HAMPTON — For nearly 10 minutes, fireworks decorated the sky above Armstrong Stadium following Hampton University’s 41-34 win Saturday night over Norfolk State in the 60th edition of the Battle of the Bay.
It was a sight to see for everyone, especially the Hampton players.
“It was nice to see,” Hampton quarterback Braden Davis said with a smile.
Pirates running back Gracen Goldsmith agreed, saying, “I liked it.”
Both want more.
It had been nearly a month since they last saw fireworks because it only happens when the Pirates win.
The last time the Pirates won was Sept. 6, when they came from behind to beat Elizabeth City State.
Davis and Goldsmith hope Saturday is just the beginning of something new.
The Pirates, who snapped a three-game losing streak, are trying to right this ship.
And to do it by beating rival Norfolk State made it even sweeter. The Spartans lead the series 30-29-1 and had won the previous four games at Armstrong Stadium.
“We understand what this game means,” Hampton coach Trenton Boykin said. “We got two games that we circle every year, and this is one of them. We let one get away. We weren’t going to let this one get away.”
The Pirates played inspired football, even when they trailed 21-10 with 12:17 left in the second quarter.
Slowly they chipped away at the lead.
Goldsmith got them going when he scored on a 30-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to four.
The Pirates ended up scoring 17 unanswered points to take a lead they would never relinquish.
Davis added the deciding blow when he scored on a 21-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
The players and coaches felt the atmosphere of a sold-out crowd of 9,222 fans who packed Armstrong Stadium.
“When you grow up and play, you think about these games,” Boykin said. “Sellout games, both bands, you know, great competitor on the other side. That’s what we want this to look like every home game. So to have that atmosphere tonight, it was amazing to look over and see, you know, the stands packed. Our guys feed on that stuff. So it was exciting to see that.”
This was the first Battle of the Bay experience for both Goldsmith and Davis. Goldsmith is a freshman, while Davis is a transfer from Syracuse.
“It was a fun experience,” said Goldsmith, who finished with 75 yards rushing and scored his first collegiate touchdown. “It was something to see, for sure. It was a lot of new stuff I’d seen, but I liked the environment that it brought.”
Added Davis:
“Anytime we can pull the W together as a team, get a victory, it feels good,” said Davis, who completed 16 of 28 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. “It feels real good.”
Both hope the fireworks and winning keep going.
The Pirates (2-4 overall, 0-2 in the Coastal Athletic Association) host Campbell next week, followed by games against Monmouth, Maine, William & Mary and Rhode Island.
Davis and Goldsmith believe this win could be what turns this season around.
“We broke our losing streak, and we’re just looking for a way to keep going down the road,” Goldsmith said. “Keeping our head high and keep moving forward.”
Added Davis: “Obviously, we snapped our losing streak tonight. It puts everybody on like, let’s go. Let’s continue to build on this thing. I believe everyone’s mindset is we just did it, we’ve done it already, let’s keep going.”
Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com
