EDWARDSVILLE – Senior quarterback Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) broke the Wilkes University career passing yards record during the fourth quarter of a tight Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game against Stevenson University as the Colonels secured a 21-14 win on Homecoming weekend at Schmidt Stadium Saturday afternoon thanks to a strong defensive performance throughout.

Wilkes remained unbeaten on the season, improving to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in MAC games. Stevenson remained winless as the Mustangs dropped to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the league.

A completion to Jonah Lilley (Wurtsboro, NY/Monticello) with less than six minutes remaining gave Tabora the school passing record that was previously held by Boo Perry for the past 25 years. After finishing the day 18-for-28 and totaling 222 yards through the air, Tabora now stands atop the record book with 6,973 career passing yards. The senior added 21 rushes for 120 yards on the ground and totaled three touchdowns for the Colonels.

The first quarter remained scoreless between the MAC foes as Wilkes turned the ball over on downs and with a fumble on its two possessions while Stevenson punted once and also turned it over on downs once as each team earned four first downs.

Following a Colonels punt of 48 yards by Alex Orlando (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) at the outset of the second quarter, Mustangs quarterback Ryan Sedgwick was sacked by Brandon Holcomb (Boynton Beach, FL/Boca Raton Community) on the next play with the signal caller fumbling as well. Pat Ricci (Gilbertsville, PA/Boyertown) then recovered the ball to set Wilkes up at the Stevenson 22-yard line.

Tabora called his own number on the next play, rushing off the left side of the offensive line and beating the Mustangs defense to the pylon for the 22-yard touchdown run. A Justin Pollack (Sloatsburg, NY/Suffern) extra point put Wilkes ahead 7-0 with 13:44 left in the second quarter.

Following a Stevenson punt the Colonels drove 75 yards in 10 plays but a fumble in the red zone ended any chances of extending the lead. Stevenson then went 90 yards in 12 plays as Sedgwick hit Tylor Blake with a three-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 7-7 with 49 seconds until halftime.

The Wilkes defense opened the second half with a statement in forcing a three-and-out. The offense took over at its own 32 and proceeded to march 68 yards in nine plays to take the lead. Kamaal Reed (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Creek) jump started the drive with rushes of three, 10, and six yards sandwiched around a Tabora connection with Jason Schweizerhof (Warninster, PA/William Tennent) for 16 yards. Tabora then rushed for gains of 18, four and three before finding Lilley for an eight-yard touchdown pass on third-and-three as Wilkes went ahead 14-7 following the PAT from Pollack with 9:17 remaining in the third.

Linebacker Billy Doron (Hawley, PA/Wallenpaupack) then intercepted Sedgwick on the next drive to set the offense up at the Mustangs 41. Wilkes would push the ball down to the nine-yard line before settling for a field goal attempt which went off the right upright to keep the contest a one-score game.

The Colonels defense answered with another three-and-out of the Mustangs offense but Stevenson would return the favor right back as the third quarter ended.

Again the Wilkes defense would force another punt following a three-and-out. Wilkes proceeded to move the ball 32 yards before Tabora was intercepted by Sean Sullivan on a second-and-19 play at the Stevenson 33. On the very next play the defense came up large again as this time Dante Gazzola (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) intercepted Sedgwick at the Mustangs 45.

Wilkes was unable to pick up a first down following a penalty on the ensuing drive as the Colonels punted back to Stevenson with 7:37 remaining in the game.

The two sides then exchanged punts as the Mustangs gained possession with 2:17 remaining at their own 20 following a 44-yard punt by Orlando. The Colonels defense then forced four-straight incomplete passes with John Washington (Brooklyn, NY/Eagle Academy) and Nahjir Woods (Piscataway NJ/Piscataway) coming up large with pass breakups during the sequence as Wilkes took over on downs at the Stevenson 20.

Tabora then rushed for five yards before finding Jacob Katz (New City, NY/Clarkson North) for a 15-yard touchdown pass as Wilkes extended the lead. Pollack's extra point made it 21-7 with 1:36 left.

Stevenson scored with five seconds remaining as Steven Smothers made a leaping catch over several defenders on a fourth-and-16 play from the Wilkes 33.

Schweizerhof then recovered the Mustangs onside kick attempt to preserve the 21-14 victory for the Colonels.

Complimenting Tabora's big day on the ground was Reed who rushed 19 times for 88 yards. Cory Pelzer (Somerset, NJ/The Pennington School) was Tabora's favorite target on the afternoon as he caught five passes for 68 yards. Schweizerhof added four receptions for 45 yards and Devin Higgins (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley) recorded his first career reception for 35 yards.

Nick Gazzola (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East), the reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Week, led the Colonels strong defensive unit with a career best 14 tackles including two for a loss and one sack. Dylan Walck (Hamlin, PA/Western Wayne) was second on the squad with seven tackles while Woods added five and two pass breakups.

Sedgwick finished 15-for-31 for 185 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Stevenson. Maurice Hammond led the Mustangs ground game with 19 carries for 94 yards.

Wilkes heads on the road to face Albright College next Saturday as the Colonels look to match their 2019 start of 5-0. The MAC game is set to kick at 12:00 p.m. in Reading, Pa.