Saturday, September 20
12:00 p.m.
Schmidt Stadium
 
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WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University football team returns home to Schmidt Stadium this Saturday to face Muhlenberg College, looking to rebound from their first loss of the season.

Wilkes comes into this game with a 1-1 overall record following their loss on the road to the Lions of TCNJ 17-3.

The Colonel defense put together another strong day despite the loss. The unit sits as the second lowest scoring defense in the Landmark allowing only 33 points through two games. The team sits tied with Susquehanna for the most interceptions in the conference with three and sits second in the conference with five sacks.

Junior linebacker Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) leads the team and the Landmark with 25 total tackles and two sacks through two games. He is followed by Tallen Murray (Vineland, NJ/Saint Joseph Academy) with 23 tackles and Cohen Creswell (Winchester, VA/Millbrook) with 21 total tackles, a team-high 4.5 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups. Rob Barbieri (Avoca, PA/Pittston Area) leads the secondary with 18 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup.

The young Wilkes offense continues to find its identity, with Cooper King (Northampton, PA/Northampton) leading the team under center with 224 passing yards and one touchdown. King also leads the Colonel rushing attack with 53 yards and one touchdown, followed closely by Chibugo Chigozie-Nwosu (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) with 51 yards. King's top target through the air remains Justin Moore (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional), who sits atop the charts with 73 receiving yards. Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area) holds the lone Colonel receiving touchdown.

On special teams, Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) is 2/2 on field goal attempts and extra-point kicks on the young season, while Peter Zarafonitis (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) has had a stellar start to the season averaging a Landmark-best 43.1 yards per punt. The sophomore also leads the conference with six punts inside the 20-yard line and four punts over 50 yards. On returns, Rahmel Terry (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) has collected 49 punt return yards and 32 kick return yards, with Daniel Pigga (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) leading all kick returners with 50 yards.

Muhlenberg enters this game at 2-0 after defeating Endicott College 28-20 on the road last Saturday.

Senior Dante Mahaffey leads the Mules from under center, throwing for 302 yards and three touchdowns. He is joined in tandem by Luke Spang, who has thrown for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

Mahaffey also leads the Muhlenberg rushing attack with a team-high 79 yards with one rushing touchdown, followed by senior running back Matthew Manning with 61 and a score of his own. Through the air, Christopher Short leads the Mules with 122 receiving yards and a touchdown, followed by running back Amari Dunn with 91 yards and a score.

The Mule defense is led by sophomore linebacker Thomas Cerruti, who leads the team with 17 total tackles. The duo of Peyton Elliott and CJ Kearney led the team with two tackles for loss each, while junior defensive back Aaron Sylvester leads the team with two interceptions.

On special teams, Short leads the team with 110 kick return yards. Sam Morris averages 35.5 yards per punt with one punt inside the 20-yard line and one over 50 yards. Nick D'Amico is 7/8 on extra points with one field goal attempted and made.

After this game, the Colonels close out non-conference play in the Garden State as they travel to face Montclair State University on Saturday, September 27 at 5:00 p.m.