NOVEMBER 11, 2017
KING'S FOOTBALL WRAPS UP SEASON WITH 40-26 MAYOR'S CUP VICTORY OVER WILKES
WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College football team wrapped up its season on a high note as the Monarchs defeated cross-town rival Wilkes University 40-26 in the 22nd annual Mayor's Cup Game Saturday at McCarthy Stadium.
With the win, King's ended the season with a 5-5 overall record while going 4-5 in the Middle Atlantic Conference. Wilkes, meanwhile, concluded its season at 0-10 and 0-9 in the MAC. The King's victory was the Monarchs second straight over Wilkes, the fourth in the last five games, and also ended a three-year streak of the visiting team winning the game.
King's struck quickly on the first possession of the game when the Monarchs capped a three-play 60-yard drive with a 51-yard run by Jordan Downes. Mike Tumminello added the point-after as King's took a 7-0 lead just 1:23 into the game.
Wilkes answered on its next possession when the Colonels capitalized to two drive-extending King's penalties to move 70 yards in 10 plays as Jeff Steeber scored on a 12-yard run. Wilkes would miss the extra-point to leave the score 7-6 with 9:51 to go in the opening quarter.
King's answered with an impressive nine-play, 96-yard drive that culminated with a 29-yard scoring play from Whitehead to Corey Flynn. Tumminello added the extra point as King's built a 14-6 lead with 7:52 to play in the second quarter. The Monarchs later put together an eight-play, 84-yard drive that ended on a nine-yard pass from Whitehead to Tyler Marroni as the Monarchs stretched the score to 20-6, a lead King's would take into the halftime break.
In the third quarter, King's went 60 yards in six plays as Whitehead scored on an eight-yard run. The point-after failed but the Monarchs still took a 26-6 lead with 11:55 to play in the third stanza.
But King's would turn the ball over on three occasions the rest of the period and Wilkes took advantage.
Devin Fink intercepted Whitehead at the Monarch five and returned the pick for a touchdown at the 9:45 mark. After a King's fumble at the Monarch 22, Steeber scored on a first-down pass from Waleek Huffin to cut the score to 26-19 with 5:55 to play in the quarter.
Wilkes posted another interception and went 41 yards in five plays as Garrett Armstrong scored on a 12-yard pass from Huffin as the Colonels tied the game at 26-26 with 3:12 remaining in the period.
But King's regained control with a six-play, 54-yard drive as Trey Campbell scored on an eight-yard pass from Whitehead with 1:02 on the clock as King's took a 33-26 lead into the final period.
The Monarchs pushed across what proved to be the final score of the game when King's stopped Wilkes at its own 19 on a fake punt. The Monarchs took advantage when Marroni scored on the first play of the possession on a 19-yard catch-and-run to set the final score of the game.
Whitehead earned game MVP honors for King's for the second consecutive season, completing 25-of-36 passes for 327 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 56 yards and one score on 23 carries. Whitehead surpassed Tyler Hartranft's school records of 5,943 career passing yards and
Downes had 94 rushing yards and one touchdown on 13 carries while Campbell made a career-high 10 catches for 92 yards and one touchdown.
Marroni finished with eight receptions for 92 yards and two scores and established two school records in the game. He surpassed Dan Kempa's previous marks of 151 career receptions and 1,057 receiving yards.
King's outgained Wilkes 496-to-272 in total yards and held the Colonels to just 110 passing yards.
Defensively for King's, Chris DeGaetano has eight tackles while Bruce Damon and Mikal Butler posted seven tackles apiece. Mike Dohn had six stops and a sack while Trevor Hill added five stops and a team-leading fifth interception. Hassan Maxwell also had five tackles and an interception.
King's was able to send its senior class out on a winning note as Trey Campbell, Bruce Damon, Chris DeGaetano, Mike Dohn, Corey Flynn, Jacoby Foresman, Justin Foster, Ron Ippolite, Jake Manetti, Tyler Marroni, Hassan Maxwell, Marquis Miller, Jon Rauch, Mike Tumminello, Aaron Vascos, and Zach Whitehead ended their playing careers with a victory.