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By GENE MOTLEY

Special to the News-Herald

MURFREESBORO – A masterpiece? Hardly….but a win is a win all the same.

On Saturday, the Chowan University football team celebrated not only it’s newest class of inductees into the Jim Garrison Hall of Fame, but they also wrapped up a winning home record on the season (3-2) for the first time in two years.

The Hawks dispatched the Erskine Flying Fleet, 21-3, on their way to Chowan’s third win of the season (3-6) overall while dropping their guests to 1-7.

All of the scoring took place in the first half.

While the home team’s final stats were modest (111 rushing yards and 151 through the air for a total of 262), Chowan accounted for zero turnovers while the Hawks’ defense limited the Fleet to just 181 total yards.

“Shout out to Erskine, they showed up and competed,” said Chowan coach Paul Johnson after the game. “We couldn’t get out of our own way on offense, but the defense showed up and did a heck of a job holding them to just three points. Our 21 in the first half was good enough for a win and you have to be excited about a win because wins are hard to come by.”

Seven running backs had touches for the Hawks, led by Jalen Razor with 80 hard fought yards, while De’Arius Hazel added 18 more. Each of them also found the end zone.

“We were able to get our running backs in the box and that’s all that mattered,” said grad-transfer quarterback Maurice Smith in post-game. “It’s putting points on the board in the end that counts at the end of the day.”

Junior receiver Jakobe Lane fell one yard short of the century mark in receiving with 99 yards on eight grabs. However, it was his contribution on special teams that was most noteworthy as he scampered to a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown.

“I was just trying to overcome that slow start where I dropped a few passes,” Lane shrugged after the game. “But I just hung in there, believed in my ability, found the end zone and helped my team to a win.

[On the play] “I saw the first guy make a cut so I went the other way, then I heard one of my teammates say, ‘Come this way, Kobe’, so I just followed that and the next thing I knew I was in the end zone,” he recounted.

On the defensive side, Nyamusa Njoka recorded two interceptions and played a crucial role in limiting Erskine’s scoring opportunities.

Joshua Thomas led the team with nine total tackles, while Miller Shouse recorded the team’s only sack.

After Erskine won the opening coin toss and deferred, Chowan quickly went to work, beginning with a 41 yard catch by Lane setting the Hawks up in Fleet territory. After a penalty, they then went 49 yards in six plays capped by Hazel’s three-yard run off right side to paydirt. Kicker Matthew Conard’s point-after kick made it 7-0, Chowan, two-and-a-half minutes into the game.

The defense prevented Erskine from crossing midfield on the Fleet’s first possession. But that was followed by a three-and-out for Chowan and four-and-out for the visitors.

The third time with the ball proved the charm for the Blue-and-White. Starting on their own 34 yardline, the Hawks drove to near midfield before Razor found a hole in the crease and thundered 53 yards straight ahead to the end zone. One more PAT kick by Conard and Chowan had a 14-0 lead that held through the end of the quarter.

Erskine finally broke through in the second quarter as Dylan Beauford booted a 30-yard field goal out to make it 14-3, Chowan.

On the ensuing kickoff, it only took Lane 15 seconds to stake his team to an 18-point lead with his electrifying 92 yard return. Conard added the PAT, extending Chowan’s lead to 21-3.

The Hawks never found the red zone again over the final eight minutes of the first half, but their defense closed out the period with a sack just before the horn.

Erskine’s opening second half drive was thwarted by Isaiah Fulton’s interception in the end zone, keeping the score at 21-3. Each team had a pair of clock-consuming drives in the third quarter, but neither resulted in a score.

Erskine’s first drive of the fourth quarter ended with Njoka’s pick of a Fleet pass. Chowan had a chance to pad their lead, but Conard’s 39 yard field goal attempt was wide right. The Hawks did drive to the Erskine five-yard line on their last possession, but time ran out.

“When we got it close we needed to put some points on the board and we just didn’t do it,” said Erskine coach Sap Boyd afterward.

“You feel great going off with a home win and you’ve got a good taste in your mouth,” said Johnson. “Now it’s off to North Greenville to see if we can get one on the road. We need to get one of them.”

The Hawks will travel to North Greenville next Saturday, November 16, for their final game of the regular season.