By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Even with notable moments, Elon couldn’t match the Coastal Athletic Association’s top football team.
Rhode Island scored on four consecutive first-half possessions on the way to defeating the Phoenix 34-20 on Saturday afternoon at Rhodes Stadium.
“When you play a really good team like Rhode Island . . . you can’t have the type of start we had and dig a hole,” Elon coach Tony Trisciani said.
Elon (4-6 overall, 2-4 Coastal Athletic Association) must win its final two games – at Campbell and home vs. North Carolina A&T – to secure a .500 season.
The Phoenix might have to do that without starting quarterback Landen Clark, who was on the sidelines during the second half with an injury.
Devin Farrell threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and Antwain Littleton, Jr. rushed for 101 yards for CAA-leading Rhode Island (8-5, 6-0), which is ranked No. 14 in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Clark, whose final pass went for a touchdown, was 12-for-18 for 104 yards in the air and he was sacked three times. Marco Lainez took the second-half snaps, throwing for 91 yards.
“Coming out of the half, just didn’t feel (Clark) could go and perform at 100 percent,” Trisciani said, noting it was unclear when the injury occurred.
D.J. James-Hamilton’s 70-yard punt return for a touchdown pulled the Phoenix within 27-17 with 5:08 remaining in the third quarter. It was Elon’s first touchdown on a punt return in 12 years.
“Last (game) I had a couple that I could’ve broke, but I just didn’t trust myself, my speed,” Hamilton said. “This week, they told me one thing – go.”
But Rhode Island used more than five minutes on the ensuing possession, with Alex McClelland’s 6-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Luke Barnes’ 41-yard field goal with 3:15 left made it a two-possession game, but the Rams recovered the ensuing onside kick.
“We fought our way back into the football game,” Trisciani said. “We did some good things we could build off, but we’ve got to put it together for a full game.”
The game’s first possession ended on sophomore Barnes’ career-long 50-yard field goal.
Rhode Island responded with a 96-yard drive, using 16 plays and more than 7½ minutes with Farrell running 10 yards for a touchdown. Garth White’s 52-yard field goal to open the second-quarter scoring put the Rams up 10-3.
Farrell threw 19 yards to Greg Gaines III for another first-half score and then Aboraa Kwarteng got free for a 70-yard touchdown reception down the sideline.
The half ended on a high note for the Phoenix. Clark lofted a pass to Isaiah Fuhrmann, who made a leaping 9-yard catch near the side of the end zone amid double coverage on the last play before halftime. That cut the gap to 24-10.
Elon, without running back T.J .Thomas, Jr. because of season-ending surgery stemming from an injury two weeks earlier at Maine, was held to 30 rushing yards.
