SELINSGROVE, PA – With the score tied at seven after the first quarter, host No. 12 Susquehanna University scored 27 unanswered points on way to a 34-7 Landmark Conference victory over the Wilkes University football team Saturday afternoon at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field.
 
The Colonels suffered their first Landmark defeat falling to 3-5 overall and 3-1 in conference games. Susquehanna remained unbeaten on the year moving to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in league play, taking sole possession of first place in the process.
 
Susquehanna struck first early in the first quarter when Tommy Grabowski capped a five play, 49-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run to give the River Hawks a 7-0 with 11:05 left in the opening frame.
 
Wilkes responded later in the quarter when Jason Dean (Auburn, PA/Blue Mountain) took a handoff and punched it in from one yard out to tie the game at seven following a Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) extra point.
 
From there Susquehanna began to take control of the game using its defense to cause Colonel turnovers and its offense to produce points off the Wilkes miscues. The River Hawks outscored Wilkes 13-0 in the second quarter and 14-0 in the third quarter to open up a big lead in the contest.
 
Quarterback Josh Ehrlich began the Susquehanna rally scampering 27 yards for the River Hawks second score of the game putting the hosts up 14-7 with 11:53 left in the second quarter.
 
Both teams traded punts before another Susquehanna drive extended the lead as Grabowski went into the end zone for the second time on the day with just :48 left in the first half. The extra point attempt was blocked by Steele Hess (Allentown, PA/Whitehall) to give the hosts a 20-7 lead at the break.
 
A turnover on the Colonels first drive of the second half proved costly as Susquehanna took control of the ball deep inside Wilkes territory adding its fourth touchdown on a pass that pushed the lead to 27-7 with 9:11 left in the third.
 
Another fumble by the Colonels setup Susquehanna inside the twenty yet again and the River Hawks capitalized one last time with a short touchdown pass from Josh Ehrlich to Kyle Howes to give the hosts a 27-point advantage with under a minute left in the game.
 
Wilkes was only able to gain seven first downs as the Susquehanna defense held the Colonels to just 101 yards rushing and 43 yards passing. Isaiah Rodriguez (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon) moved into the top ten in passing in school history finishing 6-for-11 for 43 yards, but was sacked three times including one that led to the fumble.
 
Elijah Jules (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) and JayJay Jordan (Reading, PA/Berks Catholic) each rushed for 47 yards to lead the Wilkes ground game.
 
Grabowski was the difference on offense for Susquehanna finishing with 113 yards on 23 carries and two scores.
 
Wilkes is off for its bye week next Saturday before hosting Catholic University on November 4 for a Landmark matchup and Senior Day starting at 12:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.