Edmond in the game, but Demons down

Sophomore Germayne Edmond took over at QB on the third series after a couple of penalty marred series didn't get NSU over midfield. The Demons moved inside the 20, but stalled and a 42-yard field goal by Robert Weeks was partially blocked.

Sam Houston scored on its first series after the game-opening interception. SHSU leads 14-7 after one very disjointed quarter of play.

Big series here for the Purple Swarm, which has scored but hasn't otherwise stopped the Bearkats, who have 159 yards on 13 snaps.

Wild, weird opening

Blake Delcambre scores on a short interception return on Sam Houston's first play. On the Bearkats' second snap, they go 61 yards for a touchdown. Meanwhile, already 7 penalty flags thrown, 4 on the Demons, 2 on Delcambre's TD.

7-7 just six minutes into the game.

Pregame ritual in Huntsville

A large group of Demons, including the proud grandfather of NSU fullback Dante' Austin, enjoyed a visit to the New Zion Baptist Church Barbeque before kickoff.

Also on hand, Don Harrison, the www.godemons.com daddy, along with Butch Ballard, the Top 100 Demons of All-Time standout; Kenny Homann, former Demon baseball player; Buddy Wood, former Athletic Association president and Demon Sports Network analyst; and Mike Gallien, a Select 100 member from Houston.

If you've never visited the Church of BBQ, make a trip if you are ever in the neighborhood!

Doug Ireland, SID

Servin' it up

The "Dig 4 the Cure" series between the volleyball teams at NSU and Central Arkansas was a wonderful concept helping focus attention on Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The teams played Saturday at UCA and Tuesday at Prather Coliseum, with each program making extra efforts for its home match to assure awareness was foremost.

At NSU, that included the honorary first serve. Stepping up to the task was the first lady of Northwestern, Brenda Webb, a breast cancer survivor. She and the Lady Demon coaches wore pink, the trademark color for the cause, while the Lady Demon players all wore pink ribbons in their hair.

Brenda gathered the team around her for the big serve. She first tried an underhand serve, and it didn't quite take off like a rocket, more like an Iraqi scud missle.

Undaunted, she stepped back, and went with her version of the jump serve, tossing the ball overhead and delivering a mighty whack to knock the ball across the net into UCA's midcourt.

Ever the perfectionist, she was making fun of herself as she left the court to join her husband, Dr. Randy Webb, to root on the Lady Demons.

"I guess I should just try golf instead," she said.

Actually, I suggested, the overhead serve was the perfect motion for her. Her two son-in-laws, Reggie Gatewood and Nick Simokatis, are former Demon baseball players and you can bet the grandkids are going to need their grandma to throw batting practice.

She liked that idea!

Doug Ireland, SID

Fun morning at the Demon Diamond

Among the many activities Saturday on campus, there couldn't have been many more irreverent than the Alumni Softball Game pitting former Demon players against the current team at the Demon Diamond.

Irreverent, because of the good natured heckling involved, but at the same time, it wasn't as if there wasn't some serious softball played.


As you can see above, it was a fun event.

As you can see from picture No. 2, it was also serious. There's no doubt that Michelle Castellano (30) was determined to add to the scoring total for the alumni, against Shelly's former teammates.

It was tremendous fun to visit with players from the 1980s, 1990s and recent alumni at the social on Friday night, during the game on Saturday and after the football game. The group was introduced during a TV timeout at Turpin Stadium and got a nice round of applause, deservedly, for a program that has been one of our best and fun to watch through the years.

Getting the long distance award among the alumni returning was Jamie Frasier, the delightfully dimpled catcher, who travelled in from Columbia, S.C., for the weekend.

Doug Ireland, SID