Rocky Mount, NC - The Elizabeth City State football team will start the season (1-1) after a huge ground attack led by Zechariah Duckson-Adams, who finished with 168 rushing yards, which lifted the Vikings over the Falcons of St. Augustine's, winning the 26th Annual Down East Viking Football Classic Championship in Rocky Mount.

Excitement that came from the first half was a third-down conversion on a 25-yard connection from Chase Williams to Quinzel Lockhart down the right sideline. The presence of drone flight led to delays in gameplay. Once resumed, a hard-hitting defensive battle led by the ECSU Code Blue, would be the DNA of this game. Both teams pitched a shutout entering the fourth quarter. 

The momentum would shift in the fourth quarter for the team in gray jerseys with blue trim. With eight minutes and fifty-eight seconds left, Chase Williams would take the snap from shotgun and scramble to his left picking up key blocks from wide receiver Darrien Dalton springing his 38-yard run to the endzone, putting the first score of the day on the scoreboard from either team.

The defense would solidify the victory over the Falcons with two key interceptions one being a pick-6 from cornerback Jaylen Nicholson and the extra-point added from Darrius Satterfield, which pushed the score to 13-0. The next interception sealing the game from linebacker Demorian Smith, putting the proverbial nail in the coffin for the Falcons. 

Viking football returns to action, on Saturday, September 16th as the Vikings hit the road to face the Rams of Winston-Salem State at Bowman Gray Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.

For more information on ECSU Athletics, contact the ECSU Office of Athletic Communications at (252) 335-3278 or log on to www.ecsuvikings.com.