DURHAM, N.C. -  North Carolina Central University junior place-kicker Brandon Gilbert kicked a career-long 51-yard field goal as time expired to give the Eagles a 17-14 win over Elizabeth City State University in the 2006 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football Championship Game at a capacity O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham, N.C. 
     NCCU (11-0) successfully defends its conference title and has won 11 games in a season for the first time in school history.
     NCCU's defense, who held the Vikings to just 230 yards of total offense, forced an ECSU punt with 33 seconds remaining, giving the ball back to the NCCU offense, which amassed a CIAA Championship Game record 416 yards of total offense.
     On the game's final drive, NCCU freshman quarterback Stadford Brown completed an 8-yard pass to Eagles senior running back Greg Pruitt, Jr. on first down. On the next play, Brown connected over the middle with sophomore wide receiver Wayne Blackwell for 38 yards to the ECSU 34-yard line, setting up Gilbert's game-winning kick. Gilbert's field goal was the longest in CIAA championship history and marked the second consecutive year that the Eagles claimed the CIAA crown with a last-second boot by Gilbert.
     Pruitt, who was named the game's MVP, rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries. 
     Led by junior linebacker Eric Ray, head coach Rod Broadway's defense limited an ECSU offense that averaged 27.8 points per game entering the contest to just 14 points. Ray, in only his second game back after missing six contests with ankle injury, recorded a team-best 11 tackles, a pass breakup and two tackles for loss. NCCU senior linebacker Naim Abdul-Malik amassed nine tackles (three solo), while senior defensive end Valdez Williams collected six tackles (two solo) and two tackles for loss. In addition, junior defensive tackle Courtney Coard added eight tackles (one solo) and senior defensive back Andre George had six tackles (three solo), his conference leading seventh interception of the season and a pass breakup.
     NCCU scored first as Pruitt received an inside hand-off and took it 54 yards for a touchdown. The run was Pruitt's second longest of the season, the longest run in CIAA Championship history and marked his sixth rushing touchdown during the Eagles' historic campaign. After Gilbert's 77th straight extra point kick, NCCU led 7-0 with 10:29 remaining in the first quarter.
     ECSU junior running back Brandon Fields capped a methodical 10-play, 81-yard drive, with a 2-yard touchdown run. CIAA Special Teams Player of the Year, ECSU place-kicker Kevin Dodson, converted the extra point, tying the game 7-7 with 13:08 left in the second quarter. Fields, who was voted the MVP for Elizabeth City State, ran for a team-high 116 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.
     Following a George interception of ECSU junior quarterback Curtis Rich, NCCU received the ball with a first and 10 at the ECSU 40-yard line. Eagles sophomore running back Jeff Toliver finished a six-play, 40-yard drive as he ran off the left side for a three-yard touchdown. Gilbert's extra point gave NCCU a 14-7 halftime lead. Under Broadway, NCCU is 26-4 when leading at intermission.
     Neither team was able to score in the third quarter. However, Rich ended an eight-play, 26-yard drive that milked nearly five minutes off the clock, with a one-yard touchdown run. Rich rushed for 29 yards on eight carries and completed 8-of-21 passes for 81 yards with an interception. Dodson made the extra-point tying the game at 14-14 with 14:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.
     Brown, who completed 19-of-36 passes for 223 yards, set CIAA records for most attempts, completions and yards in the championship game. As a team, the Eagles' 19 first downs were the most in CIAA championship game history. Blackwell led NCCU in receptions and yards for the second time in three games, hauling in six balls for 96 yards. Toliver contributed 35 rushing yards on nine carries, while senior wide receiver Charles Futrell caught five passes for 68 yards.
     NCCU, who is currently ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional poll, will learn its playoff seeding Sunday (Nov. 12) live on ESPNews (Durham Time Warner Channel 142) between 1-2 p.m.