 yard line.
Turner leads the CIAA with 15 field goals and needs four field goals over the Broncos' last three games to set FSU records for single-season and career field goals made.
Phillips, the CIAA's Coach of the Week, guided FSU to its fourth win in its last five games and notched his 60th career victory. The Broncos' defense forced seven Shaw turnovers and has intercepted Bears' quarterbacks 13 times in the teams' last three meetings.
FSU (4-3, 3-1 CIAA) has a winning record for the first time this season.
The Broncos travel to Charlotte on Saturday to face Johnson C. Smith. The game is the Golden Bulls' last home contest of the season and their Homecoming.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
