Delaware State better than expected in football opener in Hawaii
Delaware State may not have been able to defeat Hawaii, but the Hornets exceeded all expectations in their football season opener on Saturday night.
Trailing bottom-placed DSU by 40 points, they equalized early in the second half before Hawaii scored three touchdowns to win 35-14 in Honolulu.
The game was played in high winds due to Tropical Storm Hone in front of 12,206 spectators at the Clarence TC Ching Athletic Complex and kicked off at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
After a 1-10 record in 2023, Delaware State was unlikely to pose a threat to the Rainbow Warriors at the FBS level, especially after they had travel issues.
The team missed its direct flight from JFK Airport due to a bus breakdown on Tuesday. The traveling party members were split into several flights that took everyone there on Wednesday and Thursday, disrupting game preparations.
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However, DSU got on the scoreboard with 12 seconds left in the first half. Sophomore quarterback Marqui Adams ran 10 yards for a touchdown, capping a nine-play, 77-yard march in which he threw five passes for 60 yards. DSU had previously rushed for just 24 yards in seven series.
Jaden Sutton’s 6-yard touchdown run then ended the first possession of the third quarter as DSU tied the score at 14-14. The eight-play, 75-yard run included Adams’ 46-yard pass to Ryan Lee.
Hawaii then took control when quarterback Brayden Schager ran 15 yards for a touchdown, threw 29 yards to Dekel Crowdus for six scores and tied the score with a 1-yard run with 3:44 left.
Schager, a third-year starter, completed 17 of 34 passes for 203 yards, scored two touchdowns and ran for two more.
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Adams completed 17 of 28 passes for 156 yards and ran for 44 yards in the game.
Sutton’s 12 carries earned him 56 yards.
Hawaii finished with a total of 331 yards, DSU had 260. There were no turnovers in the game.
Delaware State now faces a long trip home and a short break for Saturday’s game at Sacred Heart.
Contact Kevin Tresolini at (email protected) and follow him on Twitter at @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com. And our DE Recreation Day newsletter.
