WILLIAMSBURG — William and Mary overcame another sluggish start Saturday night, but rang in the unveiling of newly renovated Zable Stadium by cruising in the second half to a 35-10 win over Norfolk State.
The No. 13 Tribe (2-1) improved to 6-0 all-time against Norfolk State (1-2), 13-0 against the MEAC and 9-1 in the last 10 seasons in home openers, fueled by the performance of redshirt freshman running back Albert Funderburke, who ran for 137 yards on 13 carries with three touchdowns.
“By and large, we took care of business and played a pretty solid game against a good team,” William and Mary coach Jimmye Laycock said. “I think Norfolk State is a good, solid team. Very pleased with this win.”
At running back, the Tribe went exclusively with Funderburke and junior Jonathan Dunn, who added 89 yards and two touchdowns. Starter Kendell Anderson was dressed and on the sideline but did not play after tweaking his ankle last week in a win over Hampton University.
Funderburke registered touchdown runs of 57, 3 and 1 yards after rushing for 70 total last week and getting his first score.
“They played well,” senior quarterback Steve Cluley said of Funderburke and Dunn. “They both ran the ball really well. The guys up front blocked really well. I think obviously big things are ahead for those two guys.”
“The running back doesn’t matter,” said Norfolk State coach Latrell Scott. “It’s the scheme. They’re sound and they’re solid. They played with the ones that they had, and they beat us with the ones that they had. So it doesn’t really matter who we prepared for.”
Cluley finished 14-of-24 passing for 179 yards and two interceptions that he took the blame for, bringing his pick tally on the season to four.
Cluley’s second pick in the third quarter was well overthrown downfield and snagged by cornerback Sandy Chapman at Norfolk State’s 35, but the Tribe forced a three-and-out on Norfolk State’s next possession. W&M linebacker Nate Atkins helped end the drive, putting pressure on quarterback Greg Hankerson to force an incomplete pass.
Then W&M, which hosts Elon next week in the CAA opener, went ahead on Funderburke’s second touchdown. The Monroe, N.C., native ran four consecutive times including a 35-yarder to the Norfolk State 11 to set up the score from 3 yards out that made it 28-10 with 3:10 to play in the third quarter.
The Tribe completely put it out of reach with 9:22 left to play after sacks by defensive tackle Bill Murray and linebacker Arman Jones forced a turnover on downs and gave W&M possession at its 39 yard-line. Funderburke ended the drive with his third touchdown on a 57-yard run, taking a handoff from Cluley and darting up the gut before finding open space on the right and out-muscling a pair of trailing Spartan defenders on the sideline around the 5 to put W&M up 35-10 with 9:22 remaining.
W&M outgained Norfolk State 456-237 in front of 10,240 at venerable Zable, which had its capacity increased to 12,300 with the $28 million renovation that includes a new upper deck, suites and pressbox.
“I did take a couple of moments there in the beginning to kind of look up there and reflect, with the lights on and the people in the stands and all that,” Laycock said. “It’s just really, really hard for me to really grasp it.”
Laycock said the defense, led by eight tackles from linebacker Stephen Lubnow, played with more enthusiasm and confidence in the second half. Bill Murray, defensive end Matt Ahola and Jones each recorded sacks.
W&M fell behind in the first quarter on Norfolk State’s second drive after pulling away in the second half of last week’s 24-14 win at Hampton when the Pirates went ahead 7-0 early and the teams were tied at halftime.
The Tribe had a golden opportunity to extend Saturday’s 21-10 team halftime lead before Cluley, who connected on nine of his first 11 passes, was intercepted with 49 seconds to play in the half.
On third-and-goal from the 6, Cluley rolled right and had his pass picked off in the end zone by safety Bobby Price. Cluley took the Tribe to the red zone, following a block from offensive lineman Chris Durant for a 37-yard run down to the Spartans’ 17 before a 13-yard completion to receiver DeVonte Dedmon, a Warhill High product.
Norfolk State kicker Cameron Marouf hit a 36-yard field goal to trim the Tribe’s lead to 21-10 with 2:53 to play in the first half after Norfolk State twice converted third downs to keep the chains moving.
W&M went ahead 21-7 with 8:57 left in the second quarter when Dunn cashed in from 1 yard on a 53-yard drive that included an 11-yard Funderburke run and 20-yard completion from Cluley to tight end Andrew Caskin into Norfolk State territory.
Dunn also capped a four-play, 50-yard drive early in the second quarter when he ran inside and bounced left to the outside for a 16-yard touchdown run to put the Tribe ahead a touchdown.
W&M answered Norfolk State’s opening scoring drive on the Tribe’s ensuing possession with Funderburke punching it from 1 yard after a 45-yard connection from Cluley to Daniel Kuzjak. Cluley scrambled right and let a throw rip from his own 48-yard line. Running parallel to the goal line on Cluley’s side of the field, Kuzjak dove to make the catch, sliding out of bounds just short of the pylon.
To put Norfolk State on the scoreboard, Hankerson scrambled on fourth-and-5 and got by Murray at the 20 before shooting down the sideline for the touchdown.
Holtzman can be reached by phone at 757-298-5830.
