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Wake-Up Call: FAMU's Vann running through records

Vann scored on punt returns of 95 and 80 yards against Winston-Salem State.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 15, 2009

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

Last season, Florida A&M University football return man LeRoy Vann (Blake High) was named first-team All-American.

How could he top that for his senior season?

Well, his performance last Thursday night was all-world.

When the Rattlers defeated Winston-Salem State 34-10, Vann scored on punt returns of 95 and 80 yards, while continuing to rewrite the record books.

• It was the first time a FAMU player had two punt-return touchdowns in a game.

• It gave Vann the FAMU career mark for punt-return touchdowns with five, surpassing All-American Howard Huckaby (1986-89), who had four punt returns for scores (all in 1988).

• Vann's 95-yarder tied the FAMU record for longest punt return (Leroy Hardee against South Carolina State in 1958).

• Through two games, Vann has 246 yards on eight punt returns (30.75-yard average) and 113 yards on five kickoff returns (22.6-yard average).

• In his career, Vann has 37 punt returns for 710 yards (19.2-yard average) and five touchdowns. He has 46 kickoff returns for 1,268 yards (27.6-yard average) and three touchdowns.

And just think, it was only last season that Rattlers coach Joe Taylor told Vann he was "the kind of player he couldn't love because he was too emotional.'' Vann, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound cornerback, had been pouting in practice while struggling to find his role on the team.

Somehow, Taylor's words triggered a transformation. Vann became determined to display his skills – and he matured into an indispensible return man.

Last season, when Vann was named to the Walter Camp Foundation NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) All-America Team, he set an FCS single-season record for combined kick-return yardage (1,583 yards), breaking the mark of Samford's David Primus in 1989.

Overall, Vann had six touchdowns on kick returns, tying the single-season record of Eastern Washington's Bashir Levingston (1998) and Montana State's Corey Smith (2003). He had 66 combined returns – another national record – breaking the mark of 64, set by Connecticut's Joe Markus in 1981.

Now Vann is setting an even greater pace.

"Those were two big plays,'' Taylor said of Vann's punt returns against Winston-Salem State. "They were great momentum changers. We always say there are four or five plays that determine the outcome and they're always found in special teams and that's what happened.''

FAMU (2-0) faces Howard University on Thursday night at 7:30. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

T-Yanks one victory away from title

The Tampa Yankees can wrap up the Florida State League championship tonight at Port Charlotte.

Monday night, the T-Yanks defeated the Charlotte Stone Crabs, Class A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-1 in Game 3 of the FSL's best-of-five championship series.

If necessary, Game 5 would be played in Port Charlotte on Wednesday night.

Leading 1-0 in the top of the ninth inning, Yankees designated hitter Austin Romine doubled in a run, then scored on a throwing error. Yankees reliever Jonathan Hovis earned the save by getting a strikeout and groundout with the tying runs in scoring position.

Durham goes for championship

The Durham Bulls, Triple-A affiliate of the Rays, open the International League's best-of-five championship series tonight against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Here are the Rays' farms clubs that have captured league championships:

1997 – St. Petersburg Devil Rays (Florida State League, Class A).

1999 – Orlando Rays (Southern League, Double-A).

2002 – Durham Bulls (International League, Triple-A).

2003 – Durham Bulls (International League, Triple-A).

2006 – Montgomery Biscuits (Southern League, Double-A).

2007 – Columbus Catfish (South Atlantic League, Class A).

2007 – Montgomery Biscuits (Southern League, Double-A).

Another honor for Danielle Erb

For the second straight week, James Madison University volleyball player Danielle Erb (Plant) has earned the Colonial Athletic Association's rookie of the week award. Erb, an outside hitter, averaged 2.53 kills and 2.80 digs per set during four matches last week.

Murphy scores for Raiders

Rookie wide receiver Louis Murphy (Lakewood), the former Florida Gator, had four receptions for 87 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown catch from JaMarcus Russell with 2:34 remaining, but the Oakland Raiders were beaten by the San Diego Chargers 24-20 in the late "Monday Night Football'' offering. Murphy, Oakland's fourth-round draft choice, got the start.

Vance makes all-tournament team

Upper Iowa University volleyball player Sara Vance (Sickles) made the all-tournament team at the Rockhurst Classic, hosted by Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo.

She had 12 kills in a four-set victory against Missouri Western, while adding 14 kills, seven digs, four blocks and three aces in a four-set loss against Rockhurst.

Vance's older sister, Keri, Upper Iowa's senior setter, had 42 assists.

Catanach stands out for Duke

Duke University volleyball setter Kellie Catanach (Plant) made all-tournament team during the Duke Invitational, but the Blue Devils lost in their own tournament for the first time since 1999. The Blue Devils fell in three sets to No. 1-ranked Penn State before 3,822 fans at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Dupree has sky-high season

Candice Dupree (Wharton) led the WNBA's Chicago Sky in scoring (15.7) and rebounding (7.9), but the team finished 16-18 and fell short of the playoffs.

The most remarkable part of Dupree's season, though, probably came from beyond the three-point arc. She finished 24-for-62 (38.7 percent) in three-point attempts. In her first three WNBA seasons, she was 1-for-17 from beyond the arc.

Piurowski earns ACC award

Florida State University senior tight end Caz Piurowski (Land O' Lakes) was named Atlantic Coast Conference player of the week. He had two catches for a career-high 78 yards against Jacksonville (Ala.) State on Saturday night.

Beck honored by Gulf South Conference

University of North Alabama senior quarterback Harrison Beck (Countryside) was named Gulf South Conference player of the week. Beck, in his first season with North Alabama after playing at Nebraska and N.C. State, completed 31 of 47 passes for 362 yards and one touchdown in the Lions' 43-26 victory against Henderson (Ark.) State. He also rushed for another score.

Bucknell's Trigg climbs the charts

Bucknell University's Marcello Trigg (Robinson), who is coming off a serious knee injury last season and alternated at quarterback with C.J. Hopson, helped the Bison to a 26-23 victory against Robert Morris on Saturday. Trigg was 15 of 25 for 168 yards and one touchdown.

Trigg moved into seventh place on Bucknell's all-time passing yardage list (3,505).

Another TD for Missouri State's Davis

Missouri State University running back Jonathan Davis (Gaither) has two touchdowns in two games for the Bears. He scored on a 5-yarder in Saturday's 24-14 win against Tennessee-Martin.

Not backing Niemann

Rays right-hander Jeff Niemann (12-5, 3.57 ERA), who pitches tonight at Baltimore, is a solid candidate for American League Rookie of the Year, but SI.com writer Jon Heyman didn't include him in his top three picks for the award.

Heyman's top three:

1. Rick Porcello, pitcher, Detroit Tigers (13-8, 4.21 ERA).

2. Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers (.277, 66 runs scored).

3. Andrew Bailey, pitcher, Oakland Athletics (24 saves, 2.03 ERA).

Porcello recently became the first rookie pitcher to win 13 games before his 21st birthday since Dwight Gooden.

Bob Feller and Gooden, two of the game's foremost young mound phenoms, are the only two pitchers who accomplished that twice.

Raburn still on a roll

Detroit Tigers left fielder Ryan Raburn (Durant) was 2-for-4 with his 12th home run in Monday night's 6-5, 10-inning win against the Toronto Blue Jays. Raburn (.285 overall) is batting .409 in his last six games.

Arroyo mowing them down

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo (Hernando) moved to 13-12 with seven strong innings in Monday night's 3-1 victory against the Houston Astros. It was Arroyo's 10th consecutive quality start (at least six innings pitched, allowing three earns runs or fewer). During that streak, Arroyo has a 1.98 ERA with 15 walks and 32 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings pitched.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to former Bloomingdale High defensive lineman Chad Bratzke, once the Ohio Valley Conference defensive player of the year at Eastern Kentucky University. He played 10 seasons in the NFL (Giants and Colts from 1994-2003) and had 56.5 career sacks. Today, Bratzke turns 38.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Monday's trivia question:

The longest play from scrimmage surrendered by the Bucs' defense in franchise history occurred on Dec. 23, 1995, when Detroit Lions quarterback Scott Mitchell hit wide receiver Brett Perriman with a 91-yard touchdown pass at Tampa Stadium.

When Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo hit Patrick Crayton with an 80-yard touchdown on Sunday, it was the longest TD pass surrendered by the Bucs' defense since that Mitchell-to-Perriman strike.

Tuesday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

Prior to LeRoy Vann, who was Florida A&M's most recent football All-America selection?

Check for the answer in Wednesday's Wake-Up Call.

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