Title game called off after QB is beaten by rival players

Winston-Salem State's chancellor says a Virginia State football player faces assault charges after a fight in a bathroom left his school's starting quarterback, Rudy Johnson, badly beaten Friday afternoon during a banquet for both teams on the eve of their championship game.

Both schools said the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football title game in Winstion-Salem, N.C., on Saturday has been canceled.

WSSU chancellor Donald Reaves said in a statement that a suspect had admitted his role in the beating of Johnson Friday and that the university police department is trying to identify the other Virginia State players involved.

Conference officials say athletes from both schools were involved the fight.

WSSU spokeswoman Nancy Young said that Johnson was assaulted in a bathroom during the luncheon on the school's campus.

Assistant athletic director Kevin Manns said that Johnson was treated and released from a local hospital.

Johnson, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior, has thrown for 2,076 yards and 22 touchdowns this season and leads the CIAA with 230.7 yards per game.

An assistant coach at Virginia State, who did not want to be identified, said the team's staff is investigating what happened and he did not know if there would be any disciplinary action.

Winston-Salem defensive lineman Donnie Owens told the Winston-Salem Journal that he couldn't believe a fight would derail the Rams' chances of winning a third straight CIAA championship.

"We are supposed to be playing a football game tomorrow," Owens said. That's what our focus should be on."