Box Score ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – After traveling over 1,000 miles, the No. 22 ranked Delta State University football team exploded offensively, posting 497 yards of total offense, to oust Elizabeth City State University 26-7 at Roebuck Stadium on Saturday, September 8. The victory was the first for the Statesmen (1-1) in head coach Jamey Chadwell's tenure at DSU.
 
The Statesmen allowed the Vikings (0-2) to extend their opening-drive of the game by committing a couple of penalties but the Green-and-White defense held strong by forcing ECSU to turn the ball over on downs at the goal line.  That stand set the tone for the remainder of the game.
 
DSU, after struggling offensively in season opener, came out on fire putting together a 10 play, 99-yard opening-drive that resulted in a touchdown with junior transfer Trevor Wooden connecting with Lavon Downs for a 16-yard touchdown. The score put the Statesmen on top 6-0 at the 3:19 mark in the first quarter.
 
All-Gulf South Conference first-team linebacker Ixavier Triplett and the Statesmen defense continued to keep the Vikings off balance in the first-half allowing 83 yards of total offense and held the Vikings to just 1-of-6 on third-down conversions. Triplett and Montavius Hill paced the DSU defense with five tackles each.
 
The DSU offense continued with a balanced attack constructing an eight-play, 58-yard drive culminating in an Avery Horne rushing strike up the middle from 7-yards out to extend the lead to 13-0 with 2:28 left in the first half.
 
On the ensuing drive, the Statesmen held strong again on defense forcing an ECSU punt. Wooden led the Statesmen down the field to the Viking 31 yard line and launched a hail-marry with three-tenths of a second left in the first half to Kevin Jackson for a touchdown.
 
DSU went into the locker room with a 20-0 lead. The Statesmen offense, anchored by All-GSC and All-American lineman candidate Kendall Hunter and Lamar Young, put up 121 yards rushing and 148 yards passing at the midway mark of the contest.
 
Viking cornerback Braxton Daye turned ECSU's misfortune around in the third quarter by jumping the route on a Wooden pass for a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown.  The score closed the Statesmen lead to 20-7 with 7:15 remaining.
 
All-Gulf South Conference running back Richard Freelon took the first carry of the ensuing drive for 21 yards to set up a 31-yard pass by Wooden to wide receiver Casey Osborne. A few plays later, Wooden punched the ball across the goal line from 1-yard out to extend the lead to 26-7  with 3:46 to play in the third quarter.
 
The Statesmen defense ended the night allowing the Vikings to convert just 1-of-11 on third downs and a mere 209 yards of total offense. 
 
ECSU running back DaRonte McNeille carried the ball for 95 yards on 22 carries to pace the Viking rushing attack and Namon Jones completed 17-of-28 for 130 yards in the effort.

DSU's Wooden completed 15-of-30 passes for 239 yards with two touchdowns and a interception, while rushing 17 times for 98 yards and another score.  Freelon finished with 11 carries for 85 yards, while Horn closed with six carries for 28 yards and a score.

Lavon Downs had five grabs for 43 yards and touchdown, and Kevin Jackson caught three passes for 94 yards and a score to pace the receiving corps.

The Green-and-White will have next week off and return to action on Saturday, September 22 to face the University of North Alabama for Pig Pickin.