Wilkes Colonels (5-4, 4-3) vs. King's Monarchs (4-5, 3-4)
Saturday, November 10, 2018 - 12:07 p.m.
Schmidt Stadium
 
Game Notes
 
Live Stats
 
Live Video
 
Live Audio: (NEPA Local Sports Media: Chris Del Sordo, play-by-play)
 
*The game will be televised live by WQMY at:
Comcast Cable: Channel 811 HD
Service Electric W-B: Channel 504 HD
Over the air: 53.1
Satellite: Channel 53
 
THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University hosts King's College for Senior Day and the 23rd annual Mayor's Cup game scheduled for a 12:07 p.m. kickoff at Schmidt Stadium. After a bye week the Colonels return to the field with a 5-4 overall record and at 4-3 in the Middle Atlantic Conference. A victory for the Colonels would put the team in the running for a bid to the Fourth Annual Centennial-MAC Bowl Series. The Monarchs enter at 4-5 overall and 3-4 in conference games after consecutive losses to the top two teams in the league.
 
THE HEAD COACHES
Jonathan Drach (Western Michigan '04) was named head coach of the Wilkes University football team on February 8, 2018 becoming the ninth mentor of the program since its inception in 1946. Drach will also serve as the offensive coordinator. He comes to Wilkes after 11 years at Hobart where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. There he was instrumental in leading the Statesmen to six Liberty League Conference championships, seven NCAA playoff appearances and three consecutive undefeated regular seasons. He began his career as the quarterbacks coach in 2007 until adding offensive coordinator to his responsibilities in 2014. Drach coached the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year in 2007, 2014, 2016 and 2017 and the ECAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2016. He also coached seven All-League quarterbacks and a Bill Middleton Memorial Football Award Winner. A native of St. Charles, IL, Drach earned his bachelor's degree in business finance and economics from Western Michigan University in 2004 where he was a three-year starter. As a senior he completed a single season record 67 percent of his passes for 1,499 yards and 13 TDs.
 
Jeff Knarr (East Stroudsburg '94) enters his ninth season at King's. Knarr came to King's after serving 11 years as an assistant coach at Muhlenberg where he spent the final four years as offensive coordinator. He was instrumental in helping the Mule program to six Centennial Conference championships and five NCAA Division III National Playoff berths. King's offense has continued to evolve under Knarr as the Monarchs led the Middle Atlantic Conference in 2016 with 414.8 total yards per-game and 287.3 passing yards each contest. Knarr played two seasons at Fordham University as a free safety before transferring to Western Maryland College where he played his final two years as a hybrid outside linebacker before earning his degree from East Stroudsburg in 1994.
 
THE SERIES
This will be the 32nd meeting between the two schools, with Wilkes holding a 21-10 advantage in the series. King's posted a 40-26 win in last season's meeting at McCarthy Stadium. Wilkes also holds a 14-8 lead in Mayor's Cup games since the teams began playing for the cup in 1996. The Mayor's Cup tradition began with former Wilkes-Barre Mayor Thomas McGroarty and has remained intact through today with current Mayor Tony George presiding. The last Colonels win in the series was a 24-17 win in the 2015 edition of the contest.

UP NEXT
Wilkes awaits to see if it will play in its first Centennial-MAC Bowl Series game or receive a bid to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournament.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Wilkes is sixth in the MAC in scoring offense (28.4), third in total offense (398.6), eighth in rushing offense (108.1) and first in passing offense (290.4).
 
- The Wilkes offense ranks seventh in Division III with a 51.3 percent third-down conversion rate, 13th with 128 passing first downs, tied for 19th averaging 33:15 of time-of-possession, and 21st with 290.4 passing yards-per-game.
 
- Quarterback Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) has set the program single-season record for passing touchdowns (23) and total offense (3,088 yards). The junior ranks third in the country in total offense and is ranked in a tie for 21st in the country with 23 passing touchdowns. Tabora is 15th in the nation with 284.9 passing yards-per-game and he is tied for 17th among Division III players with 180 points responsible for this season. He ranks eighth in the MAC with 526 rushing yards and has added six rushing TDs.
 
- Jeff Steeber (Shickshinny, PA/Berwick) stands in fourth on the single-season receiving yards list at Wilkes with 891 yards. The senior now ranks tenth in program history with 116 receptions and has 13 touchdowns and 1,431 career receiving yards. His 62 receptions this season rank 25th in the country and his 891 receiving yards are second in the MAC.
 
- Sophomore wide receiver Nick Yanik (Edison, NJ/Edison Twp.) is fifth in the MAC with 47 receptions and sixth with 676 yards. Junior receiver Derek Nelson (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) has 35 receptions for 408 yards and freshman receiver Juan Salas-Negron (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland) has 25 receptions for 270 yards.
 
- Freshman running back Jason Wiley (Port Chester, NY/Port Chester ) is the top back for the Colonels with 292 yards rushing on 69 carries this season. He has scored two touchdowns while adding six receptions for 56 yards and one more touchdown.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES DEFENSE (4-2-5)
- Wilkes is sixth in scoring defense (26.2), sixth in total defense (325.6), third in rushing defense (112.9), and eighth in passing defense (212.7).
 
- Junior linebacker Bud Moyer (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua) ranks second in the MAC and is tied for 42nd in the country with 87 total tackles and is tied for the team lead with 9.0 tackles-for-loss.
 
- Sophomore defensive end Pat Ricci (Gilbertsville, PA/Boyertown) leads the Colonels and is tied for fifth in the conference with 5.5 sacks. He is tied with Moyer for the team lead with 9.0 tackles-for-loss and is tied for sixth on the team with 33 total tackles.
 
- Lukas Wood (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) ranks second on the team with 52 total tackles. The senior linebacker has 225 career tackles.
 
- Freshman cornerback Nahjir Woods (Piscataway NJ/Piscataway ) ranks second in the MAC with eight pass breakups and is tied for fourth with three interceptions. Senior corner Devon Fink (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) also has three interceptions.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES SPECIAL TEAMS
- Freshman kicker David Kutteroff (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) has converted 21-of-22 PATs this season and 3-of-4 field goals with a long of 31 yards. As a team Wilkes leads the MAC with a .969 PAT kicking percentage.
 
- Wilkes is the conference leader in kickoff returns with a 20.8 yard average. Fink leads the Colonels with a 27.5 average and senior Jacob Kadis (Westminster, MD/Delone Catholic) averages 21.2 yards.
 
SCOUTING THE KING'S OFFENSE (PRO I)
- The Monarchs are seventh in scoring offense (27.4), second in total offense (400.4), second in rushing offense (188.2), and sixth in passing offense (212.2).
 
- Sophomore quarterback Tommy Klock is 104-for-176 for 1,432 yards with 14 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He ranks third in the conference with a 149.1 passing efficiency.
 
- Jordan Downes is the conference's leading rusher with 851 yards on 172 rushes. He scored eight rushing touchdowns and has added 21 receptions for 244 yards and three more touchdowns.
 
- Sophomore wide receiver Tim Costantino leads King's with 30 receptions and 452 yards.
 
SCOUTING THE KING'S DEFENSE (4-3)
- King's is ninth in scoring defense (32.0), seventh in total defense (342.1), sixth in rushing defense (150.7), and third in passing defense (191.4).
 
- Senior linebacker Mando Sallavanti is fourth in the MAC with 76 total tackles and is tied for the conference lead with five forced fumbles.
 
- Devrin Baynard leads the Monarchs with 10.0 tackles-for-loss and 7.0 sacks. The senior defensive end has 42 total tackles.