Kick in OT dooms CNU
Red Hawks prevail with defensive stand to set up field goal
NEWPORT NEWS — Christopher Newport University and Montclair State both got off to 2-0 starts this season thanks in part to solid defensive efforts. And the defenses were the reason the two teams needed overtime before the Red Hawks came away with a 17-14 victory Saturday in New Jersey Athletic Conference game at Pomoco Stadium.
“They played well. I’m not disappointed with their effort,” said CNU coach Art Link.
The Captains (2-1, 1-1) held the Red Hawks (3-0, 2-0) to 250 yards of offense and intercepted Ja’Quill Burch three times, his first three of the season. But they committed nine penalties for 100 yards, including one that negated a touchdown in the third quarter.
D.J. Wright returned an interception 64 yards for an apparent score, but CNU was called for a block-in-the-back penalty on the return. Instead of a touchdown, CNU had the ball at its 47. But the Captains gained just 7 yards on six plays and had to punt.
“Some of those are kind of effort penalties. You want to teach a guy not to block behind the ball,” Link said. “The holding penalties on the bubble screens and run plays that put us into these second-and-20s, firstand-20s, that’s something we have to get corrected. We have to work on that.”
Montclair State put together just two scoring drives, but one was only 21 yards following a CNU turnover.
“They had just one touchdown drive against us in regulation,” Link said. “That side of it, I thought our guys played hard.”
Neither team scored in the second half. Montclair won the overtime coin toss and elected to start on defense.
CNU had no gain on first down, and Jack Anderson (17 for 33 for 180 yards and two interceptions) was sacked for a 9-yard loss on second down. On third down, Anderson’s pass down the left side was intercepted by Jalen Harris at the 4-yard line.
Montclair State then ran the ball six times to get the ball to the 2. After a false-start penalty pushed the Red Hawks back 5 yards, Hunter Daly’s 25-yard field goal ended the game.
“A lot of it’s on myself to execute better. To just be able to throw with guys in my face,” said Anderson, who had no TDs and was sacked three times.
The Red Hawks were held to 88 rushing yards and 162 passing.
“As a defense we played hard. We matched their physicality, but as a whole going into next week (at Rowan), we have to be more disciplined,” said junior defensive back Damian Jiggetts. “We gave up two third-down touchdowns in the red zone. That can’t happen.”
It was the second time the teams played an overtime game in three years at Pomoco Stadium. Two years ago, CNU came away with a 28-21 victory in double overtime. Last year, the Captains won 16-8 in New Jersey.
Montclair State opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 2-yard pass from Burch to Brian Kowalczyk. CNU answered with two scores in the second quarter. The first was a 2-yard run by Hunter Rogers. Two possessions later, wide receiver Nick Hunter found Garrison Mayo on a 17-yard flea-flicker to take the lead.
But the Red Hawks came back, scoring on a 15-yard pass play from Burch to Carsen Johnson with 2:22 left in the half.
CNU had a chance to retake the lead on the last play of the half, but Ben Garbarini was wide right on a 38-yard field goal as time expired.
Burch finished 16 for 30 for 162 yards and two scores.
Nehemiah Harris led the CNU ground game with 74 yards on 18 carries. Mayo had 64 yards and one score on seven receptions.