NEWPORT NEWS, Va.- It's an early-season battle for first place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, as the Captains of Christopher Newport host the Wolverines of Wesley College. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. Saturday night at POMOCO Stadium.

The Captains are off to a 2-0 start for just the second time in the 16-year history of CNU football, and Matt Kelchner's squad is 1-0 in NJAC action. Wesley is 1-1 so far, and the Wolverines are also 1-0 in league play.

"This will be a great test for our team," Kelchner said. "Wesley is always a challenge, and we've got to be ready to play a complete game."

CNU is coming off an impressive 45-27 road win at Hampden-Sydney last Saturday. The Captains broke open a close game in the second half to put away the Tigers. Junior quarterback K.J. Kearney threw for two scores and also ran for two touchdowns. His 355 yards passing set a new school record, and he was selected the NJAC's Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts. Kearney has completed 38 of 58 pass attempts through two games for 526 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He has also run for three scores in CNU's two victories.

Christopher Newport's defense has also been opportunistic. The Captains have recorded two defensive touchdowns and a safety in the first two weeks. Last week, junior linebacker Brennan Gary returned an interception 32 yards for a score, and in the opening win over Kean, junior cornerback Justus Drakeford ran back a pick 95 yards for a touchdown.

Wesley, ranked 17th in the country this week according to D3football.com's weekly poll, is coming off a 43-7 home win over Frostburg State last Saturday. The Wolverines lost their opener, 21-14, to Delaware Valley in non-conference play. This will be Wesley's first road game of 2016, and the fourth meeting all-time with the Captains. Wesley has won all three previous matchups, including a 44-24 triumph over the Captains last year in Dover, DE.

CNU has dominated time of possession through its first two wins, and the Captains are averaging nearly 38 minutes of possession time to just 22 minutes per game for their opponents. Christopher Newport has also won the battle for field position, thanks in large part to senior punter Joe Carter, who last week put three of his four punts inside the Hampden-Sydney 20-yard line. Carter, who was selected to D3football.com's National Team of the Week, also angled one of his boots out of bounds at the 1-yard line. He is averaging 38 yards per punt so far this season.

The Captains have also minimized mistakes in their first two wins. CNU has committed just one turnover in the first two weeks.

Gates will open at POMOCO Stadium Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Tickets will be available at the stadium beginning at 4:00 p.m.

The game will be broadcast live on the Christopher Newport/Pepsi Radio Network (Xtra 99.1 FM) with audio and video also available on CNUsports.com/live.

Following Saturday's action, the Captains play on the road in New Jersey the next two weeks against the College of New Jersey and Rowan. CNU does not play at home again until October 15th against Montclair State.

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