Wilkes Colonels (6-3, 5-3) vs. King's Monarchs (8-1, 7-1)
Saturday, November 12, 2022 - 12:00 p.m.
Schmidt Stadium
 
Game Notes
 
Live Stats
 
Live Video

*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 will conclude their regular season schedule as they compete in non-conference action against cross town rival King's College for the 26th annual Mayor's Cup game, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 12 at Schmidt Stadium as the Colonels will recognize their seniors on Senior Day. Wilkes (6-3, 5-3 MAC) look to finish strong after falling to Stevenson University 28-0. King's (8-1, 7-1) looks to get their eighth consecutive win after holding off Misericordia University to secure a 14-0 victory on Senior Day for the Monarchs.

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 continue to serve as the offensive coordinator during the 2022 season as well as working with the quarterbacks. In 2021 Wilkes finished its third season with six or more wins under Drach as the Colonels finished 6-4 including 5-0 start to the season. Five Colonels earned All-MAC honors including returners wide receiver/return specialist Nate Whitaker (Upper Darby, PA/Haverford School) and punter Alex Orlando (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) as Honorbale Mentions. In 2019 he led the Colonels to an 8-3 overall record, finishing 6-2 in MAC play and earning a postseason berth for the first time since 2010 and the program's first trip to the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series. The eight wins were also the most since 2006 for the program. Drach pioneered one of the biggest turnarounds in Division III football in 2018 when he led the Colonels to a 6-4 record after the team went winless in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, four Colonels were named All-MAC under Drach. Drach came to Wilkes after 11 years at Hobart. As the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Drach 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, Ill., Drach earned his bachelor's degree in business finance and economics from Western Michigan University in 2004. A three-year starter, he enjoyed his finest year as a senior, completing a single season record 67 percent of his passes for 1,499 yards and 13 TDs.

Jeff Knarr (East Stroudsburg '94) enters his 13th year as King's head coach in the fall of 2022. Knarr is producing the best season for the Monarchs since he was hired as the head football coach for the team. Knarr's eight wins this season is the most he has accumulated during his tenure, as well as the most for the team since the 2002 regular season where King's went 9-3 and made it to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. He has the Monarch's on a seven game win streak, tied for the most consecutive wins for the program with 2002 being the last time King's has won that many games in a row. Knarr has produced 5+ win teams for King's in seven seasons as the Monarchs head coach. He helped the program earn records for the program, including rushing touchdowns in a game, rushing yards in a game, pass attempts in a season, passing yardage and passing touchdowns in a game and season, and completions in a season. Knarr has produced successful athletes who have made all conferences and national recognition, including 10 All-MAC First Team, 25 All-MAC Second Team, 14 All-MAC Honorable Mention, and three D3Football All-East Region Team. Before coming to King's Knarr was an assistant coach at Muhlenberg from 1999 to 2009, where he held different positions, including defensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, quarterback coach, and offensive coordinator.

THE SERIES
This will be the 36th meeting between both teams as Wilkes holds a 23-12 advantage in the series. King's won last year, beating the Colonels in a 34-7 victory at McCarthy Stadium. Wilkes last win came in 2019, where they won 24-14 over the Monarchs at Schmidt Stadium. Wilkes also has a 15-10 lead in the Mayor's Cup games since the teams began playing for the cup in 1996. The Mayor's Cup began with former Wilkes-Barre Mayor Thomas McGroarty and has remained intact through today with current Mayor George Brown presiding.

UP NEXT
The Colonels will await a possible postseason game, which would be their second-ever Centennial-MAC Bowl Series game

SCOUTING THE WILKES OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Wilkes ranks second in the MAC in scoring offense (26.6) and total offense (357.6), and third in passing offense (193.7), and rushing offense (163.9).

- Wilkes finished the day with 192 rushing yards, where most of the 238 total yards came into play, as Wilkes would fall to Stevenson 28-0. This is the fifth time this season the Colonels have rushed for 150 or more yards this year.

- First year quarterbacks Travis Shaver (Massapequa, NY/Plainedge) and Jay Mazuera (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) both combined for 46 passing yards from six completions during the game. They look to make progress in the passing game to follow the success in the quarterback spot where fellow teammate Isaiah Rodriguez (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon) earned MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors during his stretch at the position, where he completed 85 passes for 1390 yards, 11 touchdowns, and no interceptions while accumulating 120 rushing yards and two scores. Rodriguez's efforts also show in the nation, as he is the only quarterback in the country to not have thrown an interception with six or more starts on the year.

- Junior running back Elijah Jules (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) ran for 136 yards for the Colonels last week against Stevenson. He continued to impress at the running back position, with his fifth game going over 100 yards on the ground. Shaver followed behind, rushing for 60 yards on nine carries. Jules ranks first in the MAC in rushing yards (869) and average yards-per-game (96.6).  Jules ranks tied for 21th in the country with 12 rushing touchdowns, while placing 22nd with a 6.44 rushing yards-per-carry.

- Whitaker ranks fifth in the MAC with 413 receiving yards on the year, while Zane Grover (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) still leads the conference with a 22.5 average yards-per-catch percentage.

SCOUTING THE WILKES DEFENSE (4-3-4)
- Wilkes is second in total defense (266.1), and passing defense (143.2), third in scoring defense (15.7), and sixth in rushing defense (122.9).

- Brandon Holcomb (Boynton Beach, FL/Boca Raton) finished the day with 12 total tackles, with 10 being solo, for the Colonels. Adam Piston (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland) and De'Von James (Mount Holly Springs, PA/Boiling Springs) followed behind with six tackles apiece. Wilkes looks to add another MAC Defensive Player of the Week in their final regular season game, as LeRoy Marshall has earned the distinction twice, with his games against Lycoming College and Alvernia University, and Angel Ramos (Allentown, PA/Parkland) being recognized once in week 1 against Keystone College. Holcomb is third in the MAC with 44 solo tackles and fourth with 82 total tackles. Wilkes looks to keep their defensive presence against quarterbacks, as they rank 17th in the country in passing yards allowed and are 33rd in total defense.

- Jeremie Hernandez (Bronx, NY/Kennedy) had an interception in the beginning of the second half for Wilkes. Marshall and Jesse Addesso (Staten Island, NY/St. Joes by The Sea) had pass breakups on the day for the Colonels, only allowing 124 passing yards in the game for Stevenson. Marshall is tied for third in the MAC with three interceptions on the season.

SCOUTING THE WILKES SPECIAL TEAMS
- First Year kicker Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) 4-7 on FGs and 23-25 on PAT's the year, while fellow first year Igor Rzasa (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst) is 6-6 on PAT's. Volpone is fifth in the MAC in scoring with 35 points this season.

- Orlando punted four times last week that went for 186 yards, with one punt going 50+ yards. He is tied for fourth in the conference with a 37.1 punting average on the season.

SCOUTING KING'S OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- King's is first in passing offense (236.2), third in total offense (333.7), fourth in scoring offense (23.8), and eleventh in rushing offense (97.4). 

- Graduate student quarterback Tyler Moore comes into this game first in the MAC with 2126 passing yards on 149 completions from 261 passing attempts. Sedgwick has thrown for 15 touchdowns on the year, second in the MAC, to just 1seven interceptions, while also leading the conference with 236.2 yards passing per game. Moore threw for 196 passing yards on 13 completions, throwing for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to extend the Monarch's lead to 14-0 over Misericordia. Moore looks to stay atop the MAC in passing, as he earned Player of the Week honors in week 8 when he threw for career-highs in passing yards (315) and passing touchdowns (4) in King's 34-24 victory over Lebanon Valley.

- First year running back Jayon Hailey leads the Monarch's with 453 rushing yards on the year, while scoring three touchdown season. Hailey had 159 rushing yards in King's victory over Lebanon Valley. Sophomore running back Shemar Ellis follows behind with 388 rushing yards, while being tied for second in the MAC with eight rushing touchdowns. 

- Junior wide receiver Tyler Carey enters this week leading the MAC with 714 receiving yards while hauling in seven touchdowns on 32 catches. He has six games with 70+ receiving yards, with two games where he went over 100 yards on the day (118 yards against FDU-Florham and 122 against Lycoming) where he secured two touchdowns in both those contests. Sophomore wide receiver Michael DiGregorio follows behind with 394 receiving yards on the year, which is seventh in the MAC, with one touchdown. He had 114 receiving yards and a touchdown on six catches in King's 27-21 overtime victory over Albright.

SCOUTING KING'S DEFENSE (4-3-4)
- King's is third in rushing defense (103.3), fourth scoring defense (16.4), fifth in total defense (277.2), and sixth in passing defense (173.9).

- Senior defensive back Joseph Carchio comes in ninth in the MAC with 64 tackles on the year. Champman has recorded 5+ tackles in eight of the nine games he has played. Senior linebacker Brendan Mozeleski ranks second on the team with 53 tackles this season. They look to join their team in holding down the passing game, as King's is ranked 21st in the nation in team passing efficiency defense.

- Senior defensive lineman Dallas Solomon Salley leads King's in sacks with four on the year. He is followed behind with Mozeleski, senior defensive lineman Jassiem Lettsome, and sophomore defensive back Trevor Gleason with 3.0 sacks apiece. Senior linebacker Dylan White and junior deensive lineman Jamil Thomas have two sacks on the year. 

- Senior defensive back Teone Sherrod leadsthe MAC with six interceptions this year, while tying for third with seven pass breakups on the season. Sherrod has an interception in five straight games for the Monarchs. Junior defensive back Zach Barber has three picks on the year, recording two of them last week against Misericordia. Senior Joseph Carchio is third on the team with two picks, while Gleason, sophomore linebacker Jake Ruppert, junior defensive back Alex Tristan, senior defensive back Colin Hazelton, and sophomore Donte' Thompson all have one apiece.

SCOUTING KING'S SPECIAL TEAMS
- Senior kicker Kyle Prescavage is 5-12 on field goals for the year, while going 23-24 on PATs. He went 2-2 on field goals against Delaware Valley in week 3 and 2-4 against Stevenson in week 6. Prescavage also averages 54.6 yards on kickoffs, with one touchback on the year

- Junior Anthony Prato has 44 punts on the year, with 1525 yards punted on the season. He averages 34.66 yards a punt this year through nine games.

- DiGregorio has 273 kickoff return yards on the year, averaging 24.82 yards per kickoff, while also accumulating 106 punt return yards this season. DiGregorio has two games going over 50+ yards in kickoff returns this season.