KING'S DROPS FIFTH STRAIGHT IN 16-0 LOSS AT ALBRIGHT
READING – The King's College football team saw its red zone troubles continue as the Monarchs failed to capitalize on a number of scoring opportunities in a 16-0 loss to Albright College Saturday in Reading.
With the loss, King's dropped its fifth straight game, falling to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Middle Atlantic Conference. It also marked the second straight week King's failed to score a touchdown.
The game started poorly for King's when Albright's William Alston returned the opening kickoff 78 yards to the King's 13. Josan Holmes carried for four yards to the nine. On third-and-one, Holmes was stopped for a two-yard loss. On fourth-and-three, Holmes picked the first-down with an 11-yard run to the one-yard line. On the next play, Holmes would carry into the end zone for a Lion score. Jon Whelan would miss the point after kick as Albright led 6-0 with 12:18 remaining in the first quarter.
Three possessions later Alston gave Albright good field position with an 18-yard punt return to midfield. On the first play, quarterback Tanner Kelly found Nate Romig alone and in stride at the 18-yard line for another Albright score. Whelan added the extra-point kick as Albright built a 13-0 lead with 5:21 remaining in the first quarter.
King's looked to respond when Olayinka Soda found Mike Verbitski for 47 yards to the Albright 28. The drive would stall, however, and Andrew DeRito's 48-yard field goal attempt sailed just left of the upright as the Monarchs remained behind by a 13-0 count.
King's would take over at its own 20 following a punt and attempted to mount another drive when Soda found Rodney Blango with a 17-yard pass to the King's 36. On third-and-nine from the 37
Soda hit Glenn Ford for nine yards and first down at the Monarch 46. A nine-yard pass to Rick Ritter gave King's a first down to the Lion 43. After a seven-yard completion to Bob Lane set up a third-and-two play, Maerten was stopped for no gain. On fourth-and-two Soda was tackled for a two-yard loss after he was unable to find an open receiver as Albright took over on downs.
With 3:31 remaining in the half, Albright looked to pad the score when the Lions took possession at their own 14-yard line following a punt. Albright would use 15 plays to advance to the King's 12 with 0:17 left. But on the next play Patrick Subers pass to Glenn Nielsen was intercepted by King's safety Shane McNamara at the one-yard line to end the threat with 0:08 left in the half.
In the second half Albright took over at its own nine-yard line following a Monarch punt. Holmes carried for three yards to the 12. Kelly then found Romig for 11 yards to the 23. Holmes would gain four yards on a run before Kelly hooked up with Hill for nine yards and first down at the Lion 36. Holmes would follow with a three-yard run before a three-yard pass to Nielsen. Tanner then found Hill for 19 yards to the Monarch 44. A 15-yard pass to Matt Wallace would give Albright first down at the King's 29. Two plays later Kelly would make good on a pass to Romig for 10 yards and a first down at the King's 19. The Monarch defense would hold as Albright would settle for a 32-yard field goal by Whelan as the Lions took a16-0 lead with 7:20 left in the third quarter.
King's looked to counter when Soda found Ritter for 11 yards to the King's 48. On a fourth-and-one play from the Albright 43, Phillip Shawn ran for 10 yards and first down at the Lion 33. Maerten would then pick up four yards to the 29, and then added two more yards as King's faced a third-and-three situation from the 26. Maerten, however, was stopped for no gain to give the Monarchs a fourth-and-three. From there, a quick out pass to Blango gained just one yard as Albright took over on downs at its own 25.
King's would force an Albright punt and took over at its own 44 with 0:28 left in the third quarter. Soda would find Ken Loomis for nine yards to the Albright 46 before Maerten carried for four yards and a first down at the Lion 45. Soda would then carry for 11 yards on a quarterback draw to give King's a first down at the Albright 34. After Maerten carried for a five-yard gain, Soda found Lane for 15 yards and a first down at the Albright 14. After two short runs and a three-yard pass to Ford, King's faced a fourth-and-one from the Lion five. But the Monarchs failed to convert when Shaw was stopped at the line of scrimmage for no gain as Albright took over on downs.
The Monarchs would again hold and took over at its own 27 following a Lion punt. Soda would complete a 23-yard pass to Ritter to the King's 41. After two incomplete passes, Albright was flagged for defensive holding, giving the Monarchs a first down at the Albright 49. Soda would follow up with a nine-yard pass to Lane, and then added a six yard scamper to the 34. An 11-yard pass to Blango would give King's a first-down at the Lion 23. Two plays later, Joe Baciotti would intercept Soda at the Albright four to thwart the Monarch scoring chance with 3:28 left in the contest.
Albright would outgain King's 389-to-265 in total yards. The Lion defense held King's ground game to just 49 yards on 28 attempts. Soda completed 20-of-36 passes for 216 with an interception. Maerten was the top rusher with 32 yards on 12 carries while Blango had a team-high five catches for 37 yards. Ritter followed with three catches for 46 yards while lane added three receptions for 31 yards. Verbitski, King's leading receiver, was limited to two receptions for 60 yards.
For Albright, Kelly completed 16-of-27 yards for 150 yards and one score. Holmes rushed for 99 yards on 19 carries while Nielsen posted a game-high seven catches for 36 yards. Hill contributed five receptions for 53 yards while Romig made four catches for 75 yards.
The Monarchs will return home Saturday when King's hosts Lebanon Valley College in its Homecoming game at 1:30 p.m. at Betzler Fields.
