Wilkes University Athletics

WILKES-BARRE – A 21-point fourth quarter helped seal a crucial Colonel victory Saturday afternoon, as the Wilkes football team defeated Moravian University 34-10 at Schmidt Stadium on Senior Day.

Wilkes moves to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in Landmark play, while Moravian falls to 2-7 on the year and 1-4 in conference play.

Wilkes defense started the game strong, as Mohamed Gueye (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) intercepted Greyhound quarterback Avery Koser on back-to-back drives in the first quarter. Wilkes' special teams unit scored the first points of the game late in the first, as Justin Prizer (Birdsboro, PA/Exeter) scored on a heads-up play, scooping up a fumbled Moravian punt in the endzone to make it a 7-0 ballgame.

Halfway through the second quarter the Colonels hit paydirt again, as Daniel Pigga (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) took the end around down the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown run sprung by a crucial Nigel Linton (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) block. A missed extra point by Peter Zarafonitis (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) saw the scoreboard read 13-0 Colonels. Late in the quarter, Moravian got on the scoreboard with a field goal by Jonathan Levine set up by a 42-yard run from Dorian Thomas to send the teams into the halftime break with the score 13-3 Colonels.

Momentum swung in favor of the Greyhounds early in the second half, as two big passes from Koser set up a Thomas 10-yard touchdown run to bring the score to 13-10. Wilkes' offense came alive to start the fourth, as Trey Dogmanits (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) hit Anthony Theodore (Sparrow Bush, NY/Port Jervis) across the middle of the field for a 36-yard catch-and-run to put the Colonels in Moravian territory. A facemask penalty and a pass interference call in the endzone on the visitors set Dogmanits up for a three-yard touchdown, putting Wilkes back up two scores 20-10. A turnover on downs forced by a Rob Barbieri (Avoca, PA/Pittston Area) pass breakup then led to a 53-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area) to break the game wide open 27-10.

On the ensuing Greyhound possession, a fumble by Koser was recovered by Cohen Creswell (Winchester, VA/Millbrook), who ran 46 yards untouched to score the third Colonel touchdown of the frame, sealing the 34-10 victory.

Dogmanits registered his sixth game this season with over 200 passing yards, throwing for 240 and a touchdown on 14 completions. The junior signal caller also led the team with 52 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground, followed by Pigga with 42 and a touchdown of his own. Through the air, Fears shined on Senior Day, showing out for a career-high 173 yards and a touchdown on six catches. Defensively, Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) led the way with 10 tackles and 1.5 for loss. Kaleb Omotosho (Odenton, MD/Arundel) also had a strong outing, recording six tackles and two pass breakups. On special teams, Zarafonitis did it all, averaging 50.7 yards per punt with two over 50 yards, and adding on four of five extra point attempts.

The highlight for the Moravian offense was their ground attack, rushing for 259 total yards. Thomas led all players with 178 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Through the air, Koser only threw for 98 yards, with his top target being Cael Kratzer for 47 of those yards. On defense, Tommy Gontz matched Wetzel with 10 tackles and one pass breakup.

Prior to the game, Wilkes celebrated their 14 seniors Anthony Torres Jr. (Philadelphia, PA/Cheltenham), Nigel Linton (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall), Fears, Wetzel, Justin Blake (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic Regional), Barbieri, Jackson Roberts (Plainfield, NJ/Immaculata), Tyler Ryan (Buffalo, NY/Clarence), Michael Golay (Scranton, PA/Scranton Prep), Zach Gorsuch (Hurlock, MD/Cambridge-South Dorchester), Mike Fluck (Zionsville, PA/Southern Lehigh), Anthony Faraone (Sparta, NJ/Sparta), Luke Baker (Northampton, PA/Northampton Area), and Brandon Sloan (Point Pleasant Borough, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) as a part of the Senior Day festivities.

Wilkes returns to the field next week for the final game of the regular season, a trip to Danbury to face Western Connecticut State University on Saturday, November 14 with a trip to the Chesapeake Bowl Challenge on the line. Kickoff against the Wolves is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.