MURFREESBORO – Junior quarterback Randall Dixon threw for a school record 399 yards, including what proved as the game-winning touchdown with just under 11 minutes remaining, as Chowan fought off a comeback by the University of West Florida and defeated their guests, 35-28, here Saturday night at James G. Garrison Stadium.

The Hawks, who improved to 2-1, needed all of Dixon’s aerial performance plus a 139-yard rushing performance from junior running back Tyree Lee to subdue their Florida guests.

“I proud of the way we played; we had to overcome some injuries there in the first half, withstood their rally there early in the second half, and found a way to win,” said a happy Chowan head coach Tim Place on the field after the game.

“That’s a very good and sound football team we just beat,” Place continued. “Their offensive scheme was hard for us to prepare for and they showed why they came into our place at 2-0. But our young men responded. We were up 28-14, and then they come back and put up two quick scores on us to start the second half, but we did a nice job as the second half wore on.”

Tied at 28-28, the Hawks mounted their game-winning drive after Chowan’s defense forced a three-and-out.

Taking over at their own 31 yardline, it took Chowan only two plays to reach the red zone as senior wide-out Tyrone Carter first made a leaping grab of a 43-yard pass from Dixon in front of the Chowan bench followed by Dixon connecting with junior Kaine Lombard for 22 yards down to the West Florida four yardline.

Two plays later, Dixon was flushed out of the pocket, rolled to his right and threw back across the field to Lombard, who made the four-yard TD grab while falling backwards. That pass just barely cleared the outstretched hands of West Florida defender Jeff Parker.

From there, Chowan used a stout defense in addition to a clock-eating offensive drive to end the game.

West Florida only had one possession in the fourth quarter that penetrated Chowan territory, but that drive stalled thanks to a sack from junior lineman David Harden and a pass break-up by junior linebacker Dakota Baer.

Following a West Florida punt, Chowan launched a drive from its own 12 yardline and went into clock management control with 3:57 remaining. Six consecutive runs by Lee pushed the pigskin into West Florida territory at the 37. But the game’s biggest snap came two plays later when always dependable Ryan Nolan rushed for 15 yards on a 2nd down-and-14 play, giving the Hawks the last first down they would need to run out the game clock and seal the win.

At the game’s outset, fans were left wondering if the two teams would break the scoreboard as three touchdowns were scored in the opening four minutes and 10 seconds.

Lee capped a game-opening seven-play, 65-yard drive by the Hawks with a seven-yard TD run. Connor Killeen’s kick staked Chowan to a quick 7-0 lead only 96 seconds into the game.

Thirty-one seconds later, the scoreboard was deadlocked at 7-7 after West Florida quarterback Kaleb Nobles tossed a 58-yard scoring strike to Anas Hasic.

Highlighted by a pair of 20-plus-yard connections to Lombard and Carter, Dixon and the Hawks answered by directing an 8-play, 84-yard drive that consumed under two minutes. That drive was capped by Dixon’s 29-yard scoring pass to Carter and Killeen’s PAT for a 14-7 advantage.

For the game, Carter was Chowan’s top receiver, hauling in 11 passes for 188 yards. Nolan and Lombard added 84 and 83 receiving yards respectively.

West Florida tied the game at 14-all late in the first period on a 16-yard pass from Nobles to Hasic.

The Hawks scored twice on the ground in the second quarter – on runs of one-yard by Nolan and 29 yards by Lee – to take a 28-14 lead at halftime.

West Florida came out hot to start the second half as Nobles tossed a 71-yard scoring strike to Ishmel Morrow only 47 seconds into the third quarter followed by a game-tying 14-yard TD pass from freshman reserve quarterback Grey Jackson to Hasic less than three minutes later.

From that point, Chowan’s defense “pitched” a shutout led by senior linebacker Demetrius Newberry with a game-high 14 tackles (seven solo, seven assisted) and one sack. Luis Zequeira and Vicente` Stafford added eight stops each in the win.

Stafford and Kemaree Alcorn each had an interception for the Hawks while Nate Wyche recovered a fumble, and Rohan Blackwood blocked a field goal.

West Florida, who suffered their first loss of the season after averaging 45 points per game in their opening two wins, was led by Nobles who threw for 398 yards. Hasic had nine receptions for 190 yards and three touchdowns while Morrow hauled in 12 receptions for 161 yards.

The Hawks return to action on Sept. 24 when they travel to Livingstone College in a 1 p.m. contest. The game marks Chowan’s first CIAA match-up of the season.

“We’re far from perfect; we have a lot of work yet to do in order to get better going into conference play at Livingstone. We’re at the same place we were at this time last season at 2-1 and we went on a nice roll at that time. We’ll see what we can do this year.”