HAMPTON, Va.- Neither rain, nor lightning, nor a 10-point deficit, shall keep these Pirates from reaching their stated goal. Hampton (1-1) trailed Elizabeth City State (0-2) 20-10 at halftime, weathered a 15-minute halftime weather delay before taking control to post a 27-20 come-from-behind win.
Ja'Quan Snipes rushed for a career-best 174 yards with two touchdowns including the game-winner with 1:03 left in the contest to boost Hampton to the victory before a crowd of 5,131 at Armstrong Stadium.
Hampton took the opening kickoff and marched 56 yards in 12 plays and scored the game's first points when redshirt freshman Brett Starling booted a 36-yard field goal, the first field goal of his career, to put the Pirates ahead 3-0.
But it didn't take Elizabeth City State long to respond. The Vikings drove 81 yards on 12 plays culminating in a Christopher Perkins 15-yard TD run with 4:09 left in the opening quarter to put the Vikings on top 7-3.
Hampton's Jah'Kei Chavis finished a 57-yard, nine-play drive with a three-yard scoring run with 3:19 to go in the opening quarter to put the Pirates ahead 10-7. Again, the Vikings answered. Joe Griffin's 25-yard touchdown reception from Perkins finished an 11-play 76-yard drive as Elizabeth City State recaptured the lead 13-10. Hampton blocked the ECSU extra-point attempt.
On Hampton's next possession, a fumble gave the Vikings the ball at the 41-yard line with 1:45 remaining before halftime. Hampton's Will Hicks intercepted a pass, but penalties gave the ball back to Elizabeth City State at the Hampton 23-yard line. On a fourth-down play at the 25-yard line, quarterback Perkins scrambled and found daylight dashing into the end zone for the score with two seconds left on the clock.
With thunderstorms and lightning in the area, halftime was extended 15 minutes for the weather to clear. When play resumed after the elongated halftime, the Pirates had received a wake-up call.
Hampton blanked the Vikings in the second half and rallied to score 17 points to claim the win. Snipes found the end zone on a five-yard jaunt midway through the third quarter. Hampton native Brett Starling booted the extra point to close the gap to 20-17. With 3:29 to go in the contest, Starling kicked another field goal, this one from 30-yards out, to tie the game 20-20.
On their next possession, the Vikings ran eight plays to drain the clock to 1:42 left. Hampton took over at midfield and, on the third play from scrimmage, Snipes broke free and rambled 47 yards for the score with 1:03 left. Starling's extra point made it 27-20.
Elizabeth City State made it exciting, moving the ball 73 yards in five plays. Hampton was flagged for pass interference on what would have been the final play of the game giving the Vikings one last chance. Quarterback Perkins connected with EJ Gatling who caught the ball at the goal line. The referee signaled that Gatling did not break the plane as the clock expired. The official replay confirmed the call giving the Pirates a hard-earned victory.
The Pirates take to the road the next three weeks before returning on Oct. 4 to host Norfolk State. Hampton plays at North Carolina A&T on Sept. 13 with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.
