EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – The Wilkes University football team got back in the win column at Schmidt Stadium on Saturday afternoon, defeating Juniata College 38-7 on Senior Day.

Wilkes improves to 5-3 on the year with the win and 3-1 in Landmark play, while Juniata falls to 2-6 overall and are still in search of their first conference win at 0-4.
The Juniata offense opened the game, with Tallen Murray (Vineland, NJ/Saint Joseph Academy) forcing a fourth-down stop at the Wilkes 10-yard line to keep the Eagles off the board. On the offense's first play, Daniel Pigga (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) exploded for a 90-yard touchdown run to put the Colonels ahead early 7-0.

The Eagles wouldn't be denied on their next drive as Alex Eaton's seven-yard run put the visitors on the board, helped by costly penalties by the Wilkes defense. Big runs by Cooper King (Northampton, PA/Northampton) and Chibugo Chigozie-Nwosu (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) put Wilkes in the redzone on their next drive but were unable to find the endzone but took the lead with Nick Volpone's (Delco, PA/Ridley) ninth field goal of the year to end the quarter on top 10-7.

Wilkes forced another turnover on downs to start the second quarter and capitalized on the stop with a one-yard Ben Contella (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) touchdown to extend the lead to 17-7. A three and out by the Juniata offense had Wilkes threatening once again, but on fourth and goal from the one-yard line could not punch in the touchdown.

Juniata then began their two-minute drill, with more Colonel penalties helping them down the field. They wouldn't make it far, as a 13-yard sack by Murray put a stop to the momentum shift and sent the Colonels into halftime up by 10.

The Colonel offense did not let up in the second half, as King used his legs to pick up the team's third rushing touchdown of the day and go up 24-7. Two more stops by the Colonel defense kept Juniata off the board, despite an interception thrown by King. Wilkes ended the third quarter with three runs of over 10 yards by King and Pigga, and King finished it off early in the fourth on a 17-yard scramble for his second rushing touchdown of the day.

On the team's next offensive drive, King found Justin Moore (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) wide open in the corner of the endzone for a 20-yard touchdown pass, Moore's first of the season, to make it a 38-7 game and seal the Colonel victory.

King led the Colonels with 16 completions for 188 yards and a touchdown, rushing for 106 yards and two more touchdowns. Pigga was the team's second rusher over 100 yards, accounting for 111 of the team's 353 rushing yards. Moore was King's top target, hauling in five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers on the day.

The Wilkes defense pitched a three-quarter shutout, led by Murray's 10 total tackles and one sack, followed by Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) with nine and 0.5 tackles for loss. Rob Barbieri (Avoca, PA/Pittston Area) led the team with two tackles for loss and two pass breakups on the day.

On special teams, Volpone was perfect once again on field goals and extra point attempts, while Peter Zarafonitis (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) only had to punt once in the game, booting the ball 41 yards late in the fourth.

Ethan Eisenberg led the Juniata offense with 18 completions for 132 yards. Ivan Foreman was the team's top rusher tallying 90 yards, while Carter Marr led the team with 60 receiving yards. Defensively, Dillon Wakefield led the team with 11 total tackles and one pass breakup.

Prior to the game, the Colonels celebrated the careers of their seniors as a part of the senior day festivities.

The Colonels now travel for their final road game of the year, a trip to Selinsgrove, Pa. to face Susquehanna University on Saturday, November 8 at 12:00 p.m.