NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University fell to 1-2 on the season Saturday night, dropping a 26-19 decision to Ferrum College in non-conference play. The Captains failed to capitalize on several early red zone opportunities, and managed just nine second-half points in the loss to the Panthers, who improved to 2-0.
The game was tied at halftime, 10-10, and the Panthers didn't take their first lead until the midway point of the third quarter. Christopher Newport then fell behind by a 26-13 margin with 2:58 left in the game, before a Captains score with just 21 seconds left provided the final margin.
The game was part of the 20th Anniversary celebration of Christopher Newport football, and came on the same day the field at TowneBank Stadium was named after longtime Captains coach
Matt Kelchner. A crowd of 3,321 watched the first battle of the two programs in seven years on a clear and warm night under the lights.
"We left a lot of points out there in the first half, including getting stopped at the goal line, and just didn't do enough to win the game," Head Coach
Art Link said. "We're going to re-evaluate how we're doing some things and keep working hard."
Senior running back
Adam Luncher led the Captains in rushing with 67 yards on 16 carries, and scored the game's first points on a four-yard touchdown run with 3:04 to play in the opening quarter. Ferrum answered with a 38-yard scoring pass from Titus Jones to Tmahdae Penn, completing a seven-play, 80-yard drive, to even the game at 7-7. Field goals from CNU's
Ryan Castle (22 yards) and Ferrum's Seth Deaton (19 yards) in the final seconds of the opening half evened the game at 10-10 at the intermission.
Ferrum's first lead of the night came with 7:25 remaining in the third quarter when Jones scampered 33 yards for a score. Following Castle's second field goal of the evening late in the third quarter, Jones and Penn hooked up again for Ferrum, this time on a five-yard strike. Deaton then booted his second field goal of the game from 27 yards away to put the Panthers ahead, 26-13.
Christopher Newport sophomore quarterback
Matt Dzierski connected with sophomore wide receiver
Chase Kelly on a 19-yard scoring pass with just 21 seconds left in the final stanza, cutting the lead to 26-19. The ensuing on sides kick attempt was covered by the Panthers to secure the seven-point triumph. Dzierski finished the game 18 of 32 passing for 144 yards, while Kelly caught seven passes for 63 yards for the night. Fifth-year senior
Sean Wilkinson led the CNU defensive effort, posting ten tackles, including seven solo stops.
The victory was the first-ever for Ferrum in Newport News, and just the second all-time for the Panthers over the Captains. CNU now leads the series, 13-2. The Panthers are now a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, but were league-mates of the Captains in the USA South Athletic Conference and met every year from 2001 to 2014 in conference play.
Christopher Newport returns to action next Saturday, September 25th, traveling to Washington, D.C., to take on Catholic. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. for the first meeting ever for the Cardinals and Captains.
