WIDENER POSTS 17-3 MAC WIN OVER KINGS
WILKES-BARRE -- Widener University used a little bit of good fortune, combined with solid defense at crucial times as the visiting Pride posted a 17-3 Middle Atlantic Conference victory over King's College Saturday at Betzler Fields.
With the win, Widener improved to 3-2 overall and 2-2 in MAC play. King's, meanwhile, dropped its fourth straight game in slipping to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the MAC.
The Widener defense set the tone when the Monarchs drove to the Pride 26-yard line on the opening possession of the game. The Pride would stiffen and took over on downs at its own 24-yard line
On Widener's first play from scrimmage, Salah Hawkins found a hole up the middle and scampered 73 yards o the King's two-yard line where he was stripped of the ball by Monarch safety Shane McNamara. Good fortune would smile on the Pride when a trailing Marcus Payton fell on the loose ball in the end zone for a Widener touchdown. Matt Breslin added the conversion and the Pride led 7-0 with 8:39 remaining in the first quarter.
Widener would strike again when Brian Pastor made the first of his two interceptions, giving the Pride possession at King's 40-yard line. Six plays later, Widener settled for as 36-yard field goal by Breslin to build a 10- lead with a 6:46 on the clock, a lead it would take into the halftime break.
The Pride would take the second-half kickoff and marched 64 yards on 12 plays, eventually padding the lead on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Drew Lagomarsino. Breslin added the point-after as the Pride lead grew to 17-0.
King's would finally get on the scoreboard when the Monarchs put together a 10-play, 66-yard drive. King's would reach the Widener seven-yard line but the Pride defense would again hold strong as the Monarchs were forced to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Andrew DeRito, cutting the lead to 17-3 with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter.
Widener would secure the victory in the fourth quarter with an effective rushing game that ate up huge chunks of time. The Pride had possession twice in the fourth quarter but amassed a whopping 12:07 in possession time compared to just 2:53 over the final 15:00 of the game.
But it was the Widener defense that made the difference. Six times in the game, King's advanced inside the Pride 40-yard line but came away with just three points. King's first two possessions ended on downs at the Widener 24 and 22 yards lines, while King's third trip downfield to the Pride 20 resulted in a missed 36-yard field goal by DeRito.
Neither team could must much offense in the first half as Widener out gained King's 159-127, but 73 yards came on Hawkins run on the Pride's first play from scrimmage. In the second half, however, Widener would out gain King's 201-85 in total yards over the final 30 minutes of play as the Pride amassed a whopping 21:21 to 8:39 advantage in second half possession time.
Hawkins finished the game with 110 yards on 13 carries while Ian Decker added 85 yards on 11 attempts. Payton contributed with 56 yards on 12 carries Lagomarsino completed 8-of-16 passes for 64 yards but chipped in with 46 rushing yards on 10 attempts.
King's, which was held to just 34 rushing yards on 24 carries, was led by Soda as the Monarch sophomore quarterback completed 18-of-31 passes for 178 yards. Mike Verbitski caught five passes for 86 yards while Rodney Blango added four receptions for just 11 yards. King's, which played the game without its two leading rushers Jeramia Jones and Brandon Murray, were led on the ground by Richard Maerten with 18 yards on eight carries.
King's will return to the field on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. when the Monarchs visit Albright College in Reading.
