RICHMOND, VA. – The Chowan Football team's fast start faded as the Hawks fell to Virginia Union, 41-34, in CIAA action on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS

FINAL | Chowan 34, Virginia Union 41

RECORDS | Chowan 1-6 (0-4), Virginia Union 6-1 (4-0)

LOCATION | Richmond, Va. (Hovey Field)

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

Deshaun Wethington led the Hawks with 133 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns.

Bryce Witt went 19-34 for 201 yards and a touchdown.  Imeek Watkins hauled in nine catches for 108 yards and a score.  Samuel Dunn grabbed three receptions for 82 yards.

Connor O'Brien recorded eight tackles.  Antoine Brown had an interception.

John Kight pinned the Panthers deep with three punts over 50 yards and a career long 62 yards.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Quarter:

Chowan's opening drive went nine plays for 71 yards and a touchdown.  Bryce Witt started off the drive with a 17 yard pass to Imeek Watkins.  Watkins would take the "Imeek" sweep for a gain of 19 yards before capping off the drive with a 6-yd rush.

The Hawks would convert the onside kick to catch the Panthers off guard with a pooch kick and was recovered by Cameron Smith.  The Hawks would use the short field and find the endzone with a Deshaun Wethington 2-yd run to lead 14-0 midway through the opening quarter.

Virginia Union would score for the first time to cut the deficit in half, 14-7.  The next drive for the Hawks ended with a John Kight 51 yard punt.

The Panthers would march down the field into the redzone before Antoine Brown picked off Khalid Morris to end the drive.

Second Quarter:

Deshaun Wethington broke off a big run to start the quarter to push the Hawks into the redzone.  Bryce Witt found Imeek Watkins on a 9-yd touchdown pass.  The PAT would be blocked, 20-7.

Chowan would force a VUU punt.  The drive would not move for the Hawks but John Kight would flip the field as Kight boomed a 62 yard punt down to the VUU 9.

The defense would force another VUU punt but the punt would be muffed and allowed VUU to keep the drive moving.  VUU would score on a long pass to cut the deficit to 20-14.

Deshaun Wethington would break off a 35 yard run and find the endzone.  The 2-pt conversion would fail, 26-14.  The Hawks would take the lead into the half.

Third Quarter:

Virginia Union would open the half with a short scoring drive.  Cameron Smith would block the PAT, 26-20.

The opening drive for the Hawks saw Chowan move the ball into the redzone as Bryce Witt connected with Imeek Watkins on a pass of 9 and 26 yards.  Deshaun Wethington moved the ball down to the VUU 20 with a pair of runs.  The Panthers would intercept the pass in the endzone to end the drive.

VUU marched the ball down the field quickly on a nine play 80 yard drive that took 3:29 to take their first lead of the contest, 27-26.

Penalties would kill the next drive for the Hawks and a sack on third down forced a punt.

Fourth Quarter:

The Panthers would capitalize on the good field position and punch it in from 1-yd out to lead 34-26.

The next drive ended the same way for the Hawks with a punt.  The Panthers returned the punt down to the one yard line.  VUU would score on the next play to lead 41-26.

On the next drive for the Hawks would see Bryce Witt connect with Adrian McNeil on plays of 10, 25, and 21 yard receptions.  The Hawks' drive would stall at the VUU 13 on a three incompletes.

The final drive for the Hawks would find paydirt.  Imeek Watkins hauled in a 20 yard reception along with a 25 yard reception by Samuel Dunn.  Brandon Hughes would punch it in from 1-yd out to cut the deficit to 41-34 with 20 seconds left.

UP NEXT

Chowan returns home after a month on the road to host Elizabeth City State for homecoming on Saturday, October 26.  Kick-off is slated for 1pm.