WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Wilkes University football team is set to take on the Shenandoah University Hornets of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) at Shentel Stadium in the Cape Henry Bowl this Saturday at 4 p.m.
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Adults: $15
Minors: $10
Children (Under 10): Free
Students & Faculty: Free (with a valid school ID)
For the Colonels it's the third consecutive year playing in the Cape Henry Bowl, and they enter the game with a 6-4 regular season record and a 4-2 record in Landmark Conference play after defeating Western Connecticut State 38-0 last weekend.
Senior quarterback Cooper King (Northampton, PA/Northampton) enters this game with season totals of 1,718 passing yards, nine touchdown passes, eight interceptions, and a 54% completion percentage. For his efforts he was named an All-Landmark Conference Honorable Mention. Last week he went 12-20 for 220 passing yards, and one touchdown pass through the air while rushing for 38 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the win over the Wolves.
The team's running game is led by senior Ben Contella (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills), another All-Landmark Conference Honorable Mention. Contella carried the ball 12 times for 117 rushing yards and a touchdown last week to bring his season totals to 465 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. King is second on the team in rushing with 399 yards and a team-leading seven rushing touchdowns, and Chibugo Chigozie-Nwosu (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) is third on the team in rushing with 231 yards and one touchdown.
Leading the receiving core is senior wide receiver Justin Moore (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional). Moore was named First Team All-Landmark Conference with 30 receptions, 482 yards, and two receiving touchdowns on the year. Last week he had his best game of the season with three catches for 96 yards and one touchdown in addition to a 36-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter to get Wilkes on the board first. Behind Moore are Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area) and Janas Simms (York, PA/William Penn) who have been steady contributors all season. Fears finished the regular season with 26 receptions, 335 receiving yards, and three touchdowns, and Simms finished with 22 receptions, 281 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
Lastly, the offensive line has three players named to the All-Landmark Conference team. Senior tackle Anthony Messina (Bellmore, NY/Mepham) earned first team honors, junior guard Luke Baker (Northampton, PA/Northampton Area) was named to the second team, and sophomore guard Denzel Felder (Philadelphia, PA/St. Joseph's Prep) was listed as an honorable mention. These three headline an offensive line that allowed the second-fewest sacks in the conference with 14.
Despite the production of offense, it's been the Wilkes defense that has led the way all season long. The unit finished second in the Landmark Conference in scoring defense (16.4 points per game allowed), second in rushing defense (117.2 rushing yards per game allowed), third in passing defense (199.0 passing yards per game allowed), second in total sacks (23), second in interceptions (9), second in opponent third down percentage (34.3%), and second in opponent fourth down percentage (38.1%).
Starting with the defensive line, sophomore Cohen Creswell (Winchester, VA/Millbrook) put together a phenomenal season with 72 total tackles and led the Landmark in tackles for loss (19.5), sacks (8), and forced fumbles (4). As a result, he was named First Team All-Landmark Conference, but he was far from a solo act in the trenches. Alongside him were Rajan Stevens (Allentown, PA/Central Catholic) and Michael Golay (Scranton, PA/Scranton Prep) who were both named Second Team All-Landmark Conference. The sophomore Stevens finished with 34 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two forced fumbles in the regular season, and the junior Golay finished with 31 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery in the regular season.
At linebacker the Colonels had two players named to the All-Landmark Conference First Team in Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) and Tallen Murray (Vineland, NJ/Saint Joseph Academy). Wetzel blossomed in his first season as a full-time starter with season totals of 91 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and two quarterback hurries. Murray was right behind him with 90 tackles in the regular season along with 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, and two fumble recoveries.
In the secondary, the core four were all recognized by the Landmark. Junior Rob Barbieri (Avoca, PA/Pittston Area) was named to the first team with 57 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, a team-leading six pass breakups, and a fumble recovery during the regular season. Sophomore Ryan Opperman (Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg) finished the season with 38 tackles, two interceptions, and five pass breakups, earning him second team honors. Lastly, Michael Kevin Cornick III (West Philadelphia, PA/William Penn) and J'Vier Johnson (Easton, PA/Easton Area) were included as honorable mentions. Cornick totaled 42 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception, and four pass breakups on the season, while Johnson totaled 32 tackles, two tackles for loss, four pass breakups, and a team-leading three interceptions during the regular season.
Senior kicker Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) headlines the special teams after being named Second Team All-Landmark Conference after a perfect season on extra points going 22/22 and going 11/13 on field goals, including a game-winning 26-yard field goal against Montclair State in Week 4. Punter Peter Zarafonitis (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) was named an honorable mention with an average of 40.4 yards per punt on 52 attempts, and return specialist Daniel Pigga (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) was named an honorable mention as well with an average of 23.7 yard per return.
Shenandoah enters the Cape Henry Bowl with a regular season record of 8-2 and a 6-2 record in the ODAC after defeating Washington and Lee 17-14 last weekend.
Leading the offense for the Hornets is first-year quarterback Mekhi Brown after a strong regular season of 1,372 passing yards, 15 touchdown passes, and four interceptions while completing 71.4% of his passes. In the regular season finale against Washington and Lee, he went 14-19 for 128 passing yards and an interception in the win.
Shenandoah's rushing attack averages 150.9 yards per game with the duo of Jalen Redfearn and Aidan McCloskey doing the bulk of the damage. The senior Redfearn led the team with 609 rushing yards on 149 attempts and five rushing touchdowns, while McCloskey totaled 529 rushing yards on 60 attempts and five rushing touchdowns.
Their receiving core is led by another duo, sophomores Roge't Walker and Caleb Weston. Walker led the team in receptions (36), receiving yards (463), and touchdowns (3). Weston finished the season with 23 receptions, 422 receiving yards, and two touchdowns on a team-leading 18.35 yards per catch. The running back Redfearn also sees plenty of targets out of the backfield with 20 receptions for 270 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, the Hornets thrive on splash plays as they rank second in the ODAC with 12 interceptions and fourth in forced fumbles with eight. Leading the unit is senior linebacker Matt Conroy. Conroy leads the ODAC in tackles with 128 while also tallying three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Alongside him at linebacker is Ace Heinrichs. Heinrichs is second on the team in tackles with 67, five tackles for loss, and two interceptions.
Shenandoah's defensive line features two players with double-digit tackles for loss, Phoenix Andes-Stowell and Ryan Apietu. Andes-Stowell leads the team in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (5.5), while also totaling 43 tackles and four pass breakups. Apietu finished with 57 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, an interception, three pass breakups, and four quarterback hurries during the regular season.
In the secondary, their leader is graduate-student Sean Perry. He leads the team with five pass breakups, and accumulated 60 tackles, three tackles for loss, and an interception. First-year Jaren Mitchell has also put together a strong season with 31 tackles, two interceptions, and three pass breakups.
On special teams, sophomore kicker Carson Gallant is 38/42 on extra points this season and 7/9 on field goals with his longest being a 33-yard field goal in Week 2. Punter Connor Moyssiadis has averaged 39.8 yards per punt on 23 attempts this season, and both Perry and Walker have been dangerous return specialists. Perry averages 24.94 yards per return and Walker averages 25.7 yards per return.
A win for the Colonels would give them their first Cape Henry Bowl championship since 2023, when they defeated Bridgewater College 35-17.
