EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University football team began a new era under first-year head coach Jonathan Drach Saturday afternoon at Schmidt Stadium by battling back from an early 14-0 hole before eventually falling by a 28-24 final score to visiting Hartwick College. The Colonels and Hawks entered the fourth quarter tied at 21 in the second meeting all-time between the two schools.

Quarterback Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) played a strong game going 22-for-38 for 234 yards and three touchdowns through the air and added another 61 yards rushing on 13 carries on the ground. Jeff Steeber (Shickshinny, PA/Berwick) was the main target with seven receptions for 107 yards and two touchdowns. On defense linebacker Bud Moyer (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua) led the Colonels with 14 tackles.

Hartwick received the ball on the opening kickoff and proceeded to go 76 yards on 13 plays culminating the drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-eight play to take a 7-0 lead. After Wilkes went 41 yards on 11 plays on its first offensive possession the Colonels had to settle for a punt and the Hawks took advantage as Bryce Macina connected for the second time with Dylan Mucci for a touchdown, this time finding the wide receiver open in the right corner of the end zone to put Hartwick ahead 14-0 with 12:49 left in the second quarter.

The two sides traded punts before Wilkes put together its first scoring drive. On the drive the Colonels converted three third downs to keep the drive alive. Eventually Tabora found Steeber at the right pylon where the senior wide receiver made a contested catch for the eight-yard touchdown to make the score 14-7 after Alexander DeSpirito (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Crestwood ) added the extra point. The drive went 13 plays and 68 yards and used 6:37 off the clock.

The Wilkes defense then forced a three-and-out for the Hartwick offense after Vinnie Werner (Duncannon, PA/Susquenita) sacked Macina on the first-down play to get the ball back in the hands of Tabora and the offense with 1:09 remaining until halftime. In the blink of an eye the Colonels tied the game. Tabora connected on a 16-yard pass play to Steeber on the first play and then the duo connected on a perfect pump-and-go route on the drives second play. Steeber streaked up the right sideline and Tabora put the deep ball right in stride as Steeber was able to race in for the touchdown. DeSpirito again added the extra point to tie the score at 14-14 with 50 seconds left in the half.

On the next drive Werner and Pat Ricci (Gilbertsville, PA/Boyertown) combined for a sack on third down to force the Hawks into a punting situation to end the half.

After forcing a Wilkes punt to start the third quarter Ronald Ballard capped an 11 play, 61 yard drive with a two yard touchdown run up the middle to put Hartwick back ahead 21-14.

Devon Fink (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) then electrified the Schmidt Stadium crowd with a 70-yard kickoff return to set up the Colonels offense at the Hartwick 20 yard line. Tabora then connected on an 11-yard completion to Nick Yanik (Edison, NJ/Edison Twp.) and a five yarder to Bryce Harrison (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest) before scrambling to his left and finding tight end Justin Deihm (Honey Brook, PA/Twin Valley) in the back of the end zone for a Wilkes touchdown. Tabora was a perfect 3-for-3 on the drive as DeSpirito nailed his third PAT to tie the game at 21-21 with 5:57 left in the third quarter.

Both teams then forced punts before Hartwick opened the fourth quarter with the ball on their own 32. After an incomplete pass the Hawks struck for the game's decisive play. Macina tried to find Jack Steinman in the flat but the ball deflected off of him and found the waiting arms of Connor Darmetko. The wide receiver gathered the ball and raced down the left sideline eventually winning the footrace with the Wilkes defenders for a 68-yard touchdown to put the Hawks ahead 28-21.

The Colonels responded with a 16 play, 58-yard drive that ended with a 36-yard field goal from DeSpirito with 7:53 left in the game. Trailing 28-24 the Wilkes defense tried to get the ball back in the hands of the offense but Hartwick was able to convert on three third down plays, including a key third-and-17 with 3:53 left, to run out the clock with a 14-play drive.

Derek Nelson (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) added four receptions for 37 yards to end as Tabora's second favorite target on the day.

Amari Peterson (Baltimore, MD/Dover) finished with eight tackles and one pass breakup for the Colonels. Fink added three pass breakups and Michael Murphy (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown), Lukas Wood (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown), Andrew Chang (Mountain Top, PA/Crestwood ), and Vinny Bobbin (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Blue Mountain) each added five tackles.

​​​​​​​Macina finished the day 15-for-27 for 227 yards and three touchdowns for Hartwick. Ballard was a workhorse on the ground for the Hawks as he finished with 25 carries for 173 yards and one score. Mark Hackett led the defense with 11 tackles.

Both teams played turnover-free football to open the season and were crisp on third down. Wilkes was 7-of-13 and Hartwick was 8-of-14 on third-down conversions.

The Colonels return to the field next Saturday when they travel to Lebanon Valley College for a game that will count as a non-conference contest at 1:00 p.m. in Annville, Pa.