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NEWPORT NEWS, Va.- Christopher Newport held off winless Ferrum Saturday night at POMOCO Stadium, 21-19, for its third straight victory. The Captains avoided being upset thanks to another good performance from senior quarterback Marcus Morrast, who threw two touchdown passes and rushed for one. Morrast, the USA South Offensive Player of the Week last week, threw for 212 yards and rushed for 55 as CNU improved to 3-2 overall and 3-0 atop the USA South Athletic Conference.

"We didn't play all that well in all honesty," Head Coach Matt Kelchner said following the two-point triumph. "We knew Ferrum would give us all we could handle, and they're improving every week. Sometimes it's just about making one more play than the other team, and that's what we did tonight. It wasn't pretty but it's a win...I told our guys to smile because it's tough to win a football game."

Christopher Newport has won its three games by a total of just eight points, winning the last two weeks by just three-point margins and now posting a two-point win. CNU's victory drops the Panthers to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in league play.

Ferrum took the lead late in the first quarter and used a 10-play, 71-yard drive to get on the board. Junior running back Harvey Taylor opened the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run. CNU blocked the extra point to give Ferrum a 6-0 lead. The Captains jumped ahead early in the second quarter on a 22-yard pass play from Morrast to sophomore Taylor Loudon. Mason Studer's extra point made it 7-6. Morrast then scored on a 28-yard run midway through the second quarter, with Studer's extra point making it 14-6. Ferrum answered just before halftime with a three-yard scoring run from senior quarterback Tim Reynolds that capped a 10-play, 79-yard drive. The two-point conversion attempt failed, making it a 14-12 CNU lead at the intermission.

The Captains used another big play to score their third touchdown of the night. Morrast hit senior wide receiver Rudy Rudolph with a 58-yard scoring pass late in the third quarter. Studer added the extra point to give CNU a 21-12 advantage. Ferrum, though, wouldn't go quietly.

The Panthers put together their third long drive of the night, this time going 70 yards in nine plays as Reynolds reached the endzone on an eight-yard run with 4:27 to play in the fourth quarter. Jacob Smoak's extra point made it 21-19, and the Captains needed to kill the clock.

CNU was able to run nine plays and pick up two first downs down the stretch to run out the clock to preserve the two-point victory in front of 3,150 fans. The win was the 11th straight over Ferrum, and the 13th in 14 all-time meetings.

In addition to Morrast's big numbers, Rudolph also caught six passes for 148 yards and the deciding score. The senior tandem has each scored 25 touchdowns in their CNU careers.

On defense, juniors Tyrell Eaton and Rahland Gordon each posted a dozen tackles. 

"When you only play ten games, every game is important," Kelchner continued. "Now we're halfway home and every game is a playoff game essentially. We have a lot of work to do to get ready for a long road trip next week."

Christopher Newport plays Huntingdon College next Saturday in Montgomery, Alabama, in the first meeting ever of the two schools. It will also mark the first time the CNU program has played in the state of Alabama. The battle will be for first place in the USA South, as Huntingdon is 2-1 in league play. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Eastern time.