WASHINGTON INFORMER: It may be April and the football season is still four months away, but Howard began its quest to complete unfinished business Saturday at the annual Spring Blue-White Game at Greene Stadium.
Despite coming off a spectacular season as it finished as co-champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the team is looking for more: the goal is to win the MEAC title outright and represent the conference in the Celebration Bowl in December in Atlanta.
Fans got an opportunity to see the future in an entertaining contest between Team White, featuring the offense and Team Blue which featured the defense. Team White prevailed 26-21.
Team Blue opened with a quick three-and-out, but Team White responded with a rushing touchdown by Ian Wheeler 7-2. Team White closed out the first period with a field goal from Dylan West to make it 10-3.
After an hour delay due to lightning, the action resumed with a 71-yard pick-six from Carson Hinton to shrink the gap to 10-9.
Team Blue regained the upper hand, scoring six points in the third quarter and taking a 15-10 advantage into the final frame.
Moments into the fourth quarter, sophomore running back Tony Bedell from Glen Burnie, Maryland, found paydirt and gave Team White a 17-15 lead.
Team Blue responded with another interception, thanks to Kedrick Green and grabbed a 19-17 advantage late.
Team White claimed the upper hand with another West field goal, 20-19, but the defense made another three-and-out stop to take a slim 21-20 lead.
In the game’s final possession, red-shirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Okoro launched a Hail Mary pass to the end zone where senior tight end Thomas Vi came down with the game-winning touchdown and give Team White a thrilling victory.
“We are very pleased with how the spring practice and today’s Blue-White game turned out,” said Howard Head Coach Larry Scott, in his third season at the helm. “It’s good to see the evolution of this team after last year’s success. “It is especially gratifying to see how it has become more player driven and how they stress accountability for each other.”
The team got some added incentive during the ring ceremony the night before.
“There seems to be even more motivation after that ceremony,” said Scott, who led the Bison to their first conference title since 1993.
Howard will begin its season with a road game at Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 2.
Photo: Photo by David Sierra/Howard University Athletics
