HAMPTON, Va. – Shai McKenzie ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns, while Deondre Francois threw for two and ran for another as Hampton opened the 2019 season with a 65-7 win over Elizabeth City State on Saturday night.
The Pirates scored on their first possession as Francois finished a six-play, 58-yard drive with a five-yard scamper at 12:47. His connection with Jadakis Bonds for a seven-yard score with 9:53 left in the first put Hampton up 13-0. McKenzie got into the scoring column on the next possession as he broke loose on a 30-yard run to lead 20-0 with 7:30 left.
Hampton used a 33-yard Evan Lomax field goal to push the lead to 23-0 at 12:17 left. Francois and Bonds connected again on a 25-yard scoring strike for a 30-0 lead with 9:25 left.
The defense set up the next score as Elijah Washington recovered a fumble in the end zone for a 37-0 lead with 8:13 remaining in the half. A short field gave Hampton its final score of the half as Will Robinson scored on a nine-yard run to lead 44-0 at half.
In the third, McKenzie scored his second one a 37-yard scamper to open the scoring for a 51-0 lead with 13 minutes left before Darran Butts ran one from seven yards out to lead 58-0 with 5:46 left.
ECSU got on the board on the ensuing kickoff as Zion Riddick took the kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to make the score 58-7 with 5:30 left in the third. Hampton closed the scoring midway in the fourth on an Austin Bradley one-yard run.
Hampton gained 525 yards total offense with 336 on the ground and 189 in the air, while ECSU was held to 65 yards total offense as 55 came on the ground.
Francois threw for 91 yards and two touchdowns, while Austin Bradley threw for 98 as Hampton was a combined 13-for-27.
Hampton returns to action on September 7 hosting Virginia Union University at 6 pm.
