Hawks Open CIAA Play with Road Win over Blue Bears
Box Score SALISBURY, NC- The Chowan University football team downed Livingstone College 41-13 on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks improve to 3-1 on the year with the win and begin CIAA play with a 1-0 mark. The Blue Bears drop to 1-3 on the season and look to recover from a 0-1 start to league action. Chowan moves to 5-0 in the series against Livingstone after Saturday's victory.
The Hawks rolled up 401 offensive yards in the victory with the Blue Bears totaling 375 on the day. Randall Dixon completed 21-32 pass attempts for a staggering 372 yards and five touchdowns in the win. He connected with nine different receivers including Ryan Nolan seven times for 135 yards and one touchdown, Charles Holmes three times for 43 yards and one touchdown and Tyrone Carter twice for 67 yards and one touchdown.
Tyree Lee led the Hawks' running game with seven carries for 42 yards and one touchdown.
Xavier Longerbean tallied 138 yards in the air, completing 14-23 pass attempts for Livingstone. Everett Ransom hauled in six passes for a team-high 82 yards. Jarius Richardson recorded 16 carries for 129 yards and one touchdown in the setback.
Defensively, Demetrius Newberry led the effort with a game-high nine tackles (seven solo, two assisted) including three tackles for loss (12 yards) and one pass breakup. Nate Wyche followed with seven solo tackles, three tackles for loss (nine yards), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and two sacks (eight yards). Danny Robinson paced the Blue Bears with seven tackles (four solo, three assisted).
The Hawks got on the board with 8:16 on the clock in the first quarter after Carter hauled in a 65 yard touchdown pass from Dixon. Connor Killeen made good on the point after attempt to give Chowan a quick 7-0 jump over the Blue Bears.
Lee's nine-yard touchdown run capped a six play, 67 yard drive with 9:05 left to play in the second quarter, and left Livingstone trailing 13-0. Killeen's point after attempt was successful, resulting in a 14-0 advantage. The Hawks struck again at the 6:26 mark after Dixon heaved a 47-yard pass to Nolan, capping a three play, 52 yard drive. Killeen made good on the point after attempt, leaving Livingstone trailing 21-0.
With 2:58 remaining before halftime, a four-play, 51-yard drive by Chowan ended with Dixon connecting with Torry Baker on a 25 yard touchdown pass. The point after attempt by the Hawks was unsuccessful, but Chowan ran away with a 27-0 lead heading into the halftime break.
Livingstone ended the scoring drought with 11:59 on the clock in the third quarter after Richardson took off on a 70 yard touchdown run for the Blue Bears. Tyler Keene's point after attempt was good, making the score 27-7. Chowan answered back with two touchdown drives before the end of the contest. The first was a 29 yard touchdown pass to Herman Dupas, and the second was a 22 yard touchdown pass to Holmes. Killeen made good on both point after attempts, giving the Hawks a commanding 41-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. Livingstone capped a nine play, 75-yard drive with a one yard touchdown run by Ruffin to get on the board before the end of the contest, but suffered the 41-13 setback.
Chowan returns to action on October 1st as the Hawks play host to Johnson C. Smith in a CIAA match-up. Kick-off is slated for 6:00pm. Next Saturday's game marks the start of a three-game home stand for the Hawks.