Rams turn sights toward next opponent

Coach Connell Maynor — for the first time all season — looked out of sorts after his Winston-Salem State football team kept its hopes alive for the Division II national championship on Saturday night.

A few minutes after the third-ranked Rams took care of fifth-ranked New Haven 27-7, Maynor appeared tired when he faced questions from reporters. It's been a long grind to not only keep the Rams unbeaten but to also keep convincing others his team is for real.

Winston-Salem State, which will play Wayne State (Mich.) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium in the Division II semifinals, is 13-0 and the only remaining unbeaten team in the playoffs.

"I can't control what people think," Maynor said when asked if there were still doubters of his team. "In our program we know what we can do and we've proved it for 13 weeks. We give up 15 points a game and we average 40-something points, so how can you pick against us?"

The Rams have had the luxury of winning two playoff games at home and will get a third home playoff game Saturday. A win will put them in the national championship game on Dec. 17 in Florence, Ala.

"And we play them right here at home," Maynor said as he became his most animated at the media conference. "For all the naysayers and nonbelievers — say what you are going to say, but I don't have any control of them. I can only control my football team and that's what I'm going to control."

The Rams were in very good control Saturday as they shut down the high-powered Chargers, who came in averaging 43 points a game. The defense allowed just one touchdown and the Rams' offense did its part, led by quarterback Kameron Smith (19 of 26 for 274 yards and two touchdown passes), receiver Jameze Massey (138 yards and two touchdowns on six catches) and running back Nic Cooper (132 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries).

Despite Maynor displaying some weariness after the game, he attended the WSSU basketball game later on Saturday night, accompanied by his wife, Meryl, and daughter, Nicole. He didn't cheer as much as he usually does, but who could blame him?

There were plenty who snickered at Maynor when he boasted during the summer his team could go 15-0 and win the national championship. Now the Rams are two wins away from doing something no other historically black college has ever done at the Division II level.

WSSU students showed up in force Saturday among the more than 6,000 in attendance, even though they have to pay $5 to get into the playoff games (their student athletics fees don't cover NCAA playoff games).

A sign said "Looking forward to 15-0," and that's what the Rams are hoping to achieve.

"It's always great to have that support," Maynor said. "I don't see (the fans) dancing but I can hear the music and that's something for the crowd and the cheerleaders and the band. I'm focused on what's going on out there on the field. We can't celebrate until after the game."

The Rams, despite their dominance, haven't seen a lot of postseason awards come their way. An example is the Daktronics All-Super Region I team: New Haven, the school WSSU just beat, had five players make that team while the Rams had none.

In addition, Cooper was not one of the nine finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is the Division II award for the player of the year. Cooper has rushed for 1,712 yards (third best in school history) this season, scoring 23 touchdowns.

Maynor was asked if Cooper was told about not being at least among the finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy. "We'll tell him at some point," Maynor said.

Maynor said he isn't concerned about individual awards at this point. His goal is to recharge his batteries and go through the team's same routine this week in preparation for Wayne State, which has won all three of its playoff games on the road.

"We still have work to do," Maynor said, "and we're not satisfied. When you become satisfied, that's when you slip up and somebody beats you."