OWINGS MILLS, MD – Freshman quarterback Jose Tabora (Richland, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) broke the school record for yards passing in a game throwing for 453 yards and tied the school mark for total touchdowns in a contest with five to lead visiting Wilkes University to a 38-35 upset victory over No.12/14 Stevenson University Saturday afternoon at Mustang Stadium.
 
Wilkes, with its second straight win following a home victory over Lycoming last week, improves to 3-6 overall and 3-5 in MAC games. Stevenson, who sat atop the MAC all season entering the game undefeated, dropped to 8-1 overall and 7-1 in league games.
 
Stevenson jumped out to a 14-0 lead over the game's first three minutes using a Wilkes turnover and quick passing touchdown followed by a Colonel punt and another passing score with 13:01 left in the opening quarter.
 
The Wilkes offense then began to find its rhythm midway through the first quarter, especially Tabora, who used both his arm and legs to cause headaches for the Mustangs daunted defense. The Colonels first scoring drive began at its own 18. Tabora rushed for 13 yards on a third and nine to keep the possession alive then found William Deemer (Washington Township, NJ/Warren Hills) for an eight-yard completion to move Wilkes to their own 37. Two short Jacob Brook (Layton, NJ/Kittatinny) runs pushed the Colonels to midfield, before Tabora connected with Zach Bogoly (Easton, PA/Wilson Area) for a seven yard first down completion on a third and four to continue the drive again. From there, Tabora hooked up with Deemer for a 42-yard touchdown pass to put the Colonels on the board trailing 14-7 following a Mike Hauck (Fredericksburg, PA/Northern Lebanon) extra point.
 
Wilkes dialed up the on-side kick on the ensuing kickoff and the Colonels Aiden Brosius recovered the ball at the 47 yard line to keep the offense on the field. Tabora found Deemer on the drive's first play for 16 yards moving the Colonels down to the Stevenson 37. Another 13-yard completion from Tabora to Deemer moved Wilkes closer to the Mustang 25, but the drive stalled and Tabor's fourth and six pass to Jeff Steeber (Berwick, PA/Berwick) was off the mark giving the ball back to Stevenson.
 
Defense took over for both teams over the next several possessions of the game as each team punted twice and another Wilkes turnover stopped a promising drive midway through the second quarter.
 
Wilkes began its second scoring drive with 7:35 left in the half at its own 26 yard line following a Stevenson punt. Tabora found Steeber for nine yards before connecting down the left sideline with Steeber again to move Wilkes inside the Mustang five yard line. From there Tabora called his own number rushing into the end zone from three yards out to tie the game at 14 with just three minutes remaining in the first half.
 
Wilkes forced a three and out and had one last chance to take the lead heading into the break, but Hauck's 33-yard field goal was wide left as the game went to the half tied at 14.
 
Stevenson began the third quarter with a punt thanks to the Colonel defense stopping three straight Mustang runs. Wilkes gave the ball right back when Tabora was picked off by Austin Tennessee at the Wilkes 43. Stevenson, with good field position following the interception, drove down to the Wilkes 11 before Jordan Stiles (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff) made the biggest play on the defensive side of the ball for the Colonels in the game intercepting a third and eight pass and returning the ball 90 yards to the Stevenson one yard line, just inches from a score. One play later, Tabora dove in for the touchdown giving Wilkes its first lead of the game up 21-14 with 6:00 left in the third quarter.
 
Stevenson answered on the ensuing possession using a five-play, 66-yard drive capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass to tie the game for the second time at 21 with just over five minutes left in the third stanza.
 
Wilkes wasted little time taking back the advantage on its next possession as Tabora continued to torch the Mustang secondary hitting for passes of 14 yards to Garrett Armstrong (Hampton, NJ/Kittatinny) and 35 yards to Devon Fink (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) to move the Colonels to the Stevenson 17. Another completed pass and Fink rush setup a third and two from the Mustang nine yard line. Tabora ran for one yard but was stopped short of the first down and Wilkes settled for a Hauck 25-yard field goal to put the Colonels back ahead 24-21 with 1:52 remaining in the third.
 
The teams traded punts over the next two possessions before Stevenson began a promising drive to start the fourth quarter. The six-play, 52-yard drive ended with a fourteen yard rushing touchdowns to put the hosts back on top 28-24 with just under twelve minutes remaining.
 
Another Wilkes punt was followed by a second straight Stevenson score that looked to give the Mustangs a little breathing room up 35-24 with ten minutes left on the clock. Wilkes would not go away and came up with another game-changing drive on the ensuing possession.
 
Designed short passes from Tabora to a plethora of Wilkes receivers and some solid rushes moved the Colonels inside the Stevenson 20. Facing a second and five, Tabora lofted a fade route to the left corner of the end zone where Bogoly went up over three Mustang defenders to make the 14-yard touchdown reception. Wilkes went for two and Tabora found Armstrong over the middle to pull Wilkes to within a field goal 35-32 with 5:27 remaining.
 
The Wilkes defense came up big one more time in the magical ending forcing a Stevenson punt, its ninth of the game, giving Tabora and the offense one last chance for the win starting the drive at its own 35.
 
Tabora opened with a 12-yard rush then found Deemer, Brook and Armstrong on three consecutive passes to move down to the Stevenson 30. Following a sack, Tabora threw another perfectly placed ball into the hands of Aaron Coyne (Springfield, PA/Springfield) from 27-yards out for the eventual game-winning score. Hauck's extra point failed but Wilkes led 38-35 with 1:03 left in the game.
 
Stevenson took the ensuing kickoff 63 yards down to the Wilkes 15 where the final drive of the game would start. Michael Fitz (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg) sacked the Mustang quarterback on first down followed by two incomplete passes including a key pass breakup from Ondre Roberts (Dunellen, NJ/Dunellen) on a third and eleven throw into the end zone. The drive would stall the Mustangs at their own 16. Stevenson elected to attempt the game-tying 33-yard field goal with :40 left, but Tim Sternfield's boot sailed wide left and Wilkes finished off one of the biggest upsets in program history in the process.
 
Tabora enjoyed one of the finest games in Wilkes history at the quarterback position finishing 30-for-48 for a school record 453 yards and three touchdowns, all career-highs. He also ran 16 times for 36 more yards and two scores. The five total touchdowns ties the school mark held by legendary Wilkes running back Brett Trichilo '04. Trichilo ran for five scores in a win against Lebanon Valley in 2003.
 
Tabora spread the ball throughout eight different Colonel receivers with Deemer's eight catches and 116 yards with one score leading the way. Brook finished with six receptions for 85 yards while Coyne (43 yards) and Bogoly (72 yards) each recorded one touchdown grab.
 
Lukas Wood (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) led the Wilkes defense with seven tackles while Tanner Stengel (Allentown, PA/Parkland) followed with six stops. Fitz led the pass rush with two key sacks in the game including on Stevenson's final drive.
 
Wilkes' 38 points marked the most the Stevenson defense had allowed throughout the entire season leading up to the game limiting teams to just 15.4 entering the contest.
 
Wilkes' 536 yards of total offense was also a season-high going for over 6.1 yards per-play in the win.
 
Wilkes concludes its season next Saturday when the Colonels host cross-town rival King's College (4-5, 4-4 MAC) in the 21^st annual Mayor's Cup game at Schmidt Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:06 p.m. with the game being televised locally by Fox 56 and MyNetworkTV.