Wilkes Football Opens 2019 with 38-21 Win at Hartwick
ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Wilkes University football team opened the 2019 season with a convincing 38-21 win at Hartwick College on Saturday afternoon, using a strong defense and rolling offense to overpower the Hawks. This is the Colonels first win in a season-opener since the 2013 campaign, when Wilkes bested Morrisville State 41-26 at Schmidt Stadium.
The Colonels are now 1-0 on the season with the victory.
Hartwick took the opening kickoff, starting its drive at its own 42, and marched down the field connecting as quarterback Davien Kuinlan connected with Kishaun Bell on a 33-yard touchdown pass on second-and-ten with the resulting kick making the score 7-0 with 9:44 left in the first quarter.
The Colonels matched on their opening drive with a long trip down the field of their own, capped by ann 11-yard touchdown run from Jeremiah Acker (Moscow, PA/North Pocono). Nick Yanik (Edison, NJ/Edison Twp.) highlighted the drive with two receptions from quarterback Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) for 35 yards as an Alexander DeSpirito (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Crestwood) kick tied the score at seven with 5:17 left in the quarter.
After forcing a Hawk punt, Wilkes put together another masterful drive, marching 86 yards down the field. On second-and-ten from the Colonels 14, Tabora tucked the ball and ran 13 yards to their 27 for a first down. Following a sack, and incomplete pass, and a timeout, Tabora found Nate Whitaker (Upper Darby, PA/Haverford School) in double coverage for a 42 yard completion setting Wilkes up at Hartwick's 34 yard line. Tabora then found Yanik for 16 yards to the Hawk's 18-yard line and another first down as the first quarter came to an end. After two rushes to start the second, Tabora used his legs to extend a play on second-and-11, allowing Derek Nelson (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) to get open behind the defense for a 17 yard touchdown pass, with the DeSpirito kick putting Wilkes ahead 14-7.
Wilkes forced Hartwick into another punt on the following drive as Whitaker took the kick at the Colonels' 25 and returned it 27 yards setting Wilkes up at the Hawks 48. On second-and-nine, Tabora hit Yanik for an 11 yard completion to the Hartwick 36. After an incomplete pass, Tabora found Mike O'Donnell (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) for a 17-yard catch to the Hawks 19 for another first down. The drive stalled inside the 20, however, with DeSpirito converting a 30-yard attempt to make the score 17-7 with 5:34 until halftime.
Hartwick reeled off five plays on its next drive, getting to it s own 29 before a rushing attempt by Kuinlan that was fumbled and recovered by Vinnie Werner (Duncannon, PA/Susquenita), setting the Colonels up at the Hawks 31-yard line. The Colonels were unable to generate any points on the drive, going for it on fourth-and-six, giving the ball back to Hartwick. The Hawks were also unable to get any points, punting it away as the Colonels took a knee and sent the game to halftime with Wilkes still ahead 17-7.
The Colonels got the kick to start the second half as Donte Downing (Nyack, NY/Nyack) caught the ball at the Wilkes five and advanced it ten yards, but the ball came back on a holding call against the Colonels. On Wilkes' first play from scrimmage, Tabora found Yanik for an 89-yard play that moved the ball to Hartwick's three-yard line, however, an unsportsmanlike conduct call against the Colonels moved the ball back to the Hawks 18. On the resulting rush, Wilkes was flagged for holding, moving the ball back to Hartwick's 28. The Colonels got the ball back to the 13-yard line as the Hawks were called for a 15-yard pass interference, but Wilkes was unable to get any points on the drive after DeSpirito's 29-yard field goal attempt on fourth down missed wide left with 12:52 on the third quarter clock.
The Colonels' defense stood tall on the next drive, forcing its second turnover of the contest on the second play from scrimmage when Zachary Weber (Douglassville, PA/Twin Valley) intercepted a wayward pass, setting the offense up at Wilkes' 47-yard line. The Colonels were unable to put any points on the board as the drive stalled at Hartwick's 33-yard line after a turnover on downs.
The Hawks put six points on the board with a six-play, 67-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass, but the following PAT was blocked by Gabe Allgyer (Paradise, PA/Pequea Valley) to keep the Colonels lead at 17-13 with 6:26 left in the third quarter.
On its next drive, Wilkes started with ball at its own 25 and immediate started another trip down the field, starting with a nine-yard completion from Tabora to Richard Ermeus (Hillside, NJ/David Brearley), followed by a 21-yard rush by Kamaal Reed (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Creek) to move the Colonels to Hartwick's 45. Following a loss of a yard, Tabora gained nine yards on a scramble that was added on to by a 15-yard personal foul call against the Hawks. On the following third and ten from Hartwick's 21, Tabora found Yanik for an 18-yard pickup setting up first-and-goal from the Hartwick three-yard line. On third-and-goal, Reed found paydirt when he punched it in from the two-yard line, with DeSpirito's kick moving Wilkes' advantage to 24-13 with just over a minute remaining in the third.
Hartwick responded with a four-play, 77-yard drive resulting in a touchdown and two-point conversion to cut the advantage to 24-21 with 14:53 left in the game.
The Colonels offense would not be denied on this day, as Wilkes stormed back with an eight-play, 65-yard drive with a seven-yard rush by Tabora and good PAT from DeSpirito giving the Colonels a 31-21 lead with just over 12 minutes remaining.
Wilkes was able to hold the Hawks at bay on their next drive, allowing -10 yards on a three-and-out. The Colonels took the ball at their own 45-yard line and started with a Tabora rush for 19 yards to the Hartwick 36. After Reed gained three yards on the ground, Tabora found Nelson for a 12-yard pickup. Wilkes started moving the wrong direction, as two holding penalties took the Colonels to a second-and-30 situation at the Hawk's 40-yard line. Tabora followed with a 12-yard rush and found Yanik for 28-yards and the endzone, coupled with yet another DeSpirito extra point to make the score 38-21 Wilkes.
Wilkes' defense earned a four-and-out on Hartwick's next drive, taking the ball at the Hawks 28-yard line, however, the Colonels came away with no points on the possession.
The game finished with the Hawks on a 14-play, 51-yard drive that resulted in no points as time ran out.
Tabora finished the game 21-for-36 for 365 yards through the air while gaining 65 yards on 10 rushes to lead the team on the ground. Tabora, Acker, and Reed all finshed with one rushing score. Yanik had a career day, amassing 228 yards on 10 catches with one touchdown. Nelson added a score and 47 yards on three receptions.
Bud Moyer (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua) led the defense with a game-high 13 tackles (eight solo, five assisted). Allgyer added 10 tackles (four solo) to go with half a sack and a blocked PAT. Nahjir Woods (Piscataway NJ/Piscataway) contributed three pass-breakups while Weber pulled down the lone interception. DeSpirito had a banner day on kick-offs, averaging 55 yards on seven kicks.
The Colonels defensive front was especially stout, holding Hartwick to 52 yards on the ground for a 2.6 per-carry average and just one first down rushing. Wilkes also was 7-for-12 on third down and scored five times on six red zone trips.
The Colonels open their home schedule next Saturday against Lebanon Valley in their final non-conference contest. The Family Day game is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. kickoff.
