Game Can’t Escape Ivan

Ferrum and Chowan tried to play if safe Friday, moving their NCAA Division III football game up a day to avoid the remnants of Tropical Storm Ivan.

Instead, they wound up playing a bizarre game as Ivan, with whipping winds and sheets of rain, arrived early. With 127 people looking on, the teams endured two weather delays, agreed to cancel halftime and shortened the fourth quarter to eight minutes as Ferrum won, 44-0.

The Panthers (2-1) were leading, 26-0, with 6:51 left in the second quarter when lightning forced a 40-minute delay. When play resumed, it was stopped a few minutes later amid reports of tornadoes.