The Winston-Salem State football team is back at practice and preparing for its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs following a tumultuous weekend.
The Rams practiced at 6 a.m. Monday for the first time since their matchup with Virginia State in the CIAA Championship Game scheduled for last Saturday was cancelled. The game, and other championship weekend activities scheduled to be held on the Winston-Salem State campus, was called off following an altercation Friday during a luncheon sponsored by the conference to honor both teams.
All-CIAA quarterback Rudy Johnson, who was injured when a group of players from Virginia State allegedly beat him up in a bathroom during the luncheon, practiced with the team despite a swollen eye. Coach Connell Maynor says he expects Johnson to play when the Rams host Slippery Rock Saturday.
“There was no damage to the eye socket,’’ Maynor says. “Rudy is back and he’s fine. The eye is black and blue, but he’s ready to go.’’
Johnson’s eye was swollen shut after he was treated and released from the hospital Friday, and it was unlikely that he could have played Saturday.
Virginia State running back Lamont Daniel Britt has been charged with misdemeanor assault inflicting serious injury. No other participants have been identified. The CIAA and Virginia State are conducting separate investigations into the incident. Virginia State President Keith Miller says that Britt has been suspended indefinitely pending the completion of the school’s investigation.
CIAA Commissioner Jacquie Carpenter cancelled the championship game after Maynor and Virginia State coach Latrell Scott said they couldn’t guarantee that they would be able to control their teams if there were any sort of incident during the contest.
