Box Score RALEIGH, N.C. – Saint Augustine's University gained its first football win of the season in thrilling fashion.
 
The Falcons were down late in the game, but Claytin Lewis (Fr./Raleigh, NC) hauled in a 66-yard bomb from Cyril Davis (R-So./Orangeburg, SC) for the game-winning score with 2:36 left as Saint Augustine's University edged Chowan 33-31 at Gregson Stadium on Saturday, September 27, 2014.
 
The exhilarating win not only erased the bad taste of a 0-3 start but placed the Falcons in a first-place tie in the CIAA Southern Division at 1-0. It was also the first victory for Interim Head Coach Michael Morand, coaching in his third game.
 
To top off the win, Interim President Everett B. Ward and Athletic Director George Williams each received game balls after the football team stood in front of the marching band and joined the home crowd in singing the University Alma M ater as the band played.
 
"Right now, I want to enjoy this win and celebrate with the guys," Morand said. "This is a big win for them. I want to celebrate with them before I start worrying about the next opponent."
 
The Falcons jumped out to a 17-0 lead, but the Hawks (0-1 CIAA Northern Division, 1-3 overall) surged ahead in the fourth quarter. A 29-yard field goal by Nick Hahula gave the Hawks a 31-27 lead with 4:05 left in the game.
 
Two minutes later, Lewis put the crowd on its feet with his spectacular catch. Despite being double covered, he caught Davis' deep pass and scored on the big play. He bobbled the ball briefly as the defenders converged on him before splitting them and racing into the end zone untouched.
 
Lewis finished the game with six receptions for 216 yards and two touchdowns. The speedy receiver scored earlier on a perfectly thrown pass by Davis over the defense for a 65-yard touchdown to give the Falcons a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. He was seven yards shy of breaking the University single-game mark of 222 yards set by Brian Richards against Livingstone in 2011.
 
After the Falcons' missed the two-point conversion, the Hawks threatened to steal a win after driving close to field goal range. Linebacker Maalik Leggette (Fr./Warner Robins, GA) sealed the win for the Falcons with a diving interception with 1:18 remaining in the contest.
 
Leggette's interception was one of several huge plays by the Falcons' defense, which totaled five sacks and two interceptions. Carlton Butts (Sr./Thomasville, GA) led both teams with 12 tackles including a sack in which he forced a fumble. John'ta Cooper (Sr./Cairo, GA) recorded the other interception for the Falcons.
 
Offensively, Davis completed 17 of 26 pass attempts for 307 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. Two of his touchdown passes went to Lewis and the other to Jamal Parker (R-So./Hampton, VA), who caught six passes for 74 yards and a score. Roderick Davenport (R-Jr./Orangeburg, SC), the CIAA rushing leader, gained 97 yards for the Falcons, who amassed a season-high 406 total offensive yards.
 
"They're coming together now and that's the most important thing," Morand said. "They fought and competed from when the ball was kicked off until the final whistle was blown. We are getting better and better day by day."
 
DaSean Martin gained 123 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown for the Hawks. He also caught five passes for 53 yards.
 
The Falcons jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter behind the passing of Davis, who connected with Parker for a six-yard score and Lewis for a 65-yard touchdown. Michael Lima (R-Sr./Miami, FL) also connected on a 27-yard field goal.
 
The Hawks scored in the second quarter on a Dain McFarland 13-yard pass to J.R. Williams, but Lima answered with a 28-yard field goal for a 20-7 lead. Williams scored on a four-yard run to narrow the Falcons' lead at halftime to 20-14.
 
Davenport rambled in the end zone from five yards out to push the Falcons' lead to 27-14 in the third quarter. The Hawks responded with 17 consecutive points to take their first lead. Martin and Anthony Clanton scored from six yards and one yard, respectively, as the Hawks went ahead 28-27. Hahula booted his short field goal to pad the score, but the late heroics of Lewis and Leggette put the Falcons in the win column.
 
The Falcons will look to stay atop the CIAA Southern Division with a road trip to defending Northern Division champ Virginia State University in Ettrick, Va., on Saturday, October 4. Kickoff is 2 p.m.