Blue Bears Travel to St. Augustine's Next Saturday
Box Score
SALISBURY, NC – Livingstone’s 2009 Homecoming was spoiled Saturday by the Chowan Hawks as they defeated the Blue Bears 42-33.
With the loss, Livingstone fell to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in the conference. Chowan improved to 1-6 overall and 1-3 in the CIAA.
Senior quarterback Steven Williams had a good game offensively as he threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns. Williams also ran for 130 yards and one score. Junior defensive back Alkeem Deloatch led the Blue Bears with 12 tackles and one sack.
The Blue Bears caught a break less than a minute into the game as Chowan fumbled the ball on it second play. Livingstone recovered the fumble on the Chowan 10-yard line. An intentional grounding penalty pushed the Blue Bears out of field goal range which forced them to go for it on fourth down which failed. Chowan took over on downs and took the ball 79 yards on 10 plays in 4:41 for a touchdown to go up 7-0.
Livingstone was forced to punt on the ensuing possession and held Chowan on a fourth and two to go to get the ball back on their own 20-yard line. Livingstone ran three plays and was forced to punt. Chowan had good field position after the punt and took only four plays to go 64 yards for a score. Chowan led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Each team traded punts on their respective possessions and Livingstone started with the ball on their own 11 yard line. Behind a 33-yard run by Williams, the Blue Bears took the ball 89 yards on 11 plays for a touchdown. The extra point attempt failed and Livingstone trailed 14-6.
Chowan took their next possession down the field and had a first down and goal to go. Two incomplete passes and a 4-yard rush set up fourth and goal. Another pass attempt failed and Livingstone took over on downs on their own five yard line.
Livingstone’s first two plays took them eight yards and then an offsides penalty against Chowan gave Livingstone a first down. The next play after the penalty, Williams hooked up with freshman wide receiver Jeremy Hughes for an 82-yard touchdown. Freshman quarterback Franklin Paris converted the extra point attempt and Livingstone trailed 14-13 with just over two minutes remaining.
The half didn’t end without a little more excitement. Chowan started with the ball on their own 38 yard line and quickly moved the ball into Blue Bear territory. A 22-yard pass play with less than 20 seconds left got Chowan to the Livingstone two yard line. A rush attempt by the Chowan quarterback was stuffed by the Livingstone defensive line and the clock ran to zeros to end the half.
Livingstone took the opening kickoff of the second half, but the Blue Bears weren’t able to mount a substantial drive as they went 31 yards on six plays and were forced to punt. On Chowan’s first play junior defensive back Alkeem Deloatch picked off the Chowan pass to give Livingstone the ball with good field position. The Blue Bears were unable to capitalize on the second Hawk turnover of the contest as they went six yards on three plays and punted the ball.
Chowan held onto the ball on their next possession. The Hawks took the ball to the end zone in 2:41 on eight plays encompassing 81 yards. The ensuing Blue Bear possession stalled after three plays and six yards, ending in a punt. Chowan was also forced to punt on their next possession giving the Blue Bears the ball back. A big pass play from Williams to freshman wide receiver Omar McFadden wasn’t enough to sustain a drive and the Blue Bears punted after four plays. Chowan took their next possession to the house for a 28-13 lead.
Livingstone responded on their very next possession. The Blue Bears started with good field position on their own 43 yard line. Livingstone took the ball 57 yards on seven plays, capped off by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Williams to junior Christopher Peoples to get back within 28-19 after a missed extra point. Chowan was quick to retake a two-possession lead as they took the ball 53 yards on three plays for the score. The Hawks led 35-19.
The Blue Bears responded to the Chowan touchdown with one of their own. Livingstone, behind the leadership of Williams took the ball 57 yards on 11 plays. After a Jenkins run got the Blue Bears to the one yard line, Williams ran straight up the middle on the next play for a touchdown. Needing a two-point conversion, Williams hooked up with Peoples in the corner of the end zone for the conversion. Livingstone trailed by eight at 35-27.
Livingstone being down only one score didn’t last long as on the ensuing kickoff, Chowan’s J. Livesey took the kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown to put Chowan back up 45-27. The Blue Bears were unable to mount much offense on the next drive and, being down by two scores, were forced to go for it on fourth down. The attempt was unsuccessful and they turned the ball over to Chowan at their own 32 yard line.
Chowan took the ball for four plays and turned it back over to the Blue Bears. Livingstone, still with enough time to make a comeback had two sacks against them and turned the ball back over on downs. Chowan missed a field goal with just over one minute left to give the ball back to the Blue Bears.
The Blue Bears didn’t go away quietly. Williams moved the ball down the field with a purpose, but unfortunately injured just before the Blue Bears got into the end zone. Backup quarterback Bryan Aycoth came in to throw a touchdown pass to get the Blue Bears within 42-33.
Livingstone will now be on the road for their next two contests as they travel to St. Augustine’s College for a 2 p.m. kickoff next Saturday.