October 12, 2024
12:00 p.m.
Schmidt Stadium
 
Live Stats
Live Video
Purchase Tickets (Guests must have digital ticket for parking and admission to the game)
 
WILKES-BARRE - The Wilkes University football team continues Landmark Conference play this weekend at Schmidt Stadium, hosting longtime rival Lycoming College at 12:00 p.m.

The Colonels enter the contest with a 3-2 overall record after kicking off conference play with a dominant display over Juniata College 54-7. The Colonels put up over 500 yards of total offense in the game en route to their first Landmark win of the season.

Senior quarterback Xavier Powell (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) leads the Colonel offense under center with 66 completions for 901 yards and ten touchdowns. On the ground, Powell rushed for 363 yards to put him at 1,229 yards of total offense, the fourth most in the Landmark Conference.

After his second consecutive game with over 100 rushing yards, senior running back Elijah Jules (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) now boasts a team-high 438 rushing yards with six touchdowns on the year. The Wilkes rush offense is one of the most productive in the Landmark averaging 5.5 yards per carry and scoring 10 total touchdowns, marks that are both second in the conference.

Senior Justin Moore (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) has been Powell's top target through the air, leading the team with 225 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area) is second on the team with 179 yards, while seniors Zane Grover (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) and Devin Higgins (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley) have also reached triple digits with 157 and 155 yards respectively. Grover leads the group in scoring with three touchdowns on the year.

On defense, linebacker Tallen Murray (Vineland, NJ/Saint Joseph Academy) remains at the top of the conference in tackles with 48, followed by sophomore defensive back Rob Barbieri (Avoca, PA/Pittston Area) with 38. Senior defensive back Donell Mackey-Woodson (Hartford, CT/Southington) leads the team and conference with three interceptions and nine passes defended, with a team-high six pass breakups.

Murray and Angel Ramos (Allentown, PA/Parkland) share the team lead and sit tied for second in the conference in sacks with three each. Kellen Redmond (St. Petersburg, FL/Calvary Christian) leads the team in tackles for loss with six, followed by Ramos with five, and Murray and Steele Hess (Allentown, PA/Whitehall) with 4.5 each.

On special teams, punter Alex Orlando (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) is averaging a conference-best 45 yards per punt, with four punts over 50 yards and eight inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) is 3-3 on field goals, and 18-18 on extra points. Shawn McCullough (Upper Darby, PA/Upper Darby) leads the Colonels on kick returns with 134 yards, with Rahmel Terry (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) returning six kicks for 75 yards.

Lycoming enter the game at 2-2 fresh off their bye week. In their last game on Sept. 28, they shut out Hilbert 48-0.

Quarterback Will Fish leads the offense with 481 passing yards on 38 completions with five touchdowns. Dawson Debebe leads the receiving corps with 188 yards on 12 catches with three touchdowns, all team-highs. Karson Kline and Billy Coppock have also produced triple-digit yardage with 123 and 112 respectively. On the ground, Terrence Oliver has been the Warriors' primary offensive threat with 332 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Quasim Benson compliments Oliver and has rushed for 154 yards.

Defensively, senior linebacker Joey Rivituso leads the team with 28 total tackles and is tied for the team-high in sacks with 1.5. Defensive lineman Stephen Goodman is tied with Rivituso for the sack lead and has a team-best 3.5 tackles for loss. Five Warriors have recorded an interception.

Junior Tyler Marshall is a return threat on special teams, leading the Landmark Conference with 205 yards on six returns for a 34.2 yard average.

In last year's matchup, Wilkes held off a late Lycoming charge to win 48-35 in Williamsport.

Following this game, the Colonels continue conference play with a trip to Keystone College on Saturday, October 19 at 12:00 p.m.