NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Late afternoon showers drenched the Susquehanna University football team and Christopher Newport during their first-ever matchup Saturday afternoon in Virginia. While they moved the kickoff time up an hour in anticipation of the rainy conditions, the River Hawks were unable to anticipate a 27-17 first-half lead being washed away by 24 unanswered CNU points as the Captains took a 41-27 win from ranked Susquehanna in both teams' final non-conference matchup of the 2025 season. Susquehanna goes into its bye week an even 2-2 as Landmark play awaits them when they host Lycoming on Saturday, Oct. 11.
HOW IT WENT DOWN
- Susquehanna 7, Christopher Newport 0 - The River Hawks got off to a fast start, receiving the opening kickoff and Aaron Angelo putting on the jets with a 93-yard touchdown return, the first of his career, to open the game up by seven.
- Susquehanna 7, Christopher Newport 3 - The Captains got their first points on their first drive, with kicker Jonathan Gates connecting from 42 yards out.
- Christopher Newport 10, Susquehanna 7 - Quarterback Connor Barry used a string of long passes to give the Captains the lead. After a 27-yard passing completion, he found receiver Jason Viernes for a 22-yard touchdown to end the first quarter.
- Susquehanna 14, Christopher Newport 10 - Backup quarterback Tommy Wright was inserted into the game in place of starter Josh Ehrlich. He quickly found his groove finding receiver Frankie Mroz down the field for a 53-yard touchdown pass to put the River Hawks back in front early in the second quarter. This triggered the first of a high-scoring second quarter that saw both teams combine for 41 points in the frame.
- Susquehanna 21, Christopher Newport 10 - The River Hawks got a boost thanks to their defense. Barry's deep ball down the right side was intercepted by Kayvon Waters, who ran it back 54 yards to the Captains' 22. Wright used his legs to break off an 18-yard run, setting up a one-yard QB keeper for his first rushing touchdown of his career and opening the gap to 21-10.
- Susquehanna 21, Christopher Newport 17 - Barry used another deep ball to get the Captains some points, this time a 43-yard passing connection to Colin Hart to cut SU's lead to four.
- Susquehanna 27, Christopher Newport 17 - Wright was once again the catalyst for Susquehanna's next scoring drive. Seeing one-on-one coverage down the field, he dropped one in towards a well-covered Growney, with the young receiver's concentration working him through his defender's best effort and deflection that still turned up in his hands and down to the three yard line. Running back Rahshan La Mons fought through the Captains' defensive line on third and goal to score his third touchdown of the season with less than one minute remaining on the first-half clock.
- Christopher Newport 24, Susquehanna 27 - Much like the weather, things started to take a turn for the worse for Susquehanna. The prospects of a ten-point halftime lead were wiped out when on CNU's first play of its opening drive Barry found Ethan Barham for 76 yards and their deficit down to three.
- Christopher Newport 31, Susquehanna 27 - Daniel Growney received the ensuing kickoff, but his collision on the return knocked the ball loose and the Captains got a huge boost of momentum at Susquehanna's 41 with 34 seconds to go in the half. Barry quickly connected with Colin Hart to get them down to the one yard line, then Gunner White rushed it in to give CNU a shocking four-point lead at intermission.
- Christopher Newport 34, Susquehanna 27 - The rain began to settle in hard as the second half began, though the River Hawks managed to hold Christopher Newport to just three points in the third quarter after the avalanche of points scored in the second. Those three points came at a price though, as Susquehanna was set up at CNU's 26. Wright's bid for a touchdown pass down the left sideline was deflected and intercepted by Noah Martin, who ran it up to CNU's 33 to start an 11-play drive for the Captains that took 7:40 off the clock. Gates gave the hosts a one-touchdown lead with his 31-yard field goal near the end of the quarter.
- Christopher Newport 41, Susquehanna 27 - CNU punter Maxx Lawton used precision to put the ball down on Susquehanna's own two yard line. On the River Hawks' first play, La Mons got the ball and fumbled, which the Captains pounced on for a game-changing opportunity. They did so on their second play as Barry ran the ball in for a two-touchdown lead. Susquehanna turned the ball over twice more before the final gun sounded, with Wright throwing an interception to Eli Sherfield and then a strip sack and recovery late in the game leading to the Captains kneeling the ball to end a wet and wild game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Susquehanna committed five turnovers on three interceptions and two lost fumbles. Waters' interception accounted for the River Hawks lone forced turnover of the contest.
- Wright completed 13-of-24 for 264 yards with one touchdown throw and one TD run, taking the majority of snaps in place of Ehrlich, who managed 1-of-4 passing for four yards. In a limited role where he did not start, La Mons rushed for 45 yards on 18 carries with one touchdown.
- Growney led SU receivers with five catches for 92 yards. Mroz's 53-yard touchdown reception was his lone catch of the afternoon, while Robert Stolfa caught two passes for 31 yards.
- Defensive back Ben Fleming led the defense with eight total tackles and five solo. The defense produced two sacks, carried out by 1.5 sacks from Galen Limantour, with Tim Pherson Jr. combining with Limantour on the one. Limantour also led with two tackles for loss spanning six yards. Kayvon Waters' interception was coupled by him forcing a fumble later in the game, though was recovered by CNU.
UP NEXT FOR SU
- The River Hawks have their bye week upcoming to debrief and plan ahead for their Landmark Conference season, which they open on Saturday, Oct. 11 hosting Lycoming at 12 noon in the annual Stagg Hat game.
- Coupled with last week's 40-22 defeat to third-ranked Johns Hopkins, Susquehanna endures its first pair of consecutive losses since 2021 and just the second time SU has lost two regular-season games since 2019.
