Boxscore


ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – Saint Augustine's University almost rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit but Elizabeth City State University held on for a 23-21 CIAA football victory at the Down East Viking Classic at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex.

The Falcons fell to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the CIAA but still control their own destiny in a quest for a Southern Division title. The Vikings of the Northern Division, last year's CIAA championship finalist, improved their record to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the CIAA.

Tyron Laughinghouse (Sr./Greenville, N.C.), the NCAA Division II kick return leader, scored twice for the Falcons – on a kickoff return and a punt return – to keep the Falcons in the game. He finished with 248 total yards including 200 yards in returns, but the Vikings scored 16 points resulting from special team miscues.

Laughinghouse scored on a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown and Brian Richards (Jr./Waldorf, Md.) scored on a two-point conversion off a fake extra point attempt to slice the Vikings' lead to 23-21 with 10:08 left in the game. The Falcons had two chances to take the lead but one drive ended in a fumble at the ECSU 37 and the last drive stalled on downs 12 seconds left in the game.

Laughinghouse earlier scored on a 95-yard kickoff return in the third quarter, but the Vikings blocked the extra point attempt and Nigel Rios scored on the return to give the Vikings two points and a 23-13 lead.  Laughinghouse has scored on three returns in two games including his second straight kick return. Laughinghouse also caught a team-high seven passes for 48 yards.

Laughinghouse kept the Falcons in the game after they fell behind in the first half. With score tied 7-7, the Vikings stopped the Falcons on a fake punt attempt near midfield. Seven plays later, Kevin Swain scored his second touchdown on a 13-yard run to put the Vikings ahead 14-7 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Falcons mishandled the punt snap on fourth down, giving the Vikings good field position. Two plays later, Namon Jones hit Keith Strickland for a 27-yard touchdown pass to push the Vikings' lead to 21-7. On the ensuing kickoff, Laughinghouse sidestepped several defenders and found running room for his long kickoff return.

At the beginning, the Vikings scored first on Swain's 16-yard run. Roderick Davenport (Fr./Orangeburg, S.C.) of the Falcons scored his team leading seventh touchdown from 21 yards out and Michael Lima (So./Orangeburg, S.C.) converted the extra point to tie the game at 7-7.

The Falcons finished with a season-low 190 offensive yards in the rain. Teddy Bacote (Jr./Hampton, Va.) completed 18 of 38 passes for 135 yards and Davenport rushed 17 times for 66 yards. DaRonte McNeill rushed for 122 yards on 27 carries for the Vikings, who rushed for 136 yards. Jones completed 14 of 24 passes for 154 yards and Strickland had five receptions for 76 yards.

Defensively, Chaz Robinson (Jr./Hampton, Va.) had nine tackles for the Falcons, who only allowed 290 offensive yards. Michael Williams of the Vikings tied Robinson with nine tackles.

The Falcons will play the second of three consecutive road games on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 when they visit Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C.  Game time is 1:30 p.m.