CONWAY, S.C. - The Coastal Carolina football team scored early and often, snapping a three-game losing streak with a resounding 51-0 victory over visiting Chowan, Oct. 13. With their second shutout victory in school history, the Chanticleers advanced to 2-4, while the Hawks fell to 1-6.
Coastal got on the board on its first possession, covering 65 yards in just five plays. Fullback Mike Tolbert carried it in from 15 yards out and Justin Durham's extra point put CCU up 7-0 just under four minutes into the contest.
After a pair of miscues on their next two drives, the Chants got on the board again, wrapping up a five-play, 68-yard march in just 1:25. Quarterback William Richardson connected with wide receiver Jerome Simpson for a 27-yard strike to put CCU up 14-0 late in the first quarter.
The Chants got three touchdowns in the second half on their three full possessions, making it four straight scoring possessions. CCU got rushing touchdowns from fullback Racheed Gause, running back Arthur Sitton and quarterback Sean Fortson, the first career scores each for Gause and Fortson, to take a 34-0 lead into the halftime locker room.
CCU got two more scores on its first two possessions of the second half to push the advantage to 48-0. Fullback Vince Starr got his first collegiate touchdown on a four-yard run, while running back D.J. Brunson also scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 12-yard gallop.
Early in the fourth quarter, Durham connected from 40 yards out to put the Chants up 51-0 and that would wrap up the scoring in the game for Coastal.
The Chants put together 592 yards of total offense (second highest total all-time at CCU), including a school-record 490 yards on the ground. CCU held the Hawks to just 87 yards of total offense and eight yards of rushing, also CCU program records for fewest yards.
Seven different Chants found the end zone in the game, led by Gause with 78 yards and a touchdown on six carries, while Sitton and Fortson each had five carries for 64 and 61 yards, respectively. Spruce Lee led Chowan with three carries for 29 yards, while the Hawks' quarterbacks were just 9-for-21 for 79 yards and one interception, while being sacked a school-record tying six times.
Coastal returns to action for the second of a three-game homestand, hosting Big South Conference newcomer Presbyterian, Sat., Oct. 20 at 7 p.m., for a non-conference matchup.
