box score

READING – Albright amassed 611 yards of total offense, including 449 through the air and had nine plays of 20-or-more yards to take a 43-21 win over Wilkes University, handing the Colonels their first loss of the season.

Albright quarterback Tanner Kelly was nearly perfect as he went 32-of-39 for 436 yards with four touchdowns and ran for 63 more yards hooking up with nine different receivers. All but one of Albright's six scores was 10-or-more yards, including a 30-yard pass play from Kelly to Sean Caldwell in the third quarter.

While the Lions were able to move the ball at will, the Colonels picked up 268 yards of total offense, most of which came through the air. Albright held Wilkes to 60 yards on the ground, 49 of which came from Zach Tivald (Edison, NJ/Edison) on 14 carries.

Albright struck first when Nate Romig caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Kelly with 10:54 to go in the first quarter. Romig had a career-day for the lions as he caught 12 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns.

Trailing 6-0 midway through the second quarter, the Colonels put together their best drive of the day as they went 54 yards on eight plays and took the lead with 7:04 to go before the half when Tivald found the end zone on a 16-yard run. Quarterback Rob Johnson (Bridegwater, N.J./Bridgewater) was 3-of-5 on the drive for 26 yards, including two 10-yard passes to Jordan D'Emilio (Stowe/Saint Pius X). Johnson finished with 182 yards on 18-of-29 passes with an interception and a touchdown.

The Colonels were able to hold on to the lead until Kelly found Romig on a 22-yard scoring strike to give the Lions the lead for good. Albright traveled 83 yards on four plays in just 51 seconds to take a 12-7 lead. The two-point conversion failed, but it wouldn't be the end of the scoring in the first half for Albright.

On the first play of its next possession, Wilkes threw an interception with 57 seconds to go, giving Albright the ball at the Colonel 45 yard line. The Lions' first play was a 31-yard pass from Kelly to Romig that went to the Colonel 14 yard line. Wilkes defense was able to hold the Lions to a field goal from 28-yards out, giving Albright a 15-7 lead at halftime.

The second half was much like the first for Albright as it traveled 81 yards on eight plays in their first possession to take a 22-7 lead after Kelly hooked up with Romig once again, this time from 29 yards out. The Lions would eventually extend their lead to 36-7 before the Colonels were able to get on the board again.

In their opening drive of the fourth quarter, the Colonels went 61 yards on 10 plays capped off by an eight-yard scoring strike from Johnson to Shawn Gregson (Dingmans Ferry, PA/Delaware Valley) with 12:31 to go in the game. The momentum would not last long for Wilkes as Albright answered with a score of its own, this time on the ground as Mike Wilbur found the end zone from 18 yards out with 6:32 to go in the game giving Albright a 43-14 advantage.

On his first carry of the game, T.J. Bergmann (Matamoras, Pa./Delaware Valley) scored his first career touchdown from nine yards out, capping off a five-play, 34-yard drive for Wilkes with just under two minutes to play.

The Colonels will look to get back to their winning ways next weekend when they host Lebanon Valley for homecoming at 1 p.m. in Ralston Field.