Second Half Surge Lifts Muhlenberg Over Wilkes Football 41-27
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Despite leading at halftime, the Wilkes University football team fell to Muhlenberg College 41-27 at Scotty Wood Stadium on Saturday, as the Mules scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to turn the momentum of the game.
Wilkes falls to 1-1 on the year while Muhlenberg improves to 2-1.
The hosts opened the day's scoring with an eight-yard pass from Luke Spang to Caleb Pasols to put the Mules on the board. After trading punts,
Trey Dogmanits (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) put Wilkes on the board with his third rushing touchdown of the year, a one-yard punch-in score. Muhlenberg blocked the ensuing PAT, keeping the hosts ahead 7-6.
On the first play of the next Mules drive,
Nathan Reuther (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) showed off the hands for his first career interception, setting Wilkes up inside the ten-yard line. Two plays later, Dogmanits found
Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area) for a six-yard passing touchdown to put the Colonels ahead 13-7.
The hosts responded with an interception of their own to start the second quarter, capitalizing on the turnover with a 65-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at 13 after a failed PAT by Mules kicker Nicholas D'Amico.
Wilkes got their second pick of the day later in the quarter, as
Ryan Opperman (Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg) intercepted Spang with just under two minutes to play. A short pass to
Nigel Linton (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) that went for 26 yards put the Colonels at the Muhlenberg 12-yard line, cut down to the six after a roughing the passer penalty. As time expired,
William Smith (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Creek) scored his second rushing touchdown of the year to put the navy and gold ahead 20-13 at the break.
Muhlenberg swung momentum in their favor in the second half, scoring touchdowns on three consecutive drives to take a 34-20 lead early in the fourth quarter. Wilkes scored on the ensuing drive as Dogmanits hit Fears again, this time a 46-yard connection, for the senior wideout's second score of the day.
The deficit was too much to overcome, however, as the hosts added one more touchdown to best the Colonels 41-27.
Dogmanits led the Colonels under center with a career-high 210 yards on 16/29 passing and two touchdowns, adding another on the ground with 46 total rushing yards, also a career-high. Fears also had a career day, leading all receivers with 159 yards and two touchdowns. Linton led the ground game with 48 yards, adding 35 receiving yards to be the team's second leading receiver on the day.
Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) led the defense with 11 total tackles.
Spang led the Mules with 250 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Amari Dunn led all rushers with 159 yards on the ground and a score. Thomas Cerruti led the team with nine tackles on defense.
Wilkes returns to action next Saturday in primetime, as they host Montclair State in the final non-conference matchup of the year at Schmidt Stadium. Kickoff against the Red Hawks is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
