WISE, VA. – The Chowan football team started off the contest slow against UVa-Wise in their season opener and could not keep pace as the Hawks dropped a 40-22 decision on the road on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS

FINAL | Chowan 22, UVa-Wise 40

RECORDS | Chowan 0-1, UVa-Wise 1-0

LOCATION | Wise, Va. (Carl Smith Stadium)

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

Featuring a top-20 offense (Chowan) and a top-20 defense (UVa-Wise), neither team held up to the hype as Chowan produced 417 yards of total offense, nearly 100 yards less than last season for Chowan and over 100 yards more than UVa-Wise allowed last season.

The Hawks rushed for 233 yards on the ground led by Imeek Watkins with 64 yards.  Watkins busted a 58 yard run.  Tyrell Freeman and Deshaun Wethington chipped in with 62 yards each.  Freeman added a touchdown run in the second quarter.  Freeman's 62 yards made him the Chowan all-time leading rusher, passing DIII great Jawarren Cowles.

Bryce Witt finished 15-23 for 170 yards and an interception.  Witt added a touchdown run.  Jayden Riley went 3-7 for 14 yards and a touchdown to Kobe Chavis.

Defensively, the Hawks produced a sack and six tackles for loss.  Connor O'Brien led the charge with 12 tackles.  Colby Scott had seven tackles, one for loss, and a forced fumble.  Jason Jones forced a safety.

Chowan had six trips to the redzone compared to four by UVa-Wise.  Both squads converted on three trips.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Quarter:

The Cavaliers would take the opening kick-off 66 yards to set-up in plus territory at the CU 33.  The Cavs would score six plays later to take a 7-0 lead.

On the first drive for the Hawks, Chowan started moving the ball with quick strikes to Tyrell Freeman and Adrian McNeil.  Chowan would turn the ball over on downs at the WISE 35.

On the second drive, Chowan marched the ball into the redzone after a 23 yard punt return by Imeek Watkins.  Bryce Witt's pass would be intercepted in the endzone.

The defense would hold and force a punt, getting the ball back at the WISE 33.  Down inside the redzone again, the Cavs defense stood tall and stripped Witt and returned it for a touchdown to take a 13-0 lead.

Second Quarter:

After a stalled drive for the Hawks, UVa-Wise returned the ensuing punt return 91 yards for a score.  The Cavs converted the two-point conversion to lead 21-0.

The next two drives for the Hawks ended in punts.  John Kight pinned the Cavs deep on their own five yard line.  Jason Jones would string out the run and tackle the runner in the endzone to put the Hawks on the scoreboard down 21-2.

Following the safety, the Hawks would pick up some steam getting an 11 yard pass from Bryce Witt to Tyrell Freeman.  Witt would connect with Ra'Cee Lucas for a 25 yard pass to the WISE 13.  Freeman would do the rest on the ground for the touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-8.

The final drive of the half for UVa-Wise showed promise marching the ball down to the CU 1.  Josh Berry stopped a run for a loss and forced a Cavs field goal attempt with two ticks left.  Chowan called two timeouts to "ice" the kicker.  The 24 yard attempt would miss left.

Third Quarter:

The opening drive of the half for the Hawks went the wrong way as two sacks forced a punt.  The punt would be returned for a touchdown but would be wiped out on an illegal block.  The next play, UVa-Wise went 62 yards for a touchdown run to lead 27-8 after the PAT was blocked by Antonio Hines.

Imeek Watkins would help the Hawks' offense taking the end-around for 58 yards.  Bryce Witt called his own number from 10 yards out for the score.

UVa-Wise continued to have a strong special teams effort starting their next drive at their own 48.  The Cavs would use an eight play 52 yard drive ending with a 19 yard touchdown pass to push the deficit to 33-15.

The Cavs stretched the lead to 40-15 after a stalled Chowan drive.

Fourth Quarter:

Deshaun Wethington would do his damage in the fourth quarter on the ground picking up small chunks on the drive.  Imeek Watkins hauled in a 36 yard completion from Bryce Witt.  Witt found Adrian McNeil for a 17 yard completion but ended up a yard short and turned the ball over on downs.

The Cavs started milking the clock as the Hawks started their next drive with 7:58 remaining following an Aristotle Bowles sack on third down.  Brandon Hughes rushed for 20 yards on the drive and was capped off by an 8-yd touchdown pass by Jayden Riley to Kobe Chavis, 40-22.

UP NEXT

Chowan will host Alderson-Broaddus on Sept. 14 in a non-conference contest.  Kick-off is slated for 1pm at Garrison Stadium.