Joshua Ermeus '26

Wilkes Football Week 11 Preview at Western Connecticut

11/13/2026 10:00:00 AM

Wilkes Football Week 11 Preview at Western Connecticut

November 14, 2026
12:00 p.m.
The Westside Athletic Complex – Danbury, Conn.

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WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University football team concludes its 2026 regular season Saturday afternoon with a matchup at Western Connecticut, with the winner likely clinching a berth to the Chesapeake Challenge Bowl Series.

This past weekend, the Colonels overcame a slow start to score 21 fourth-quarter points and added touchdowns in all three facets of the game to pick up a 34–10 victory over Moravian on Senior Day. The win improved the Colonels to 4–4 and 3–2 in Landmark Conference play.

Quarterback Trey Dogmanits (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) has continued his high level of play after earning Landmark Athlete of the Week honors against Catholic. Dogmanits completed 14 of 23 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown, and added another score on the ground. Dogmanits has also thrown for at least 200 yards in six of his last seven games. 173 of those yards went to receiver Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area), a career high for the senior, including a 58-yard haul in the first quarter and a 53-yard score that essentially iced the game. The career afternoon put Fears back atop the Landmark with 835 yards and six touchdowns, and he is the only Landmark receiver averaging 100 yards per game. Receiver Daniel Pigga (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) also scored on a 30-yard end around in the second quarter, his second straight game with a rushing score.

Wilkes' defense had arguably its best performance of the season last weekend, forcing two interceptions and a fumble. The picks came on two of Moravian's first three drives, both by defensive back Mohamed Gueye (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder). In addition, defensive lineman Cohen Creswell (Winchester, VA/Millbrook) had a scoop-and-score to seal the game in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) had yet another outstanding afternoon, making 13 stops and recording 1.5 tackles for loss. The senior ranks second in the conference in total tackles (88) and has recorded at least eight tackles in every game this season. Creswell recorded another sack last week, bringing his season total to nine, which is tied for 10th nationally.

The Colonels also scored their first special teams touchdown of the season last week, when a bad snap sailed over the Moravian punter's head and Justin Prizer (Birdsboro, PA/Exeter) recovered it in the end zone. Peter Zarafonitis (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) earned his first Landmark Specialist of the Week award, booting three punts for 152 yards, and making four of five extra points in his first start handling placekicking duties this season.

Western Connecticut State enters its final regular-season game at 3–5, and sits a game behind the Colonels at 2–3 in Landmark play. The Wolves' two conference wins came in a 29–0 shutout against Moravian and an 18–3 decision at Juniata. WestConn comes off a matchup at No. 19 Susquehanna, where the River Hawks rolled WestConn in a 55–12 rout.

The Wolves' offense is led by two-year starting quarterback Dylan Jackson. Coming off a Landmark Honorable Mention in 2025, Jackson has thrown for 1,714 yards and 12 scores, throwing at least one touchdown in all eight games. Senior Quasim Benson leads the Wolves with 518 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, and has three 100-yard performances this year. Donald Highsmith led WestConn last week with 39 yards on the ground, upping his season total to 156. In the passing game, receiver Serge Lagardere carries the Wolves with 433 receiving yards, and Jayden Leroy has a team-best five touchdowns. WestConn has also found a late-season spark in sophomore Camrin Jean-Pierre, who has 164 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his last two games.

WestConn's defense is spearheaded by junior linebacker Jordan Tyler, who is in the midst of a breakout season. Tyler leads the team with 30 solo tackles and is tied for the team-best with 47 tackles and 7 tackles for loss. He also leads WestConn with three interceptions and has forced and recovered two fumbles. Linebacker Eamon Moran also has 47 tackles, and Luis Jaquez earned Landmark Defensive Athlete of the Week earlier this season after forcing three sacks and three fumbles against Moravian.

The two schools met for the first time ever on Nov. 15, 2025, when the Colonels scored 24 points in the fourth quarter while blanking the Wolves in a 38–0 shutout. The Colonels' defense recorded four interceptions and held WestConn to just three rushing yards in the victory.

The winner of Saturday's contest will play next weekend in the Chesapeake Challenge Bowl Series at the top team from the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) that does not qualify for the NCAA Division III playoffs.

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