WILKES FOOTBALL DROPS 33-30 OT HEARTBREAKER AT SUSQUEHANNA
SELINSGROVE, PA – Visiting Wilkes University jumped out to a comfortable 30-15 lead late in the fourth quarter, but host Susquehanna University rallied for 18 straight points, including a touchdown and pivotal two-point conversion with ten seconds remaining to send the game to overtime where the Crusaders would kick a field goal to escape with a 33-30 OT victory.
With the loss Wilkes drops to 0-1 on the year, while Susquehanna improves to 1-0.
Susquehanna took advantage of a Wilkes miscue to start the game. After a Crusader punt put Wilkes back on their own two yard line, the Colonels were unable to get out of the endzone as Susquehanna forced a safety to take a 2-0 lead with just over six minutes to play in the first quarter. On the ensuing Crusader drive, quarterback Rich Palazzi connected with Matt Knouse for a 25-yard score to extend the lead to 9-0 following the extra point. Wilkes answered with their first positive drive when Alex George (York, PA/West York) found Todd Eagles (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown East) down the sidelines for a 49-yard touchdown completion. The Geoffrey Arentz (Stevens, PA/Lancaster Catholic) extra point try would miss cutting the lead to 9-6 with 3:46 on the clock.
Wilkes carried the momentum from offense to their defense on the next drive as Kyle Driscoll (Columbia, NJ/North Warren) came up with a big special teams play blocking a Susquehanna 37-yard field goal attempt to give the Colonels the ball back. From there, Wilkes used a 16-play, 57-yard drive capped with an Arentz 25-yard field goal to tie the game at 9-9.
The host Crusaders went back to the air once again, this time a eight-yard Palazzi touchdown pass to receiver Alex Patchin. The extra point attempt would sail wide left as Susquehanna took a to 15-9 lead into the half.
Wilkes went back to the air on offense to start the third quarter, as Eagles continued his huge day catching the ball through the air. On the Colonels second drive of the third quarter, George would find his senior wide-out for a 14-yard touchdown to give Wilkes their first lead of the contest, 17-15. The defense would stiffen again as Justin Pellowski (Mt. Carmel, PA/Mt. Carmel) picked-off a Palazzi pass to stop a promising Susquehanna drive on the ensuing possession. From there, Eagles recorded his third touchdown reception of the afternoon, a 34-yard completion to extend the lead to 24-15 following a Arentz extra point.
With a 24-15 lead heading into the fourth, Wilkes went to the ground game to try and wear down the Crusaders defense. Tyler Berntsen (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) would find Drew Devitt (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson) for a 32-yard completion to setup a Zach Tivald (Edison, NJ/Edison) four-yard rushing score to give the Colonels a comfortable 30-15 advantage with 7:07 remaining in regulation.
From there, Susquehanna went back to their aerial attack as Palazzi threw two touchdown passes, the latter a 11-yard score with ten seconds remaining to put the Crusaders within two,30-28. Susquehanna would go for the tie and Palazzi would connect with his receiver for the tying two-point conversion, sending the game into the extra session.
Wilkes began the overtime session with the ball, but George was intercepted by a Susquehanna defensive back to setup the game-winning drive. The Crusaders used a seven-play, 21-yard drive to put the ball at the Wilkes four-yard line. Susquehanna's Spencer Hotaling kicked home the 14-yard attempt to give the hosts a thrilling 33-30 overtime victory.
The loss overshadowed a brilliant performance from Eagles who finished the afternoon with eight catches for 143 yards and three touchdowns. George was efficient behind center going 20-of-27 for 216 yards and three scores. He also led the Colonel ground game rushing for 87 yards on 15 carries. Tivald rushed for 78 yards on 11 carries, while Auxence Wogou (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown) ran two times for 29 yards.
Pre-season All-American linebacker Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) led the defense with 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one interception. Joe Chrismer (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) followed with nine tackles from his corner position.
Wilkes will continue its road stretch Saturday when they travel to face Waynesburg University at 12:00 p.m. The Colonels posted a 38-35 win last season over Waynesburg in the teams' season opener.
