Gunner White, seen here in drier times, and his Christopher Newport teammates embraced the rain when it downpoured on Saturday. Christopher Newport athletics photo

By Brian Lester
D3sports.com

As the rain poured down in the second half on a wet Saturday afternoon at TownBank Stadium, Christopher Newport players seemed to be enjoying every minute of the less-than-ideal weather conditions.

They stood out in the open. Many of the Susquehanna players on the opposite sideline were under a tent trying to stay dry.

Call the Captains crazy, but they weren't wishing for the rain to go away on their way to a 41-27 victory, their first over a nationally ranked opponent since 2016.

“We definitely turned the energy up,” junior defensive back Noah Martin said. “They had a tent on their side and a lot of them were under it, and we were all out in the rain, yelling and excited.”

Senior running back Gunner White enjoyed the moment just as much as his teammates did.

“Coach (Paul) Crowley always says the team that is most excited to play football in this weather is going to win,” White said. “We were pumped up. It was really fun. Maybe the most fun game I’ve been a part of.”

And really, the Captains didn’t have a choice but to make the most of the situation. It’s not like the rain comes with an off switch.

“You don’t get to choose the conditions that you play in,” Crowley said. “The thing we say a lot of the time is you’ve got to embrace it. The players did a good job of playing in it.”

And for the first time in nearly a decade, they got that elusive win over a ranked team. Susquehanna came in at No. 13 in the country in the D3football.com poll. The Captains were unranked going into the weekend but have since risen to No. 23.

“We proved to ourselves who we already knew we were. And we put our name on the map for everyone to see,” Martin said.

There might have been a little added motivation for the Captains going into the game that helped them battle through the weather. Former head coach Matt Kelchner, who started the program in 2000, spoke to the team the night before.

“He came in and gave us a pep talk and that really fired us up for Saturday,” White said.

Christopher Newport improved to 3-0 with the win and has won eight in a row dating back to last season.

“We’ve gotten back to the hallmarks the program was founded on by Kelchner,” Crowley said. “We’re playing tough, disciplined football week and week out, and by doing that, we are giving ourselves a chance to win every week.”

The Captains are also motivated by the way last season played out. Sure, they finished 7-3, but they ended the year feeling like more could have been accomplished.

“We definitely feel we left a lot on the table and we are really hungry this year to prove ourselves,” Martin said. “We have a chip on our shoulder. Those losses last year hurt. We felt we shouldn’t have lost and that has fired us up this year. We want to keep the ball rolling.”

The win over the nationally ranked River Hawks certainly helps in keeping the ball rolling.

“We know we can play with anyone, but we aren’t trying to focus on the last game now. We are moving on with the rest of our season,” White said.

As big of a deal as the win is, and as important as it is to enjoy it, the work isn't done yet.

“It’s a good feeling for the guys, and it’s something they wanted to do, but at the same time, they understand it’s just a week three game and there is a lot more season to be played,” Crowley said.

The Captains have scored 40-plus in back-to-back games and average 506.3 yards per game, including more than 300 (325.7) through the air.

Connor Barry has thrown for nearly 1,000 yards (943) and 12 touchdowns while Colin Hart has caught 15 passes for 406 yards and five scores. White has three touchdown receptions and has rushed for two scores.

“Our offense is awesome. I feel like if you take away the pass, we can run, and we have a quarterback and wide receiver who should be All-Americans. It’s fun to be a part of it," White said.

Crowley, a former offensive lineman for the Captains, said the success starts up front.

“Anytime you have success on offense, the offensive line has to be playing pretty well,” Crowley said. “Beyond that, your quarterback has to be playing well, and if those two things are working, it allows the skill guys to show their abilities.”

Defensively, Martin leads the charge with 19 tackles. He’s part of a unit that has allowed only 191 yards on the ground and is giving up 272.3 yards per contest overall.

“We complement each other well and have a lot of trust in each other. When you trust the guy next to you, you play better,” Martin said.

Crowley isn’t surprised by the success of the defense.

“You want a fast, aggressive unit, and so far, our defense has played to that capability in the first three games,” Crowley said.

For Crowley, now in his fourth year as the head coach, the senior class is his first where he has had the players from start to finish.

He’s enjoyed watching the growth of those players and said having athletes who love the game plays a big part in what the Captains have done so far.

“We want guys who don’t just like football, but love football,” Crowley said. “It’s easy to say, but to find guys like that, you have to dig deep. They might not always be the most talented, but they find a way to be successful because football really matters to them.”

The Captains begin NJAC play this week, traveling to face Rowan (2-0-1). The players know another big test is ahead.

“The NJAC is underrated, I think. It’s hard nosed football and any week it can go either way,” White said. “You have to play tough and stay focused.”

The Captains proved how tough they can be in their win over Susquehanna in the rain. But their aspirations extend beyond a win over a ranked foe.

“Our goal this season is not to beat Susquehanna or any other ranked team. Our goal is to win a conference championship and go deep in the playoffs, and see what we do from there,” Martin said. “We have to be locked in every week and treat every team like it’s a ranked opponent.”