Moyer's Double-Overtime Interception Moves Wilkes Football to 3-0 with Win over Lycoming
WILLIAMSPORT – With Lycoming College looking at a third-and-nine from the 12-yard line, Bud Moyer (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua) found himself in the path of a pass attempt that he picked off and immediately went down to a knee, giving the Wilkes University football team a 24-17 double-overtime win over the Warriors in its Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) opener. This was the Colonels first overtime game since week two last season when Wilkes defeated Lebanon Valley 30-27.
Wilkes improved to 3-0 on the season and 1-0 in MAC play. This is the Colonels first time starting undefeated through three games since the 2009 season.
After a delay of game penalty to start the game, Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) aired it out from the Colonels seven-yard line on first-and-15 to Aboubacar Fofana (Bronx, NY/Kennedy) for a 41-yard gain to the Wilkes 48. On third-and-five Tabora found Jeremiah Acker (Moscow, PA/North Pocono) wide-open on the far sideline for a 22-yard pick up before Acker carried it up the middle for nine yards. On the following third-and-two Acker carried the pile another nine yards to make it first-and-goal from the Warriors' nine. The drive came to an end on an interception in the end zone.
The Colonels defense was able to force a three-and-out on Lycoming's first drive of the game.
Wilkes' combined attack continued on the next drive as Tabora found Nick Yanik (Edison, NJ/Edison Twp.) on third-and-eight from their own 46 for a 34-yard pickup down to the Warriors' 20. The Colonels pushed it down to the four with runs of six yards from Tabora and five from Kamaal Reed (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Creek) to set Wilkes up first-and-goal. Wilkes got on the board on second-and-goal when Tabora handed it off to Yanik on an end around with Yanik finding the left pylon. Alexander DeSpirito (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Crestwood) followed with an extra point to give the Colonels a 7-0 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Colonels defense was able to hold steady on the next Lycoming drive, surrendering 58 yards on 13 plays, but the run support held strong on a fourth-and-two from Wilkes' 24 to give the Colonels the ball back on a great tackle by Moyer, who blew through the line and brought down the Warriors' running back.
Wilkes gained 32 yards on two completions to start the next drive from Tabora to Yanik as the Colonels moved to the Lycoming 45. Acker took over on the next four plays, gaining 23 yards on three runs and a reception. Wilkes capped off the 11-play, 50-yard drive with a 39-yard field goal from DeSpirito to give the Colonels a 10-0 lead with 4:50 left in the second quarter. Tabora made a trademark play with his legs on third-and-27 from Lycoming's 39 yard line, scrambling back about 20 yards and breaking three separate tackles before finding Nelson downfield for a 10-yard pickup to get Wilkes down to the Warriors' 27.
After a 24-yard completion highlighted Lycoming's next drive, Moyer intercepted a tipped pass on first down, setting the Colonels up at their own 49 after a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on the Warriors.
Tabora started Wilkes' drive with a 14-yard completion to Yanik, moving up to the Lycoming 37. After a handful of self-inflicted penalties sent the Colonels to fourth-and-11 at the Warriors' 38, Tabora found Nelson for 14 yards up the middle for a first down at Lycoming's 24, giving the Colonels a 41-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide right, ending the first half with Wilkes leading 10-0.
The Colonels ended the first half with 14 total first downs to five, 263 total yards to 88, holding the Warriors to 4.40 yards-per-play while averaging 7.31 themselves. Tabora finished the half 12-of-19 for 197 yards while Yanik hauled in five catches for 83 yards. Acker added 32 yards on five carries for an exceptional 6.4-yard average.
Lycoming got the ball to start the third quarter and engineered a 13-play, 63-yard drive getting on the board with a 30-yard field goal to cut Wilkes' lead to 10-3 with 7:52 on the third quarter clock.
The Colonels fumbled the ensuing kickoff, setting up the Warriors with a first-and-goal from their own 10-yard line before Lycoming punched it in from the one with the resulting PAT kick tying the score at 10 with 7:11 left on the clock in the third.
Reed found his stride on Wilkes' first possession of the second half, picking up 37 yards on three carries. On second-and-nine from the Warriors 26, Tabora found Nelson up the middle for a 16-yard pickup to move the offense to Lycoming's 12-yard line as the third quarter expired. Tabora found Bryce Harrison (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest) for a six-yard pickup to start the fourth, setting up second down at the Warriors' six. Reed finished the 12-play, 84-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run up the middle followed by a DeSpirito PAT to give Wilkes a 17-10 lead with 14:09 showing in the game.
Lycoming tied the score at 17 with a 47-yard touchdown pass and PAT with 12:58 left on the clock.
The Colonels were unable to generate much on their next possession, gaining two yards on a three-and-out resulting in a punt. Wilkes returned the favor on the Warriors' next possession, holding Lycoming to eight yards on three plays and a punt.
Starting at their own 20 to start the next drive, Tabora found Yanik for a 33-yard catch-and-run up to the Warriors' 47. The Colonels were unable to generate any more offense resulting in a DeSpirito punt. Wilkes was able to force a punt on the Warriors' following possession to set the Colonels up at their own 31.
Wilkes made its way up the field with a Tabora nine-yard rush to the Colonels 42-yard line. On the following second down, Tabora found Yanik for 11 yards to Lycoming's 47, followed by a ten-yard completion to Nate Whitaker (Upper Darby, PA/Haverford School) moving the ball up to the Warriors' 34. After an Acker rush moved the ball up four yards to the 14, Wilkes let the clock run down to two seconds setting up a field goal attempt to win the game, but the kick went wide right sending the game to overtime tied at 17.
Lycoming started with the ball on the 25-yard line but the first play from scrimmage was intercepted by Gabe Allgyer (Paradise, PA/Pequea Valley), giving Wilkes the ball. The Colonels were unable to convert on their possession and win the game as a field goal attempt hit the upright.
Wilkes broke through on its possession in the second overtime when Tabora broke the plane from four yards out on third-and-goal with the following PAT putting the Colonels ahead 24-17. Moyer then picked off Chase Snively's pass at the seven-yard line, ending the game.
Tabora continues to impress with his play early in the season, finishing the game 24-of-37 for 332 yards with one rushing touchdown. Yanik reeled in nine catches for 146 and a rushing touchdown while Nelson added 80 yards on seven catches. Reed contributed 55 yards on seven rushes and a touchdown.
Moyer led the defense with 10 total tackles and two interceptions. Allgyer and Cole Jesmer (Dover, PA/Dover) added nine tackles each with Allgyer adding an interception.
Snavely finished 19-of-30 for 183 yards with three interceptions and one touchdown while Christoff Minott led the Warriors with three catches for 51 yards and Joey Guida finished with 13 rushes for 29 yards.
In the team stats, Wilkes finished with 27 first downs while allowing 15, outgained Lycoming 480 yards to 239, and held the ball for 35:32 to 24:28 for the Warriors. The rush defense continued to be a focal point, allowing 56 yards for a 2.5 per-carry average.
Wilkes heads to its bye this week, returning to action on October 5th when it will welcome Alvernia University for a homecoming MAC game with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.
