Steve Finkernagel

Wilkes Football Week Nine Preview at Catholic

10/30/2026 10:00:00 AM

Wilkes Football Week Nine Preview at Catholic

October 31, 2026
12:00 p.m.
Cardinal Stadium – Washington, D.C.

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WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University football team will make the trip to our nation's capital on Saturday afternoon for a matchup with the Catholic University of America on Halloween.

This past week, the Colonels welcomed No. 21 Susquehanna to Schmidt Stadium, where the River Hawks scored 27 unanswered points en route to a 36–15 victory. The defeat drops the Colonels to 2-4 on the season, and 1-2 in Landmark Conference play.

Against Susquehanna, quarterback Trey Dogmanits (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) completed 18 of 29 passes for 200 touchdowns, with touchdown passes to receivers Daniel Pigga (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) and Anthony Theodore (Sparrow Bush, NY/Port Jervis). Pigga's 51-yard touchdown grab was the longest reception of his career, and Theodore's was the first of his career. Dogmanits added 45 yards on the ground, and continues to lead the Colonels with 245 rushing yards on 77 attempts and is throwing for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns. The Colonels will look to get receiver Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area) going, after only recording 102 yards on eight catches in the Colonels' last two games following a hot start to the year. Chibugo Chigozie-Nwosu (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) made his first start at tailback since Week Four, tallying five carries for 10 yards.

Despite last week's setback, linebacker Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) had a monster performance with 13 tackles, 2.5 of those for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Wetzel also added an interception on the game's second play. His 65 total tackles is tied for third in the conference, and his 10.8 tackles a contest lead the Landmark. Linebacker Kevin Hegarty (Plymouth Meeting, PA/Plymouth Whitemarsh) had a breakout game with nine tackles, after only recording one previously in his career. Defensive lineman Cohen Creswell's (Winchester, VA/Millbrook) six sacks continues to lead the conference, and the Colonels will look to enter the backfield as the Cardinals have allowed 34 sacks in their first eight games. In the secondary, the Colonels have 15 pass breakups, led by defensive back Mohamed Gueye (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) with three.

Catholic currently sits at 1-7 on the season, with the Cardinals' lone win coming on Oct. 17 at home against Western Connecticut by a single point, 28–27. Catholic is also 1–3 in Landmark play after falling a week ago 27–3 at Moravian.

The Cardinals run a pass-heavy offense, throwing the ball on over 60 percent of their plays. Against Moravian, Charles Gulbin made the start at quarterback, completing six of 10 passes, and was replaced by senior Kevin Barton, who went 17 for 23 for 167 yards. On the season, Gulbin has thrown for 649 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions and Barton has completed 71 percent of passes for 230 yards. Thirteen different Cardinals have caught a pass in 2026, led by Bobby Hartman's Landmark-leading 42 receptions for 395 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Wade Farrar returned against Moravian after recording a combined six touchdowns against Carnegie Mellon and Franklin & Marshall. The Cardinals run a two-back system, led by Lamar West Jr. 's 283 rushing yards and he is complimented by Keegan Eichert's 226 yards and four touchdowns.

On the defensive side, linebacker Billy Turner has had an outstanding freshman campaign, leading the Landmark with 77 tackles, and recorded a career-high 13 stops against Moravian. Turner also has four tackles for loss, two sacks, and an interception in his first season. Linebacker Evan Chromy had a career-best 15 tackles a week ago, putting his total at 57. Defensive back Jsai Smith has two interceptions in the Cardinals' last three games, and leads the conference with nine pass breakups.

The two teams met in Wilkes-Barre a season ago on the Colonels' homecoming on Oct. 4, 2025. Kicker Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) made three field goals on the afternoon, as Wilkes picked up a gritty 15–13 win over the Cardinals. Wilkes has won each of the last three matchups, with Catholic's last win coming in 2023 in a 40–35 shootout.

The Colonels return to Schmidt Stadium for Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 7 to take on Moravian. Kick off is set for 12 p.m.

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