http://www.boxtorow.com/hbcspa The HBCSports Press Association was founded in 2005. HBCSPA is a news and wire service which services the under-represented industry of Black college sports. HBCSPA serves as a source for news, photographs, audio and radio broadcasts for people everywhere. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/gamestory_mlballstar09cmntry.pdf While it was questionable whether President Barack Obama's ceremonial opening pitch to the 2009 would have been in the dirt if Albert Pujols had not moved up and caught it, what wasn’t in question is that it was an historic night in St. Louis. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/gamestory_mlballstar09.pdf For the past seven seasons the MLB All-Star Game has been more than just some of MLB's best players playing an exhibition game. The game has meaning and home field advantage is awarded to the winner of the mid-summer classic between the American and National Leagues All-Stars in the World Series. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/gamestory_ciaa2009b.pdf Johnson C. Smith came into the 2009 CIAA Tournament championship game against Virginia Union looking to repeat as tournament champions. Virginia Union was looking to win their fourth championship in six years. The challenge for Virginia Union would be could they win with new coach Willard Coker at the helm, after replacing longtime coach Dave Robbins who retired shortly after the end of last season. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/gamestory_ciaa2009a.pdf Super Saturday hasn’t disappointed as CIAA basketball fans have been treated to entertainment from all facets today. From band and cheer competitions to entertainment by celebs, all of this leading up to the 2009 CIAA basketball championships, which tipped off at 5:00pm tonight. Tonight’s women’s championship game featured top seeded Bowie State and third seeded Johnson C. Smith. Top dog Bowie State had three CIAA tournament championships heading into tonight’s title game while head coach Vanessa Taylor and her Lady Golden Bulls were searching for their first title in four appearances in the championship game. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_ciaa2009.pdf It's time once again for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) to put on their 64th and 34th men and women tournaments, respectively in Charlotte and the excitement will be in abundance both on and off the court. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/gamestory_superbowlxliii.pdf Pittsburgh wide receiver Santonio Holmes caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger with 35 seconds remaining which proved to be the game winner as the Steelers defeated Arizona 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII before a crowd of 70,774 at Raymond James Stadium. Holmes was named the game's most valuable player finishing the game with 9 catches for 131 yards and the touchdown. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_swac-championship2008.pdf What to watch for: Look for this game to be a defensive battle. Jackson State will make it tough for Grambling to run the football. JSU has the best defense in the SWAC giving up only 233.5 yards of total offense. They also rank third in scoring defense (18.8). These Tigers are led by LB Marcellus Speaks who was named SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. Speaks led the league in tackles (105) and was tied for 2nd in tackles for loss (20.5). Teammate DE Marcus Bernard was also a first team All-SWAC selection after leading the league in both sacks (16) and tackles for loss (22.5). He also led all linemen in tackles (80). In the secondary Dominique Johnson is one of the best corners in the league and was a ball hawk with four (4) interceptions and led the SWAC in pass breakups (13). FS Malcolm Palmer was named to the All-SWAC second team. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_bayou-classic2008.pdf When Grambling and Southern meet on Saturday for the 35th Bayou Classic, there will be more than bragging rights on the line. A win for the Tigers (9-0, 6-2 SWAC) gives them the Western Division title and a spot in the conference championship game. However, should the Jaguars (6-4, 5-1) come away with the victory there will be a three-way tie atop the division between Grambling, Southern and Prairie View A&M and the division winner will be decided by a coin flip. Southern leads the series though the teams have split the last four meetings with the Jaguars winning 22-13 last year. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_fla-classic2008.pdf While South Carolina State has already locked up the MEAC regular season title, second place and a possible at-large playoff berth are still up for grabs. Bethuune-Cookman (8-2, 5-2 MEAC) currently sits behind SCSU and a victory over Florida A&M (8-3, 4-3) will give them sole possession of the slot to end the season. The Rattlers, meanwhile, can force a tie with the Wildcats with a victory and if Delaware State defeats Howard, the Hornets, Rattlers and Wildcats would all finish tied for second. Oh yeah, and if that weren't enough this meeting will also mark the 29th Anniversary for the Florida Classic. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/gamestory_ciaa2008.pdf Despite average overall records, when Alabama A&M and Jackson State meet in Mississippi on Saturday the SWAC Eastern Division title will be on the line. The Bulldogs (4-6, 3-2) enter the contest hoping to bounce back from a 24-10 loss to Prairie View A&M a week ago, while the Tigers seek their fifth consecutive win. A victory on Saturday will give JSU their second consecutive division title. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_scsu-msu2008.pdf South Carolina State (8-2, 6-0) travels to Morgan State on Saturday seeking to remain unbeaten and atop the MEAC standings. The Bears (6-4, 4-2), meanwhile hope to take down the Bulldogs and, in the process, draw within a game of the league-leaders. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/gamestory_ciaa2008.pdf The Shaw Bears came into the CIAA championship game match-up against Elizabeth City State with the nation's best defense and the conference's best offense. The Bears used a dominating defensive performance and a 16-point third quarter to defeat the Vikings 36-7 to win their second-straight title before a crowd of 7,542 at Durham County Stadium. It was also the third title for the Bears in five years. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_ciaa2008.pdf All eyes will be on Durham County Memorial Stadium this Saturday afternoon when the Shaw Bears battle the Elizabeth City State Vikings in the eighth CIAA championship game. The defending champion Bears enter the contest with a 7-3 overall record and are 6-1 in the conference, their only league loss coming against Saint Augustine's on Oct. 4. Despite finishing tied atop the Western Division standings with Fayetteville State, the Bears were deemed champions by virtue of winning the head-to-head match up with the Broncos on Oct. 12. The Vikings, meanwhile, enter the game with an unblemished conference record, though they have lost three out of conference. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_su-pvamu2008.pdf This weekend Southern travels to Houston's Reliant Stadium to face Prairie View in a pivotal SWAC Western division game. The Jaguars (4-3, 3-0 in SWAC) are tied with Grambling atop the division, while the Panthers (6-1, 3-1) can take sole possession of second place with a win. Southern is looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking 52-49 loss to Florida A&M during which the lead changed hands seven times and the teams combined to gain nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Prairie View, meanwhile, hopes to build off a 15-0 victory over Arkansas Pine Bluff, a game in which the defense allowed their opponent less than 100 yards. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_asu-tu2008.pdf If last week's game between Albany State and Clark Atlanta was to keep pace with league-leading Tuskegee, then the match up between the Golden Rams and Golden Tigers on Saturday is the battle to BE the leader. Albany State overcame modest offensive numbers by scoring 21 unanswered points en route to a 34-20 homecoming victory over CAU. Tuskegee, meanwhile, scored touchdowns offensively, defensively and on special teams during a 42-27 defeat of Morehouse, the Golden Tigers' 22nd consecutive victory dating to the 2006 season. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_cau-asu2008.pdf As the 2008 season reaches the midway point, Clark Atlanta will travel to Albany State in a game pitting two teams trying to keep pace with league-leading Tuskegee. The Panthers (4-2, 3-1) are coming off a heartbreaking 17-14 homecoming loss to Savannah State, a game that would've gone to overtime had kicker Henry Brayton's 35-yard field goal not sailed wide left as time expired. The Golden Rams, meanwhile, will have to block out their own homecoming festivities, as they'll look to build on last week's 35-14 victory over Stillman. The winner will remain within striking distance of Tuskegee who sits atop the SIAC undefeated but face once-beaten Morehouse on Saturday. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_atl-classic2008.pdf In Saturday's Atlanta Football Classic, Tennessee State (4-0, 1-0 OVC) will look to close their non-conference schedule undefeated, and after taking down three SWAC opponents the Tigers will face a rejuvenated Florida A&M squad. After losing to Delaware State by a touchdown on September 4, the Rattlers (2-1, 1-1 MEAC) bounced back mightily during their 51-24 win over Howard. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_southern-heritage2008.pdf When the two Tigers- Jackson State and Tennessee State -meet in Memphis for the Southern Heritage Classic on Saturday it should be quite the battle. JSU hopes to embark on a winning streak after bouncing back from a week one defeat at the hands of Hampton by taking down Stillman 17-7 in the first W.C. Gorden Classic. TSU, meanwhile, continues their non-conference schedule in hopes of defeating their third SWAC opponent in as many weeks. They opened the season by beating Alabama A&M 34-13 and followed with a 34-32 victory over Southern in the John Merritt Classic. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_john-merritt2008.pdf When Southern and Tennessee State meet in Nashville on Saturday night in the John Merritt Classic, one team, the Tigers, will be licking their chops to take on another SWAC opponent after they defeated Alabama A&M 34-13 a week ago. Meanwhile, Southern will just be happy to see someone on their "level" after taking it on the chin in a 55-3 loss to the University of Houston. Couple that with the fact that Baton Rouge was hit hard by Hurricane Gustav and as of September 4, the Jaguar team had practiced only once. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_meac-swac2008.pdf When the Hampton Pirates and Jackson State Tigers descend upon Orlando's Citrus Bowl for the Fourth Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge, one team will be looking to pick up where they left off a season ago while the other hopes that change is for the better. The Tigers enter the contest after winning their first SWAC championship since 1996. They are led by third-year head coach Rick Comegy and several returning starters, including all four on the defensive line. Meanwhile, Hampton will look to kick off the Jerry Holmes era on Sunday. Holmes was the defensive coordinator under Joe Taylor who left the Tidewater area in the offseason to take over the program at FAMU. The Pirates have questions at QB and will also have to replace all-MEAC defensive linemen Kendall Langford and Marcus Dixon. http://www.boxtorow.com/bayouclassic We've got some great photos featured on the site from the one and only Bayou Classic, the annual matchup between Southern University's Jaguars and Grambling State University's Tigers. Follow the link to go to the gallery. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-story_tu-vuu.pdf When Tuskegee and Virginia Union take the field for the tenth Pioneer Bowl at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium on the campus of Benedict College in Columbia, SC, two equally dominant teams will square off. The Tigers (11-0), ranked No.1 in the Boxtorow.com/BASN Poll, breezed through the SIAC, defeating opponents by an average of nearly 33 points per game and were led by conference MVP Jacary Atkinson. Meanwhile, the Panthers (9-2), ranked No. 10, fell short of a Division II playoff bid, but managed to outscore opponents by two touchdowns while holding them to 120 yards through the air per contest. Even the coaching match up is – well – even, as both Willie Slater of Tuskegee and Arrington Jones III of Union were named coach of the year in their respective conferences. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-story_gsu-su.pdf Over the past couple of years, the Bayou Classic has not meant a whole lot in terms of post season aspirations or championship aspirations for either Grambling or Southern. And while this year Grambling was already guaranteed a spot in the SWAC Championship Game, they were also fighting to stay in contention for the Black College National Championship. For Southern, they were rebounding from a 5-6 season last year and looking to close the season out with their best record since 2003 when they went 12-1 and won the Black college crown. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_gsu-su.pdf Grambling State and Southern will meet in New Orleans on Saturday for the 34th Bayou Classic amid the usual fanfare and excitement. Yet, the Tigers and Jaguars are teams moving in opposite directions. Grambling's (8-2, 8-0 SWAC) only losses were to Bowl Championship Subdivision (formerly Division IA) teams Pittsburgh during the season's second week and a 28-14 loss to Louisiana-Monroe two weeks ago; ULM followed with a defeat at Alabama last Saturday. Win or lose on Saturday, Grambling is assured a place in the SWAC Championship on December 15. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_nsu-dsu.pdf Under its current format, the MEAC does not hold an official football championship game at the end of the regular season. However, when Norfolk State travels to Delaware State on Saturday, for all intents and purposes, the conference title will be on the line. The Spartans (7-2, 6-1 MEAC) enter the game having won five out of six following an early-season blowout loss to Rutgers. During that streak, NSU defeated Hampton for the first time since 2001 and Florida A&M for the first time ever. The Hornets (8-1, 6-0) haven't lost since a week two defeat at the hands of Kent State. Delaware State has looked impressive throughout, but needed game-winning field goals as time expired from Peter Gaertner to win their final two contests against South Carolina State and Winston-Salem State. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_aamu-jsu.pdf When Jackson State and Alabama A&M meet in Huntsville on Saturday the Tigers will no doubt be looking to avenge a 34-21 home loss last season. Additionally, the teams, bands and fans hope to put on their best show for the ESPNU cameras in attendance-the game will be broadcast on a tape-delay basis Saturday night. But, most important, the winner of the contest will be positioned atop the SWAC's Eastern Division with just two games remaining in the regular season. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_dsu-hiu.pdf When Delaware State travels to Hampton to face the Pirates on Saturday many MEAC observers expect to see the first steps in a changing of the guard. The Pirates, conference champions the past three years, entered the season needing to replace 20 seniors while the Hornets were seen as the team with enough talent to overtake the top spot by season's end. Winning on Saturday would be their first step toward making that a reality. http://www.boxtorow.com/pdf/hbcspa-preview_nccu-asu.pdf NCCU/ASU match-up is biggest game on HBCU opening slate