DSU’s long nightmare finally ends

The streak is finally over.

After the Delaware State University Hornets eked out a 39-36 victory over the Howard Bison, spectators could see on the faces of the players that King Kong had been lifted off their backs.

“Great way to go out,” senior running back Jaashawn Jones said.

“Got it done for the seniors,” said senior linebacker Brandon Harvey.

“We finally put a whole one together,” coach Kermit Blount said. “We needed to end this season the way we started.”

The win allowed the Hornets (3-8) to snap an eight-game losing skid in a season that went south after a 2-0 start.

A year ago in Washington, D.C., the Bison and Hornets combined to light up the scoreboard, with DSU winning 53-43. The first half of this year’s matchup featured similar fireworks, as the two teams went back and forth trading scores. DSU started things off with a Mitchell Ward field goal before Howard got the next two scores on touchdown runs by Greg McGhee and Terrence Lefall.

Delaware State then went into aerial-circus mode, throwing the ball seemingly every play. The strategy worked, as Nick Elko (28 of 44 for 324 yards and three touchdowns) found Darius Jackson and Justin Wilson for big gains to set up Jones’ 2-yard touchdown run.

DSU’s next scoring drive saw Wilson catch three passes, including the 11-yard touchdown that gave the Hornets the lead again.

Wilson, who tormented the Bison secondary for 217 yards and four touchdowns last year, again found Howard’s defense to his liking, catching eight passes for 108 yards and a touchdown.

Wilson said it was just a coincidence he has big games against the Bison.

“I’m not sure. It just happens to be that way, having big games against them,” he said.

The first half finished with the two teams trading scores. McGhee scrambled his way to pay dirt from 26 yards out. DSU responded with another short Jones touchdown run. Howard got the last word as McGhee found Charles Anderson with a 16-yard touchdown pass to give the Bison a 28-24 lead going into the half.

The offensive shootout of the first half morphed into a defensive slugfest in the third quarter. The Bison (5-6) got the only score of the quarter on a safety. Markee White sacked Elko and forced him to fumble. The ball rolled into the end zone where DSU recovered.

As the fourth quarter started, Howard started to distance itself from the Hornets as Lefall, who had 120 yards on 34 carries, scored a short touchdown to put the Bison up by 12, 36-24.

That’s when the Travis Tarpley Show began.

Tarpley got the Hornets back into the game early in the fourth quarter, taking an Elko pass and weaving his way through the Bison defense for a 38-yard score.

Tarpley said he was just running a simple out route along the sidelines and didn’t think he was going to get the ball. Once he made the catch, Tarpley made the first Howard defender miss and outran the rest on the way to the end zone.

“Nick’s been on my back all season about catching a small little out-route and taking it to the house, so that one’s for him,” Tarpley said.

The versatile wide receiver set a school record with 13 catches for 150 yards and two scores. He was also DSU’s leading rusher with 45 yards. Tarpley broke Wilson’s year-old school record for catches in a season, finishing with 66.

After exchanging punts, the Hornets got the ball back with 5:19 left in the game. Facing fourth-and-5 from Howard’s 42, Elko found Bo Ceravolo for a 14-yard gain and a first down. On the next play, Elko found Tarpley wide open across the middle for a 28-yard touchdown with 2:19 to play.

“That’s the bread-and-butter play,” Tarpley said. “We’re looking for safeties on the hash. It’s just if I can get past the linebackers and get down on the safeties. Put a little outside move on the near safety and the backside safety will never have a chance to make the play.”

The Hornets, both players and spectators, still had some sweating it out to do. McGhee led the Bison down the field and into position for a tying field goal. With one second on the clock, Howard’s Parker Munoz lined up for a 43-yard field goal attempt. The kick fell short, and the Hornets rushed the field like they’d just won the Super Bowl.

“It was definitely good to come out and be successful for a change. It’s been a rocky road this season. We definitely had a lot of downs, but it’s just a good win to get things going for next season,” Elko said.

Despite the tough season this year, DSU will return much of its offensive nucleus, including the triumvirate of Elko, Wilson and Tarpley. Blount said the team would look to shore up the running back position and add depth on the offensive and defensive lines.

“We’ve got a long way to go. We have to get in the weight room here, and get stronger, get bigger and get faster. Then we have to go out and get ourselves a good recruiting class on top of it,” Blount said. “I think we’re going to be OK.”