September 3, 2026
7:00 p.m.
McCarthy Stadium
 
Live Stats
Live Video (Available locally on WQMY-TV, Comcast channel 811, Satellite channel 56.3, check your local listings. Also available on the FOX 56 YouTube channel here)
Tickets: $10 for Adults, $5 for Seniors 65+ and non-King's students showing I.D., Free for King's students showing I.D. and children under 6 – CASH ONLY
 
The Wilkes University football team gets set to kick off the 2026 campaign Thursday night with the 30^th edition of the Mayor's Cup, traveling to cross-town rival King's College at McCarthy Stadium at 7:00 p.m.
 
Head coach David Biever begins his third season at the helm of the program and 13^th overall following a 2025 season that saw the team go 7-4 for a second consecutive year, including a 4-2 mark in Landmark Conference play. The Colonels also earned their second straight Chesapeake Bowl Challenge victory after a thrilling 37-35 win at Shenandoah University.
 
Of the 18 Colonels named to the All-Landmark football team last year, nine were lost to graduation in the offseason, including First Team selections and key contributor's wide receiver Justin Moore (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional), offensive lineman Anthony Messina (Bellmore, NY/Mepham) and linebacker Tallen Murray (Vineland, NJ/Saint Joseph Academy). Despite the loss of the seniors, Biever welcomes back a bevy of all-conference performers and new talent to add depth to a strong nucleus.
 
"We will be running the same system on offense and defense, our third year now focusing on the details, so we are definitely getting more comfortable with it no matter which returner is out there on the field," said Biever.
 
Three of those First Team All-Landmark standouts anchor the Wilkes defense, which looks to be one of the best in the league this season. Up front Cohen Creswell (Winchester, VA/Millbrook) is back after shining during his sophomore campaign a year ago. He led the Landmark in tackles for loss (19.5) and sacks (8) and placed eighth in total tackles (72). He also led the Colonels with five quarterback hurries and four forced fumbles, with four pass breakups as well putting him third on the team. Creswell also was named a Third Team All-Region 2 selection for his play. Fellow junior Rajan Stevens (Allentown, PA/Central Catholic) also returns to help anchor the defensive line after posting career-highs in tackles (34), tackles for loss (5.5), sacks (2) and forced fumbles (2) last season. Nate Reuther adds to the size up front after finishing with 29 tackles in six games last year along with senior Michael Golay (Scranton, PA/Scranton Prep) who posted 35 tackles a season ago.
 
The linebacker core is also strong thanks to the return of three-time All-Landmark performer Tyler Wetzel (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge). Wetzel is back after another standout season totaling 91 tackles where he ranked second in the Landmark.  He also registered 8.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, and one forced fumble, setting new career highs in every statistical category mentioned. Classmate Justin Blake (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic Regional) and junior Nick Donvito (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) combined for 56 total tackles which will solidify one of the best linebacking units in the league.
 
In the secondary, four-year starter Rob Barbieri (Avoca, PA/Pittston Area) continues his top-level play a year after earning his second First Team All-Landmark Conference nod finishing with 57 total tackles, 3.5 for loss, six pass breakups, and two interceptions. A captain in his junior year, Barbieri helped lead the number two scoring defense in the Landmark (16.4 PPG allowed) and number three total defense (199 YPG allowed). Upperclassmen Ryan Opperman (Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg), Jackson Roberts (Plainfield, NJ/Immaculata) and Mohamed Gueye (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) all saw significant snaps last season and are back to shore up the pass defense.
 
"Our defense flies around with excitement and energy every snap," said Biever. "Having Barbieri, Creswell and Wetzel coming back with over 30-35 games each is a big boost for us as they lead the younger players on the field," he added.
 
The offense will continue to use the ground game to move the football down the field thanks to the return of four starters. The unit is led by senior guard Luke Baker (Northampton, PA/Northampton Area), who helped the Colonels to an average of 134.8 rushing yards per-game and the second fewest sacks in the conference in 2025. Junior Kaiden Palmer (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin), senior Anthony Faraone (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) and sophomore Ty Jahnigen (Winchester, VA/Millbrook) all are back with plenty of games under their belt. First year Yeshua Cuello (Caldwell, NJ/West Essex) earned his way into the lineup during camp with his size and athletic ability. 
 
Under center juniors Trey Dogmanits (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) and William Smith (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Creek) battled through camp to run the offense for the Colonels. Neither saw much time as the signal caller yet in their careers, but both are capable of managing the Wilkes offense and limiting turnovers.
 
In the backfield, Chibugo Chigozie-Nwosu (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) is the top returning rusher after running 70 times for 242 yards and one touchdown. Senior Nigel Linton (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) and sophomore speedster Kam Henry (Severn, MD/Meade) will add depth to a young and promising group of backs.
 
On the outside, the duo of senior Juju Fears (Easton, PA/Easton Area) and junior Daniel Pigga (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) is enough to make opposing secondaries dizzy and both have short and long yardage play capabilities. Fears was second on the team last year with 32 catches for 447 yards and four touchdowns. Pigga snatched seven balls for 76 yards while also playing a vital role in the return game. He totaled 12 kickoff returns for 284 yards, a 23.7 yards per-return average which ranked second in the conference. At tight end, sophomore Maddox McCormick (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) and grad transfer Samuel Lonstein (Ellenville, NY/Wyoming Seminary) will vie for snaps while first year Brady Mizenko (Hazleton Twp., PA/Hazleton Area) will enter the lineup at fullback in running situations.
 
In the kicking game, Sebastian Hess (Glen Mills, DE/Salesianum) will take the kick-off and play kicking duties after the graduation of All-Conference performer Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley). Peter Zarafonitis (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) is back to punt for Wilkes after a strong showing in his first season finishing second in the conference with an average punt distance of 40.4 yards. The junior led the conference with 16 punts inside the 20 yard line and second in punts of over 50 yards.
 
"It's a rivalry game (against King's), and a chance for us to bring the cup back to Wilkes for the third straight year," mentioned Biever. "There is a buzz around campus, as the first week of classes begin and the campus gets ready for one of the best small college football rivalries in the country," he noted.