NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport held the College of New Jersey to just one score Saturday afternoon, as the Captains held off the Lions in New Jersey Conference action, 17-6, at TowneBank Stadium. The Homecoming Weekend victory left both squads with 2-5 overall records, and both teams are also now 2-2 in conference play.
The Captains recorded five sacks and held TCNJ to just 15 rushing yards on 28 attempts. Senior defensive lineman
Ben James posted eight tackles to lead the way and also registered 2.5 sacks.
"I give our defensive coaches and players a whole lot of credit for what we did today," Head Coach
Art Link said. "We held them when we had to and didn't make a lot of mistakes. Obviously, we had to fight hard and our guys were up to the test."
Christopher Newport never trailed in the game, played on a sunny and breezy autumn afternoon in front of 3,794 Homecoming revelers. Senior quarterback
Jack Anderson led the offensive unit by setting a new school record for consecutive completions with 19, just two shy of the NCAA Division III all-time mark. He finished his near-perfect day 20 of 21 passing for 186 yards and a touchdown.
The Captains opened the scoring by traveling 80 yards on ten plays in the opening quarter, finishing the drive when Anderson connected with sophomore
Leland Girdy on a 13-yard scoring reception. The Lions answered on the following possession with a four-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a 35-yard scoring pass from junior quarterback Andrew Donoghue to senior receiver Vinny Guckin. The extra point was missed, and the Captains held a 7-6 edge at the end of the opening quarter.
Senior kicker
Dylan Curran connected from 44 yards away on a second quarter field goal, his tenth of the season, to add to the lead. Christopher Newport possessed a 10-6 advantage at the intermission.
The defenses took over in the second half, and the Captains finally broke through for the only score with just 1:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. Senior running back
Nehemiah Harris scampered 43 yards for a Captains touchdown to account for the 17-6 final verdict.
Junior punter
Ben Garbarini delivered a key 57-yard punt with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter, pushing the Lions back to their own 30 yard line. Christopher Newport's defense then held TCNJ to just 13 yards on six plays to take over on downs, leading to Harris' long scoring run to put the game away.
James led the Christopher Newport defense and also contributed a blocked field goal late in the first half in addition to his eight tackles and 2.5 sacks. On offense, junior wide receiver
Garrison Mayo caught eight passes for the Captains for 67 yards, and Harris finished the day with 14 carries for 94 yards. The Captains out-gained the Lions, 280-211, in total yards, and 94-15 in rushing yards.
The Captains now hold a 4-1 lead in the all-time series with TCNJ, and have won the last two. Christopher Newport now faces a stiff test next week traveling to Salisbury, Md., next Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff at Salisbury University. The Sea Gulls are 6-0 this season and ranked tenth in the nation.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
