Daily state news

HONOLULU, Hawaii – There were many reasons why Delaware State could have struggled in this game.

After already having a tough time getting to Hawaii, the Hornets had to contend with a six-hour time difference and a pretty good FBS football team.

But now DelState was in a tie with the clear favorites, the Rainbow Warriors, five minutes into the third quarter of their early morning season opener.

However, that was the end of the Hornets’ Cinderella fairytale, as Hawaii scored the game’s final 21 points and recorded a 35-14 victory at the Clarence TC Ching Complex.

Still, it was a pretty impressive performance overall for DelState, which is coming off a 1-10 season last year, with the Warriors favored by at least 38 points.

After falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter, the Hornets put together an impressive nine-play, 77-yard rushing attack to close the first half.

With 12 seconds left in the second quarter, quarterback Marqui Adams ran 10 yards and scored the touchdown.

DelState then tied the game early in the second half with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.

Jaden Sutton finished the march with a five-yard run before Nathan Wilson’s second PAT kick tied the score at 14-14 with 11:10 minutes left in the third quarter.

“When you make teams wait, they make plays,” Hawaii coach Timmy Chang said. “They had a great two-minute drive (in the first half). In the second half, they did a great job of scoring right away and getting the ball.”

“After two possessions, it’s tied. … You never know, football is that kind of game. You have to believe in each other. You have to go out there and do it. That’s what the game demands.”

Outstanding quarterback Brayden Schager gave the Warriors the final lead with a 15-yard touchdown run with 7:42 minutes left in the third quarter.

Hawaii scored two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, making victory unattainable.

Schager threw two touchdowns and ran for two more in the game, which was played in front of 12,206 spectators in at times windy and rainy weather.

Schager completed 17 of 34 passes for 203 yards and ran 10 times for 38 yards in Hawaii’s run-and-shoot offense. Pofele Ashlock was his team’s best player with five catches for 81 yards.

But DSU forced the Warriors to punt eight times in the game.

“It was pretty crazy,” Schager said of the weather. “It was probably the strongest wind I’ve ever played in. But that’s no excuse.”

For the Hornets, Adams completed 17 of 28 passes for 156 yards and also ran for 44 yards. Sutton added 56 yards on 12 carries.

Aside from the two scoring drives, DelState struggled to gain yards. The Hornets punted on their first seven possessions and their last five of the night.

Together, the teams scored 13 punts on 15 drives in the first half.

Hawaii only outgained DelState in total yardage by 331-260. The Hornets had a 33-05 to 26-10 time-of-possession advantage.

Kahleef Jimmison led DSU’s defense with seven tackles and Aaron Willis intercepted two passes.

The state of Delaware attracted national attention earlier this week when it missed its 10.5-hour flight from New York on Tuesday due to a bus company error.

The Hornets had to split their travel party into several groups and the entire group did not arrive until Thursday.

The game itself didn’t start until Saturday night at midnight ET.

“I feel very sorry for this team and what they had to go through,” Chang said of the Hornets. “They had some plans here to see the island and how beautiful it is – Pearl Harbor and the history. I just wish the team a safe trip home.”

After returning home on Sunday – and starting classes on Monday – the Hornets will travel to Connecticut on Saturday to face Sacred Heart.