HAMPTON, Va. – Hampton suffered its fourth loss of the season and its third in a row with a 17-6 loss to the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University. With the loss, the Pirates fall to 5-4 on the season and drop to fourth in the conference with a 4-2 mark, while the Wildcats improve 7-2 overall and a jump from fourth to second place in the MEAC with a 4-2 mark.

 

“It was tough for us today when you have some key offensive linemen out like (Dennis) Conley and (Ryan) Cave and then you have (LaMarcus) Coker, who is playing hurt, but we still have to find was to get it done,” head coach Jerry Holmes said.  

 

The Pirates appeared ready to play when Reggie Dixon caused the Wildcats’ Corey Council to fumble the opening kick-off return, putting Hampton at Bethune-Cookman’s 25-yard line. After a sack by Travis Roland, Hampton was forced to punt on their opening drive. 

 

It was not long before the Pirates would get on the board off a 20-yard field goal by Carol Turavani with 19 seconds left in the first quarter. Bethune-Cookman was not going out without a fight, as the Wildcats capped a 7-play, 58-yard drive in 2:22 for the first touchdown of the game. Hampton would close out the first half with a 22-yard field goal by Turavani to put the Pirates within one point of the lead.

 

“We had some key opportunities in the first half to score some touchdowns when we were in the red zone and just could not get it in, and we had to take 3 points instead of 6 points and it just happens that way sometimes,” said Holmes.

 

In the second half, the Pirates seemed like a new team as they took the opening drive 62 yards down to the Wildcats’ 13-yard line to have a field goal come up short for the Pirates. Following that drive, it was all BCU as they would go on to score a touchdown off an 8-yard run by McKinson Souverain to put the Wildcats up 14-6 late in the third quarter. The Wildcats’ final score came with 9:16 left to play, when Matt McCutcheaon hit a 35-yard field goal.

 

The Wildcats finished the game with 305 yards of total offense and 211 yards rushing on the day. They were led by running back Brain Sumlar, who had 110 yards rushing and a touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, the Wildcats had six sacks for a loss of 56 yards on the day while being led by Corey Reider, who finished the game with nine total tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss of 8 yards lost.

 

The Pirates finished with 272 yards of total offense on the day against the Wildcats defense. Hampton was led by running back LaMarcus Coker, who finished the game with his third 100-yard rushing game with 106 yards on the day. On the defensive side of the ball, Wakeem Goode led the Pirates with 10 total tackles with 1.0 tackles for a loss 2 yards on the day.

 

“We have to learn from this loss today and grow as a team because looking back there were a lot of things that we could have done differently, but there is nothing that we can do now,” said Holmes. “We will just go back and watch the film and see what happened and get ready for Florida A&M.”

 

The Pirates will be back in action on Saturday as they travel down to Tallahassee, Fla. to face Joe Taylor and the Rattlers of Florida A&M with a 1 p.m. kick-off. For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.