By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Chandler Brayboy returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as Elon broke a four-game losing streak by winning 30-14 at Albany on Saturday.
Brayboy became the first Elon player in at least 25 years with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a game. He scored the first and final points for the Phoenix (2-5 overall, 1-2 Coastal Athletic Association), which hadn’t scored on a kickoff return in five years.
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T.J. Thomas, Jr. ran for a touchdown as part of a 138-yard rushing performance and Elon’s defense limited the Great Danes to 234 yards of total offense. Josh Johnson recorded two of Elon’s four sacks.
Elon was up 24-14 when Brayboy recaptured momentum with a 93-yard return with 6:04 to play after a Great Danes touchdown.
Albany (3-4, 1-2), which lost on homecoming, opened the game with a 12-play, 88-yard touchdown drive. Brayboy answered with the 94-yard kickoff return.
Brayboy, a senior receiver, also eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark for receiving yards in his career. He finished the game with a team-high four receptions for 55 yards.
Matthew Downing and Jack Salopek split quarterback duties for Elon, which played in its first out-of-state game this year. Downing’s 1-yard toss to tight end Cole Hardy gave the Phoenix its first lead on the last play of the first quarter.
Elon closed the first half with Jack Berkowitz’s 40-yard field goal for a 17-7 edge.
The Phoenix opened the second half with a 75-yard drive capped by Thomas’ 8-yard TD run.
The Phoenix had only 59 plays. The quarterback duo combined to go 7-for-15 for 67 yards.
There were no turnovers in the game, but Elon overcame 109 penalty yards.
