Dover, Del. (Nov. 23, 2019 --- Quarterback Jason Brown completed 22-of-29 passes for 316 yards and a school-record five touchdowns to lead St. Francis (Pa.) to a 35-21 victory over Delaware State in the season finale for both teams at Alumni Stadium today.
The Red Flash closed out their season with back-to-back wins to finish 2019 with a 6-6 overall record. The Hornets lost their second straight to end the year with a 2-10 mark.
St. Francis led 35-0 after a touchdown early in the third quarter and held off a DSU comeback attempt.
The Hornets scored the last 21 points in the game, and outscored the Red Flash 14-0 in the fourth quarter.
Delaware State pulled to within 14 points after a 17-yard touchdown run by Thomas Bertrand-Hudon and extra point kick with 4:15 left to play. The Hornets nearly pulled off an onside kick following the score, but St. Francis recovered the ball, ending DSU's comeback hopes.
Bertrand-Hudon led all players with 82 yards rushing on 15 carries, although he came up short in his bid to become the first Hornet in 26 seasons with 100-or-more yards rushing in four straight games.
St. Francis scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, each on touchdown passes by Brown, to open up a 28-0 led.
Ra'Shaun Henry had 12 receptions for 193 yards and three touchdowns, while fellow receiver EJ Jenkins hauled in four passes for 90 yards and two scores for the Red Flash.
Jared Lewis came off the bench to lead the Hornets to their three second half touchdowns. DSU finally got on the board when Lewis connected with Bizzett Woodley on a 58-yard touchdown pass with 1:02 left in the third quarter. The touchdown catch was Woodley's team-leading seventh of the season, tying the team record for a freshman also held by Trey Gross in 2017 and Shaheer McBride in 2004.
Delaware State's second touchdown, a 17-yard run by Bertrand-Hudon with 10:12 left in the game, was set up by a 75-yard interception return by Jahad Niebauer. The return was the longest on an interception by a Hornet since Nick Williams had a 79-yard return vs. Howard in 2012.
Lewis scored the Hornets' third touchdown on a 2-yard run with 4:15 left to play to cap off a 7-play, 67 yard drive. The big play in the drive was a 40-yard pass from Lewis to Gross to the SFU 25-yard line.
Lewis completed four-of-10 passes for 112 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 48 yards on 12 attempts.
Defensive back Keenan Black also had an interception for the Hornets to tie D'Andre Blue-Eli for the team lead with two this season.
Senior linebacker Pontraille Gray led DSU with seven tackles (six solo), including a sack.
Gray and 15 other Hornet seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony.
