MURFREESBORO – “It's just one game,” said head coach Tim Place. True. When that one game is a 43-7 thumping, however, there is cause for optimism for the Chowan University football program.

The Hawks held the Blue Bears of Livingstone College to only 12 yards of total offense as they picked up their first win of the 2011 season in convincing fashion Thursday night. This marks the first opening day win for Chowan since a 16-13 victory over Randolph-Macon College in 2005.

The Hawks tallied 310 first half yards, with 178 of them coming through the air from quarterback Cameron Stover. Stover opened up the scoring for Chowan with a six yard touchdown pass to Kevin Hodrick at the 9:17 mark of the first quarter. The Hawks dominated the opening drive, going 79 yards in 15 plays. 

After a slow-moving quarter and a half, the Hawks exploded midway through the second frame offensively. Ryan Murphy nailed a 23 yard field goal with 7:40 left in the quarter to give the Hawks a 9-0 lead. Livingstone fumbled the ensuing kickoff to give the Hawks the ball at the Blue Bears 21 yard line. Only a minute and five seconds later, Adrian Ferns plowed into the goal line with a one-yard touchdown run to open up a 16-0 lead.

Chowan then forced a three-and-out and began the following drive at the Livingstone 46 yard line. After two first downs, Cameron Stover found Michael Satterwhite for a 27 yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 22-0 with 4:02 remaining in the half.

On the next Livingstone drive, Patrick Charles intercepted a Levon Stanley pass and returned it to the LC 33 yard line. The Hawks stayed on the ground for their ensuing drive, and Elliot Smalls capped it with a 13 yard scoring run to open the game wide open at 29-0.

The shutout hope was suddenly dashed with five seconds remaining in the half when Cameron Stover was picked off at the Livingstone three yard line and Justin Avery returned it 97 yards for a touchdown.
 

Despite the late hiccup, the Hawks controlled the first half on both sides of the ball. Stover completed 13 of 20 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 37 yards. Elliot Smalls rushed nine times for 49 yards and a score in the first half. “I thought we were pretty good running the ball tonight,” said Place. “We have some guys up front that can play, but we still have to get better.”

Once the second half started, the Chowan defense did not wait long to continue their dominance of the Blue Bears offense. The Hawks forced a three-and-out on LC's opening drive. Chowan would finish the game with 10 three-and-outs defensively.

Brendon Scott picked off a Livingstone pass attempt with just over nine and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter to give the Hawks the ball at the LC 33 yard line. Elliot Smalls took over from there, as he rushed four times for 18 yards. Cameron Stover capped the drive with a six yard touchdown pass to Pre-Season All-CIAA pick Robert Holland.

Stover once again took to the air on the following possession to increase his team's lead. Kevin Hodrick caught his second touchdown of the evening with 1:28 left in the third quarter to open up a 43-7 lead. That score was set up by a pair of great runs from JR Williams. On back to back plays, Williams tallied runs of 27 and 20 yards to move the ball to the Blue Bears' three yard line.

The Hawks defense did not quit in the fourth quarter as the game was well in hand. Just the opposite occurred, as the unit held Livingstone to negative nine offensive yards in the final frame.

For the game, Chowan compiled 452 yards of total offense, to just 12 for Livingstone. Elliot Smalls led the ground attack for Chowan with 86 yards on 17 carries and one score. Kevin Hodrick found the end zone twice, as he caught seven balls for 67 yards. Cameron Stover was 19-30 passing for 237 yards and four touchdowns.

Defensively, James Brown recorded 5.5 tackles to lead the Hawks. Stacey Howard was not far behind with 4.5 tackles.

Chowan hits the road next weekend to take on the Braves of UNC-Pembroke on Saturday, September 10^th.