WAYNE, N.J. - Christopher Newport snapped a two-game losing skid Saturday by beating William Paterson, 26-7. Senior wide receiver
Taylor Loudan set a new school record for career receptions and scored three of CNU's four touchdowns in the New Jersey Athletic Conference victory.
Loudan, from Stephens City, Va., passed Rudy Rudolph's 163 career reception mark and caught two touchdown passes from junior quarterback
K.J. Kearney. Loudan, who also ran for a six-yard score, caught ten passes for 147 yards for the day.
The Captains improved to 6-3 overall and 5-3 in the NJAC heading into the final week of the season.
"We moved the ball pretty well between the 20's," Head Coach
Matt Kelchner said. "We did enough things well to win, and our defense was again pretty solid all day."
The Captains trailed early by a 7-0 score and then posted the final 26 points of the game. CNU grabbed the lead early in the second quarter and built a 19-7 at halftime. Loudan's second touchdown reception of the day late in the fourth quarter, a two-yard pass play, wrapped up the scoring at Wightman Field. Earlier in the day, he scampered 30 yards off a screen pass for six, and also reached the end zone on a six-yard run. Loudan has now scored 20 career touchdowns, seventh-most in program history.
Kearney, who connected on 15 of 18 passes for 152 yards, scored on a one-yard plunge to open the scoring for Christopher Newport late in the first quarter.
Junior linebacker
Brennan Gary and sophomore linebacker
Jamal Spence each registered eight tackles to lead the CNU defense.
William Paterson has now lost five straight, and the Pioneers are 2-7 overalll and 1-7 in NJAC play. The matchup was just the second of the two schools, and the Captains have won both meetings. Last year at POMOCO Stadium, CNU prevailed, 42-30.
The game marked the final road game for Kelchner, who announced prior to the start of the season he is stepping down after 16 years to become an athletic administrator at CNU.
The season finale for CNU, and the 169th and final game for Kelchner, will be next Saturday against Southern Virginia at POMOCO Stadium. Kickoff time is set for 3:00 p.m. Kelchner and his CNU squads have compiled a record of 108-60 over the past 16 years.
