With two weekend practices in addition to regular weekday practices the Aggie football team was ready to enter the opening of conference play against the Bears of Morgan State. Despite the loss the team showed to many they have what it takes to prove their critics wrong and be a winning team.

The biggest mishaps of the night that could have helped the Aggies win were failure to convert on a two point conversion and missed field goals by freshman kicker Zach Cimaglia.

“We let this one slip away,” said Broadway. “All we have to do is make one first down and the ballgame is over. We missed the extra point and we missed the field goal. There are so many things we could have done during the course of this ballgame that would have changed the outcome. We need to understand every play is important. We can’t take plays off. We weren’t as focused as we needed to be.”

Last Thursday night was not only about how the game ended but breaking a school record. Senior running back Mike Mayhew broke the all-time rushing record on an 8-yard run in the second quarter. He also earned his 12th career 100-yard game with 105 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

“I’m happy for him,” said Coach Rod Broadway. “That’s a great milestone for that young man. He ran the ball hard tonight. He hit downhill a couple of times and put down his pads and ran like Mike Mayhew is capable of running. I hope he can continue to keep running like that. We’re going to be a good football team if he keeps running like that the rest of the season.”

When the football season started junior running back Dominique Drake Mayhew was in the starter position, not Mayhew. Mayhew has had to work hard during practice to earn playing time. It was evident last week that Mayhew earned his spot as he made history in front of family, friends, fans, and a televised audience.

“I’m always going to remember this experience,” said Mayhew. “It feels good, but it would be a better feeling if we could have got the ‘W’ tonight.”

Now 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference there was not much time to harp over the tough loss. “We need to get back out and get it out of our system because we’ve got to go play,” said Broadway.

The Aggies have another conference game against the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman this Saturday in Daytona, Fla. In addition to being a road game also it is also Bethune-Cookman’s homecoming. Last season the Aggies defeated the Wildcats at the Aggie Stadium 22-3.

Bethune-Cookman overall is 3-2 and 2-0 in the conference. They are 0-1 at home from a loss to Tennessee State. Last week they defeated Hampton University on the road 38-26.

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• Symone Kidd, Sports Editor