Hawks run for record 7 TDs, coast past Pirates

For most of their 1 years in a new conference, Hampton University’s Pirates have been competitive in football. But Saturday, they literally got run over.

Jaden Shirden rushed for 276 yards and four touchdowns to help Monmouth run away from HU in a 61-10 win in West Long Branch, New Jersey. The Hawks (3-3, 2-1 Coastal Athletic Association) scored a program-record seven rushing touchdowns, with Sone Ntoh reaching the end zone twice and Frankie Savino adding one.

Hampton (3-3, 1-2) took the opening kickoff and posted its only lead after a 17-play drive produced a 28-yard field goal by Brian Csehoski.

From there, Monmouth scored touchdowns on its first four possessions. Ntoh ran in from the 4- and 5-yard lines. Shirden then scored from the 9 and made a 63-yard, one-play scoring dash. Marquez McCray threw a 31-yard score to Ashanti Caviness Jr. with nine seconds before halftime for a 35-3 lead.

Quarterback Chris Zellous’ 2-yard scoring run reduced Hampton’s deficit to 41-10 early in the third quarter. Darran Butts ran for 85 yards on 18 carries for the Pirates, but lost a fumble.

Zellous ran for 40 yards on 13 carries. He completed 7 for 18 for 45 yards, including three passes to Evan King for 18 yards, despite an interception.

Shirden has run for more than 200 yards five times, including a program-record 299-yard, 12-carry performance against Fordham last year. He tied Pete Guerriero (2017-19) for Monmouth’s record in career 200-yard rushing games.

The Pirates will have another huge challenge at 2 p.m. Saturday at Armstrong Stadium against Delaware, the eighth-ranked team in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25.