DOVER, Del. – The 13th ranked Wesley College football team took down the Christopher Newport Captains, 31-14 for Senior Day on Saturday to complete their undefeated New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) schedule.
Sophomore running back E.J. Lee picked up his 10th consecutive 100-yard rushing effort on the year, carrying the ball 27 times for 101 yards and a touchdown. Junior running back Elijah Minter secured 16 carries for 53 yards.
Junior quarterback Khaaliq Burroughs totaled 61 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Burroughs was 10-for-24 passing for 169 yards and an interception.
Senior wide receiver James Okike caught two passes for 68 yards while junior wide receiver Alex Kemp reeled in three passes for 68 yards.
The Wesley defense caused three turnovers. Senior linebacker Samer Manna tallied 13 tackles, two forced fumbles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup. Senior cornerback DaJahn Lowery stopped CNU's opening possession with an interception. Lowery also added nine tackles and a tackle for loss.
Senior linebacker Mike Sabino and sophomore safety Coray Williams each recovered a Manna forced fumble. Sabino recorded seven tackles.
Junior safety Cappadonna Miller notched 11 tackles. Sophomore linebacker Najee Wilson had seven tackles while senior defensive end Isaiah Ingram registered four stops, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
After CNU's Justus Drakeford intercepted Burroughs and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown on Wesley's opening possession of the game, the Wolverines responded with 31 unanswered points.
Lee gave Wesley's their first touchdown of the game with 55 seconds left in the first quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run after being set up just out of the red zone by a 49-yard completion from Burroughs to Kemp.
Burroughs gave Wesley the 14-7 lead right before halftime when he jumped over the pile at the goal line for a 4-yard touchdown keeper.
Wesley's opening drive of the second half stalled in the red zone and Nick Bruhn nailed a 26-yard field goal to give Wesley the 17-7 lead over CNU.
Later the third quarter, Corterris Simpson returned a Ben Garbarini punt 60 yards for a touchdown to make it a three-score game. It was Wesley's first punt return for a touchdown since 2014.
Burroughs showed off his wheels again on a 34-yard touchdown scramble in the early part of the fourth quarter to give Wesley the 31-7 advantage over CNU.
CNU got a late touchdown with a minute and a half to go in the game but it was too little, too late.
The Wolverines (9-1, 9-0 NJAC) will await the release of the 2017 NCAA Division III Championship Tournament Bracket. The selection show will air on NCAA.com tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.