NEWPORT NEWS, VA -
Wilkes University improved to 3-0 Saturday with a 24-17 win over
Christopher Newport at POMOCO Stadium in
Newport News. The
Colonels trailed the Captains, 10-7, at halftime but erupted for 17 straight points in the third and early fourth quarters to take control.
Christopher Newport, now 1-2, was hurt by three turnovers in the game. One of the turnovers, a first half interception by Corey Gilroy of Wilkes, was returned 45 yards for a touchdown.
"We just made too many mistakes at key times to win this game," CNU
head coach Matt Kelchner said. "Wilkes is a good football team, you just can't give them those kind of opportunities."
Wilkes was led by senior quarterback Rob Johnson, who threw for 207 yards and a touchdown. Johnson completed 18 of 37 passes for the day, and connected with senior Gennaro Zangardi on a six-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Sophomore Harry Reese also scored for the Colonels, a fourth quarter one-yard plunge that proved to be the game-winner.
CNU was playing without senior quarterback
Matt Long, who sat out the game with a knee injury. Quarterbacking duties were shared by freshman
Christian Woelfel-Monsivais (7 of 10 passing for 139 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions) and sophomore
Antonio Epps (6 of 10 passing for 81 yards and also a 19-yard touchdown run). Woelfel-Monsivais hit sophomore
T.J. Foster on a 59-yard scoring pass in the first half. Foster finished the game with five catches for 154 yards.
The Wilkes defense sacked CNU quarterbacks six times in the game. Junior end Tim Lombreglia made 10 tackles, two and a half sacks, and an interception.
"I was pleased with the play of our quarterbacks," Kelchner said. "I told my assistants before the game we have to be patient with them, they just don't have a lot of experience.
I thought overall they did a good job."
The Colonels dominated possession time and ran 76 plays to just 56 for CNU. Wilkes has been a strong second-half squad so far this season, and has now out-scored their three opponents in the second halves by a 52-16 margin.
A crowd of 3,017 watched the final non-conference game of the season for Christopher Newport. The Captains open USA South Athletic Conference play next Saturday with a home game vs. Shenandoah. Game time next Saturday is set for 1 pm at POMOCO Stadium.
