ELIZABETH CITY – Christopher Perkins delivered the signature performance Elizabeth City State had been searching for, accounting for five touchdowns as the Vikings defeated Livingstone 39-27 on Saturday afternoon at Roebuck Stadium.
The junior quarterback completed 17 of 20 passes for 190 yards and four touchdowns while adding 130 yards and another score on the ground, leading ECSU to its first win of 2025. The Vikings improved to 1-4 overall and 1-2 in CIAA play, while Livingstone dropped to 3-2 and 2-1 in conference action.
Elizabeth City State controlled possession for more than 27 minutes and racked up 397 total yards, including 197 on the ground. The Vikings converted six of 10 third-down attempts and scored on two of their four red-zone opportunities while limiting Livingstone to three conversions on 11 third-down tries.
Early Exchange Sets Stage
The Vikings opened the game with a methodical nine-play, 43-yard drive that consumed more than six minutes. Traquan Johnson capped the march with a one-yard touchdown run at the 8:47 mark of the first quarter, and Wyatt Jackson's extra point gave ECSU an early 7-0 lead.
Livingstone needed just 73 seconds to respond. On the third play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Elijah Alexander connected with Tavion Jackson on a 67-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at 7-7 with 7:13 left in the opening period.
The Vikings regained the lead late in the second quarter when Perkins broke loose on a 73-yard touchdown run, cutting through the middle of the Livingstone defense and outrunning the secondary to the end zone. The Vikings missed the extra point but led 13-7 with 9:41 remaining in the half.
That score came one play after Sterling Chavis intercepted Alexander at the ECSU five-yard line, halting a Livingstone drive that had reached the Vikings' seven. Chavis returned the pick 22 yards to give Perkins and the offense excellent field position.
Third-Quarter Surge
Elizabeth City State broke the game open in the third quarter, scoring on three consecutive possessions to build a commanding 33-7 advantage.
The onslaught began on the Vikings' opening drive of the second half, an eight-play, 64-yard march that featured a key third-down conversion when Perkins hit Troy Smith for eight yards. Two plays later, Perkins found Smith again, this time for a 30-yard touchdown pass that extended the lead to 20-7 at the 9:26 mark. Benjamin Turner's extra point was good.
After forcing a Livingstone three-and-out, ECSU took over at its own 29-yard line. Perkins was sacked for a 10-yard loss on first down, but he quickly made up for it. He completed passes to EJ Gatling and Holland for minimal gains before hitting Holland again on second-and-15 for a 29-yard gain to the Livingstone five. On the next play, Perkins found Johnson for a five-yard touchdown pass, pushing the lead to 26-7 with 6:19 left in the third.
The Vikings tacked on another score just before the end of the quarter. Following a fumble by Livingstone's Davyn Reid on the kickoff return, ECSU took over at the Blue Bears' 29. Perkins needed just two plays, scrambling 30 yards to the 20-yard line before hitting Holland for a 20-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the third quarter. Turner's kick made it 33-7.
Livingstone Responds Too Late
The Blue Bears finally found some offensive rhythm late in the third quarter. Alexander led a six-play, 51-yard drive that he finished with a two-yard touchdown run as the third quarter expired, cutting the deficit to 33-14.
Livingstone's defense then forced a three-and-out to start the fourth quarter, and the offense capitalized. Alexander directed a seven-play, 32-yard drive that he capped with a two-yard touchdown pass to Chris Washington. Jason Zapata's extra point made it 33-21 with 7:12 remaining.
But Perkins answered immediately. On the Vikings' next possession, he completed passes to Holland twice and Smith once during a seven-play, 63-yard drive. The march ended with a 34-yard touchdown strike to Shamar Sutton at the 8:14 mark, restoring the 18-point cushion at 39-21. The Vikings failed to convert the two-point attempt.
Livingstone tacked on a late score when backup quarterback Salomon Georges Jr. led a six-play, 40-yard drive and hit Ronald Lindsey for a seven-yard touchdown with 1:55 left. The two-point conversion failed, and the Vikings recovered the onside kick to seal the victory.
Balanced Attack
Perkins spread the ball effectively throughout the afternoon. Holland led all receivers with six catches for 74 yards and a touchdown, while Smith hauled in four passes for 59 yards and a score. Sutton added three receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown, and Johnson contributed one catch for five yards and a score.
On the ground, Perkins carried 15 times for 130 yards, averaging 8.7 yards per attempt. Johnson added 37 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, and Ameil Braswell chipped in 17 yards on three attempts.
For Livingstone, Jackson caught eight passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, while Lindsey had four receptions for 53 yards and a score. Alexander completed 15 of 23 passes for 187 yards, two touchdowns and one interception before giving way to Georges Jr., who finished 4-of-8 for 41 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Blue Bears managed just 91 yards rushing on 30 attempts. Georges Jr. led the way with 39 yards on four carries, while Javen Parker added 36 yards on eight attempts.
Defensive Contributions
ECSU's defense registered four sacks and two interceptions while forcing two fumbles. Jaevon Branch led the unit with eight tackles, including five solo stops and a sack. Caleb Gervais-Lynch recorded a sack for a 10-yard loss, Drewvon Oxendine had a five-yard sack, and Sir'Sean Ingram brought down Alexander for a three-yard loss.
Chavis finished with five tackles and his crucial red-zone interception, while Worthy added an interception in the fourth quarter that ended Livingstone's final drive.
For Livingstone, Jordan Paul led the defense with eight tackles and forced a fumble. Velson Seide added five tackles, including a sack for a six-yard loss. Kevin Larkins Jr. recorded three tackles and returned an interception 36 yards in the second quarter that set up Livingstone's final drive of the half.
Key Numbers
The Vikings dominated the possession battle, holding the ball for 27:08 compared to Livingstone's 22:21. ECSU averaged 6.5 yards per play compared to 5.2 for the Blue Bears.
Perkins was not sacked until the third quarter and finished the game having been brought down twice for 12 yards in losses. By contrast, Alexander and Georges Jr. combined to be sacked four times for 29 yards.
The Vikings also won the field-position battle, averaging 56.6 yards per kickoff compared to 35.6 for Livingstone. Jackson's seven kickoffs included one touchback and one that went out of bounds.
Both teams struggled with extra points. ECSU converted just three of five attempts, while Livingstone made three of three but failed on both two-point conversion tries.
The Vikings will look to build on this performance as they continue CIAA play, while Livingstone must regroup after surrendering 32 unanswered points over a two-quarter span.
Top Performers
- Christopher Perkins, ECSU: 17-of-20 passing, 190 yards, 4 TDs; 15 rushes, 130 yards, 1 TD
- Terrance Holland, ECSU: 6 receptions, 74 yards, 1 TD
- Jaevon Branch, ECSU: 8 tackles (5 solo), 1 sack
- Tavion Jackson, Livingstone: 8 receptions, 127 yards, 1 TD
- Elijah Alexander, Livingstone: 15-of-23 passing, 187 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
.png)
