By james art Kamarro Edmonds knew he wanted to be a part of Johnson C. Smith.
Before this season, the in-state junior running back decided to transfer to the historically black University of Charlotte. Edmunds was a nationally recognized four-star recruit coming out of Havelock High School in eastern North Carolina and previously played at UNC and ECU.
He scored a pair of touchdowns in the recent historic win for the Golden Bulls, who remain unbeaten in eight games for the first time in school history.
“I just love it here,” said Edmonds, among a host of North Carolina natives on the roster, after JC Smith’s eighth win. “We had a lot of new guys. This is my first year and I’m one of those new guys. But the culture is just different. I just knew we were going to be successful all year from when we got there in the summer until now.
“We build every day. The chemistry is getting better every day and we’re just looking to win this championship.”
“They’ve Never Seen Johnson K. Smith Win”
The series has been exciting, but JC Smith (8-0, 5-0 Central Interscholastic Athletic Association) knows there is still a lot of work to be done.
Recently won his seventh game of the season at home, defeating Shaw in a 21-14 victory. Although the victory was not close most of the afternoon and gave the team its best record in 55 years, JC Smith knew that a one-touchdown victory was not up to the mark.
The Golden Bulls moved the ball more offensively and had enough to come out on top, 24-15, at Winston-Salem State, which had won 20 of the sides’ last 21 meetings.
“Most of these guys have never seen Johnson C. Smith win,” JC Smith head coach Maurice Flowers said. “It’s very special. We have about 38 guys who came here two years ago and lost. It feels great to get back with these guys and get the win.”
The Golden Bulls continue to rise in the national football polls
The school near upstate Charlotte continues to be recognized among the top college football programs in the country.
JC Smith is now ranked No. 1 in the HBCU Division II poll after their big win against Winston-Salem State at Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday. The Golden Bulls also moved up three spots to No. 16 in the Division II AFCA Coaches Poll.
They host Fayetteville State in their final Senior Day home game at 1:00 pm on Saturday from the Irwin Belk Complex before closing out their regular season at Livingstone College in Salisbury on November 9. The CIAA Championships are scheduled for next week in Salem, Virginia.
“We’re putting ourselves in a position to continue,” Flowers said. “We’re 8-0, 5-0 in the CIAA and we’re looking forward to a home game against a Fayetteville State team that we haven’t beaten since I’ve been on the team. We lost two years ago by one touchdown, we lost last year by one touchdown.
“We’re going to enjoy this win, and then get ready for Fayetteville State.”