RALEIGH - Former St. Augustine's defensive end Alex Hall was drafted in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns, the first Falcon chosen since the school reinstated football in 2002, and the third overall.

The Falcons used Hall's presence as inspiration to defeat the first-place Bears 27-16 before a capacity crowd at Broughton High.

Shaw (3-3, 2-1 CIAA) came into the game with the No. 1 defense in NCAA Division II, holding opponents to just under 210 total yards per game. The Bears were also averaging 38 points per game.

St. Aug's (2-4, 1-2), on the other hand, was on a four-game losing streak and was last in the CIAA in touchdowns scored.

"We had a good game plan and the kids responded," St. Aug's coach Michael Costa said. "They played well and they played aggressively."

Meanwhile, Shaw coach Darrell Asberry can only wonder what might have been. The Bears missed a field goal, had another one blocked and returned for a touchdown, and a potential TD nullified when the running back fumbled in the end zone.

"Turnovers were the name of the game," Asberry said. "But I give St. Aug's all the credit. They whupped us from the opening snap. They created those turnovers."

The Bears led 2-0 after the ball was snapped over punter's Chris Vette's head and rolled out of the end zone.

Shaw had the opportunity to increase its lead to 5-0, but Lincoln Shepherd's 25-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right.

After holding St. Aug's to a three-and-out, Shaw drove downfield from its 44 to the Falcons' 7, but running back Raymon Williams fumbled in the end zone for a touchback just before the end of the first quarter.

That was a momentum-changer for St. Aug's.

The Falcons put together their best drive of the game -- a seven-play, 75-yard drive that ended when running back Walter Sanders scooted in from the 3 with 6:37 left in the second quarter to put the Falcons up 7-2.

The Falcons' special teams came up big on Shaw's next possession.

After the Bears' drive stalled at the St. Aug's 20, Shepherd's field-goal attempt was blocked, which was then scooped up by Lester Graham and returned 70 yards for a touchdown and a 13-2 lead.

Shaw QB Marcus Brooks put the Bears on the scoreboard just before the half with a 31-yard pass to Jayson Royal as he was falling out of bounds.

Despite only four first downs, minus-7 rushing yards and 42 offensive yards, St. Aug's led 13-8 at halftime, its biggest lead of the season.

"This is the biggest rivalry in Raleigh," St. Aug's defensive tackle Marcus Kennedy said. "We told ourselves at halftime, look at it as 0-0 in the second half. That's what we did."

Asberry inserted QB Gary Moise in the third but to no avail. On Shaw's first possession, the Bears were stopped on fourth-and-2 by a charged up Falcon D. The offense then took control and drove 92 yards for a 20-8 lead after QB Kris Brownlee's 20-yard strike to Damon Gibson.

Asberry said he didn't think his players looked ahead to their matchup next Sunday against Fayetteville State for sole possession of first place in the West.

"They knew what was at stake," he said. "We could have controlled our destiny."

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