MURFREESBORO, NC — The University of
West Alabama Football team defeated the Chowan Hawks 38-28 on Saturday at James G. Garrison Stadium.
West Alabama's (2-0, 0-0 GSC) offense, which was led by
Spencer Arceneaux who accumulated 261 total offensive yards and four total touchdowns, proved to be too much for Chowan (1-1, 0-0 CC) on Saturday. The Tigers offense recorded 379 total yards as a group while UWA's defense registered seven sacks, leading to their second win of the young season.
The first quarter began with West Alabama's
Travon Nunn making an immediate impact, tackling Chowan's Maurice Smith for a two-yard loss on the opening play. Nunn's performance was exceptional, as he recorded a career-high in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks during the game. Despite a couple of penalties against the Tigers, the defense held strong, as Nunn again came through with a critical stop on fourth down, forcing a turnover on downs at the UWA 38-yard line. West Alabama capitalized on this defensive stand, with Arceneaux orchestrating a methodical drive, culminating in a two-yard touchdown pass to
Jaxon Colvin with 1:42 remaining in the quarter, giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
The second quarter began with UWA's defense holding firm against Chowan's early advances, highlighted by
Marquis Robinson sacking Maurice Smith for a 7-yard loss. On the offensive side, Arceneaux led a decisive drive, culminating in a 33-yard touchdown rush to extend West Alabama's lead. As the quarter concluded, Arceneaux added another rushing touchdown, marking his third total touchdown of the first half to complete a strong period for the Tigers, despite a late touchdown by Chowan narrowing the margin to 21-7.
The third quarter began with a dynamic sequence as West Alabama advanced 81 yards on an 11-play drive, highlighted by Arceneaux's 24-yard touchdown pass to
Tyrek Williams at 9:32. Despite a turnover, a couple of possessions later, that allowed Chowan to score, the Tigers maintained control with a steady response, executing a series of plays to keep the offense moving effectively.
The fourth quarter began with West Alabama's
Elijah Guyton drilling a 25-yard field goal to extend the lead to 31-14. Later in the period, Jenkins broke through with a 33-yard touchdown run at 5:06, further solidifying West Alabama's advantage. Despite Chowan's efforts to respond, including two late touchdowns, the Tigers maintained control and secured a 38-28 victory.
Arceneaux finished with 181 passing yards on 12-of-18 attempts and added two touchdowns through the air, complementing his 80 rushing yards and two rushing scores. Jenkins contributed significantly with 96 rushing yards on 15 carries and one touchdown. Nelson led the receiving corps, posting 95 yards on four receptions. Defensively, Nunn recorded a career-high 12 tackles and one sack, leading the team's defensive effort.
West Alabama will bring their 2-0 record back at home to Livingston next Saturday as they welcome top-15 ranked Charleston to Tiger Stadium for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
