CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT 20, ROWAN (NJ) 14
NEWPORT NEWS – The CNU Captains opened their New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule with a well needed win, topping the Rowan Profs from the Garden State 20-14 at Towne Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Captains pushed their record to 3-2 and will enjoy a bye week before traveling to Kean College to face the Cougars on October 15.
Rowan is considered to be one of the top teams in the NJAC, and the win immediately puts CNU into the upper echelon of teams.
“It doesn’t matter who we play in the conference,” said Captain coach Paul Crowley. “We have to be at our best each and every week.”
However, the Captains opened up a 20-0 lead entering the fourth quarter before allowing two late Rowan touchdowns to make it a one-score game with 5:45 remaining. For the season, CNU has allowed 52 of its opponents’ 86 points in the final period, but Crowley retains confidence in his team’s finishing ability.
“We may just get too conservative once we get a lead,” said Crowley, now in his second year at the helm.
The Captains came out strong after the opening kickoff, with Matt Dzierski’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Colin Hart capping a ten-play, 91-yard drive. However, Ryan Castle’s extra point sailed wide and CNU led 6-0.
Rowan also started its offensive day with a methodical march, one which was halted on fourth-and-three from the CNU 30 as junior rover Logan Baker stonewalled Prof running back James Fara after a two-yard gain.
The Dzierski to Hart connection worked again early in the second quarter as the junior play caller found his top receiver on a fly pattern down the right side for a 65-yard gain to the Rowan 2. Two short rushes and an incompletion left the Captains with fourth-and-goal at the 1. CNU started their next play as a jet sweep to the left, but Dzierski kept the ball and zipped through a seam in the middle for the Captains’ second touchdown.
For Hart, the long pass play was the result of preparation. “We thought (the matchup) was something that we could take advantage of. I probably didn’t need to make a double move, and will probably hear about it from the receiver coaches this week.”
There was a 15-minute delay just before halftime as Rowan defensive back Kevin Vandever suffered a severe neck injury while attempting a tackle. Both teams took knees as the soggy turf made it difficult to roll a stretcher with the 180-pound player off the field. Eventually, an ambulance had to drive across Kelchner Field, stopping to retrieve Vandever and drive him to Riverside Hospital.
Dzierski, who gained 24 rushing yards in the first half, showed off a touch of speed on CNU’s opening second-half drive. After dropping back, Dzierski found another hole up the middle, eluded an initial tackler, and then outraced the entire Rowan defense to the end zone, for a 61-yard score.
“I went for an inside zone, and then tried to bounce out,” said Dzierski, who led the Captains with 132 rushing yards. In spite of the field conditions, he didn’t have traction problems. “It’s something that we worked on all week, and the coaches reminded us to keep our feet out and weight over us.”
Rowan refused to crumble, in spite of trailing 20-0 as the fourth quarter began, as the Captains allowed two touchdowns, both on James Fara runs from one and nine yards. Yet, with 2:30 remaining, the Captains were able to convert a crucial fourth-and-two from the Rowan 43, with Dzierski carrying the ball for five yards.
ROWAN 0, 0, 0, 14 -- 14
CNU 6, 7, 7, 0 -- 20
CNU – Colin Hart 34 pass from Matt Dzierski (kick failed)
CNU – Dzierski 1 run (Ryan Castle kick)
CNU – Dzierski 61 run (Castle kick)
Rowan – James Fara 1 run (Jake Hurler kick)
Rowan – Fara 9 run (Hurler kick)
Rowan CNU
First Downs 13, 15
Rush-Yards 35-125, 36-162
Pass Yards 120, 184
Total Yards 245, 346
C-A-I 13-24-1, 13-26-0
Punts-Avg 5-37.2, 6-32.0
Fumbles-Lost 1-0, 2-1
Time of Poss. 25:22, 34:38
RUSHING: Rowan: Fara 22-99, 2 TD, Husni 10-10, Rhone 2-9, O’Hea 1-7 CNU: Dzierski 25-132, 2 TD, Perry 5-15, Luncher 2-6, Hart 2-6, Hunter 2-3
PASSING: Rowan: Husni 13-24, 120 yds. INT. CNU: Dzierski 13-26, 184 yds., TD.
RECEIVING: Rowan: Maldonado 6-73, Fara 3-19, Carlstrom 1-15, Barrett 3-13. CNU: Hart 4-122, TD, Hayes 2-27, White 1-15, Jedlick 1-15, Lewis 1-10, Luncher 1-2, Lancaster 1-1, Perry 2- (-8).
Attendance - 1,673
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