MAINE 31, HAMPTON 24
(HAMPTON) – The Hampton Pirates dropped their second attempt for an initial Colonial Athletic Association win on Saturday, falling to Maine 31-24 at Armstrong Stadium.
The Black Bears (1-4, 1-1 CAA) overcame a seven-point deficit at the end of the third quarter to score the game’s final 14 points and pull out their first win of the season. Both touchdowns came from junior sparkplug Freddie Brock, who delivered on a seven-yard run to tie the score at 24, and then on a seven-yard reception from Joe Fagnano for the game clincher.
The visitors were potent on offense, gaining 449 total yards, with Fagnano completing 19 of 24 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown.
However, the Pirates had its way offensively, with QB Malcolm Mays averaging almost twenty yards per completion (12 of 27, 230 yards) with three touchdowns, two to senior receiver Jadakis Bonds (seven catches, 141 yards).
In retrospect, Hampton coach Robert Prunty was optimistic about his team, which travels to upstate New York next weekend to face the University of Albany.
“They just made more plays than we did,” said Prunty, whose team is now 3-2. “it goes to show, we were picked to finish in the middle of the conference, and we’re getting close. Right now, we’re the underdogs in every game we play.” Asked about the remainder of the schedule, which includes games against conference powerhouses Villanova and William and Mary, he added, “All dogfights.”
The teams traded early touchdowns, mirroring the back-and-forth nature of the game. On their opening possession, Mays found speedster receiver Tyler Thompson (Woodside HS) open for a 40-yard score, capping a six-play, 80-yard drive. Maine answered on the ensuing drive, with Elijah Barnwell finishing off an 11-play, 81-yard series with a four-yard push into the end zone.
Another Mays bomb, to Bonds, netted a 67-yard score, but the Black Bears recovered, with a quick hitting eight-play, 88-yard scoring drive, punctuated with a 27-yard run by Zavier Scott.
A leaping interception by Maine linebacker Adrian Otero set up a Cole Baker 21-yard field goal to push the Black Bears into the lead for the first time at 17-14, which was the score as both teams headed into intermission.
The pace threatened to slow down in the second half, with the defenses setting the tone. However, Hampton’s effort resulted in a crucial turnover when KeShaun Moore sacked Maine QB Joe Fagnano, who fumbled, with the Pirates’ DeShaun Faulk recovering the loose ball at the Black Bears 19. The Maine defense almost thwarted the scoring drive, negating two chances by Hampton QB Christopher Zellous to score from the 1, and when an illegal formation pushed the Pirates back to the 6, it appeared that the hosts would settle for a game tying field goal.
Instead, Mays rolled left and fired a dart to Bonds who was running a corner route. Bonds adeptly dropped both feet before falling out of bounds to secure the touchdown.
MAINE 7, 10, 0, 14 -- 31
HAMPTON 14, 0, 10, 0 -- 24
Hampton – Tyler Thompson 40 pass from Malcolm Mays (Axel Perez kick)
Maine – Elijah Barnwell 4 run (Cole Baker kick)
Hampton – Jadakis Bonds 67 pass from Mays (Perez kick)
Maine – Zavier Scott 27 run (Baker kick)
Maine – Baker 21 FG
Hampton – Bonds 6 pass from Mays (Perez kick)
Hampton – Perez 36 FG
Maine – Freddie Brock 7 run (Baker kick)
Maine – Brock 25 pass from Fagnano (Baker kick)
Maine Hampton
First Downs 21, 19
Rush-Yards 39-236, 31-128
Pass Yards 213, 230
Total Yards 449, 358
C-A-I 19-24-1, 12-27-3
Punts-Avg 2-43.0, 3-32.3
Fumbles-Lost 2-1, 0-0
Time of Poss. 29:47, 30:13
