The North Carolina A&T football team earned its first win of the season on Oct. 23 with a 52-32 victory over Howard.

The win ends a 10-game losing streak for the Aggies and is their first since defeating Howard 30-19 on Oct. 24, 2009.  

“More excited for them to see the hard work and all those things pay off because they have been working hard,” said head coach Alonzo Lee. “They have been getting out there doing great things.”

The star of the game for the Aggies was George Hines, the standout outfielder for the Aggies baseball team.

He started for the second consecutive game on Saturday after making his debut in last weeks lost to Delaware State.

Hines went 12-16 passing for 235 yards and three touchdowns, crediting the coaching staff for his preparation and knowing where the Bison defense would be.

“Of Course George Hines with that addition, having that quarter back that we lost at the beginning of the season, you can really see that he made a difference,” said Lee.”With a good quarterback, you see we have the potential to score points.”

The Aggies had a solid game plan from the first play of the game when Hines faked a handoff to Mike Mayhew and completed a 35-yard pass to redshirt freshman Torrian Warren.

“I asked [coach Berry] why not hit them with play action early?” said Hines.

The safeties bit on the play action just as Hines thought they would.

Two plays later Hines hit junior Wallace Miles who ran down the middle of the field to make a leaping 26-yard reception for the Aggies first touchdown of the game and his first of two touchdowns.

The Aggies took a 14-0 lead on the ensuing Bison possession when Jeremy Graham retrieved a Howard fumble and returned it 38 yards for his second touchdown in as many games.

The Bison were able to cut the lead to 14-12, however a 28-point second quarter by the Aggies saw them to take a 42-19 lead into halftime.

Hines left the game in the third quarter because of a cramp but the Aggies had a big enough cushion that the Bison could not come back.

“I didn’t think we would put 42 up in the first half, but when you execute that’s what happens,” Hines said.

“I’m a lot more happier for the guys then I am myself. They’ve been working hard the whole year. I just got out, and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to help them.”

The Aggies had two receivers, Miles and Warren, with at least 100 yards of receiving.

The M.E.A.C. leading rusher Mike Mayhew finished the game with 109 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns.  

The Aggies travel to Daytona Beach, FL to face the undefeated wildcats of Bethune Cookman next.

The game is on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. and will air on ESPNU.

• SHERRY ROSS