NOVEMBER 12, 2010
KING'S FOOTBALL SET TO FACE WILKES IN 15TH ANNUAL MAYOR'S CUP GAME
WILKES-BARRE – Local bragging rights will be at stake when the King's College football team plays its final game of the season Saturday when the Monarchs travel to face cross-town rival Wilkes University in the annual Mayor's Cup Game, kicking off at 12:00 p.m. at the Ralston Athletic Complex.
Kings enters the game with a 1-8 overall record and a 1-5 mark in the MAC. Wilkes, meanwhile, is 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the MAC.
The game will mark the 25th all-time meeting between the teams and the 15th time the squads will be competing for the Mayor's Cup. The Mayor's Cup was introduced in 1996 with the cooperation of former mayor Thomas McGroarty and continued today with current Mayor Thomas Leighton.
With the schools separated by only three street blocks along the banks of the Susquehanna River, the King's-Wilkes rivalry stands as one of the finest in small college football. Numerous players on both sides have played with one another and against one another since their high school days, adding to the intensity and desire to win bragging rights for the next year.
Following the game, both teams will line up at their respective 40-yard lines for the presentation of the Mayor's Cup, as well as the awarding of the team most valuable player award for each squad.
ON THE AIR:
The CW Network will broadcast the game live on Comcast Channel 7 and Service Electric WB Channel 11. The game can also be viewed on DirecTV and Dish Network on the local tier Channel 38. The CW is the second of three channels that is operated by FOX56.
The WRKC radio broadcast of the game will be voice streamed over the Internet at the following link: http://departments.kings.edu/wrkc/
The game will also be available on the Internet via LiveStats at the following link: http://www.sidearmstats.com/wilkes/football
ABOUT THE GAME:
Today's game represents week-ten of the 2010 schedule. King's will be on the road for the sixth and final time, concluding its regular-season slate. The game also marks the 15th annual meeting of the two squads for the annual Mayor's Cup Trophy.
ABOUT THE SERIES:
This is the 25th meeting between the two programs with Wilkes holding an 18-6 advantage. Wilkes has won six of the previous seven meetings, but King's won the last contest by a 33-16 count a year ago at McCarthy Stadium. Wilkes last victory at home against King's was a 21-3 win on November 1, 2008. King's last victory at Wilkes was 28-12 on November 10, 2001.
THE COACHES:
Monarch mentor Jeff Knarr is in his first season at King's after spending the past 11 years as an assist at Muhlenberg College, serving the final four as offensive coordinator. Wilkes coach Frank Sheptock is in his 14th year with the Colonels where he owns a 93-64 mark.
LAST WEEK:
King's posted their first victory of the season, a 45-14 win against FDU-Florham in the Monarchs' final home contest of the year. Wilkes, meanwhile, dropped a 41-21 decision at Widener in its final road contest.
KING'S ON OFFENSE: MULTIPLE - I
The Monarch offense is averaging 306.4 yards of total offense per-game. King's is averaging 216.7 passing yards per-game, but is last in MAC rushing at 89.8 yards each contest. Senior quarterback Corey Lavin runs the show and has completed 165-of-326 passes for 1,9124 yards with 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Lavin's 31 career touchdown passes is tied for the school's career record. Lavin was King's 2009 game MVP after rushing for 142 yards on 17 carries with one touchdown while completing 6-of-12 passes for 101 yards and an additional touchdown.
The ground game is paced by sophomore tailback Eric Ofcharsky who tops the squad with 505 rushing yards on 135 carries with one touchdown, while catching 28 passes for 272 yards and one score. Sophomore David Abdalla tops the receivers with 42 catches for 651 yards and averages 15.5 yards per-reception with four touchdowns. Senior split end Jay Torres adds 37 catches for 553 yards and three touchdowns while junior wide-out Glenn Ford contributes 20 catches for 180 yards and two scores. Junior fullback Jordan Haddock chips in with 13 receptions for 84 yards.
The Monarchs will also be without starting senior tight end John Cuiffo who was lost for the season with a collar-bone injury suffered against Lebanon Valley three weeks ago. Cuiffo had caught 10 passes for 56 yards and one touchdown prior to the injury. He was also the team's starting holder on field goals and extra-points.
WILKES ON OFFENSE: MULTIPLE
The Colonels offense is averaging 308.5 yards of total offense per-game, including 151.9 rushing yards and 156.6 passing yards. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Berntsen leads the Wilkes attack, completing 76-of-145 passes for 863 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 270 yards on 96 carries. The running game is led by junior Zach Tivald who has 554 yards on 120 carries while freshman Auxence Wogou follows with 301 yards on 37 attempts.
Senior Jordan D'Emilio tops the receivers with 37 catches for 414 yards and three touchdowns. Senior tight end Anthony Dorunda follows with 18 receptions for 167 yards and one score while junior split end Todd Eagles adds 14 catches for 226 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore David Kratzer has made 11 receptions for 89 yards while junior receiver Shawn Gregson chips in with two catches for 24 yards and one score.
KING'S ON DEFENSE: MULTIPLE 3-4
King's has allowed 373.6 yards of total offense per-game, including 213.6 rushing yards and 160.0 passing yards. Injuries have impacted the Monarchs greatly this season but perhaps none stung as deeply as the news two weeks ago that senior safety and team co-captain Edwyn Edwards was lost for the rest of the season with an injury to his larynx. Edwards, who was third on the team with 53 tackles and two interceptions, sat out the entire 2009 season after tearing his Achilles tendon in pre-season camp. The popular Edwards was even voted the College's Homecoming King by his classmates on October 9.
Sophomore linebacker Ryan Kelly is third in the MAC with 94 tackles, including 3.0 sacks and may become the fourth Monarch player to reach the 100-tackle plateau. Fellow second-year linebacker Ryan Cordingly follows with 70 tackles with 9.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks for 22 lost yards. Sophomore defensive back Andrew Yablonsky contributes 37 tackles with two interceptions. Senior nose-guard Nick Beinke has posted 37 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Senior defensive end Craig Geibert has made 36 tackles with 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Junior safety Jim McHugh has posted 34 tackles with four interceptions.
Senior defensive end Ryan Nelson has 34 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, while sophomore linebacker Matt Henry checks in with 30 tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss. Sophomore linebacker Mike Briggs chips in with 27 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss.
WILKES ON DEFENSE: MULTIPLE
The Colonels are allowing an average of 446.3 yards of total offense per-game, including 248.9 rushing yards and 197.4 passing yards. Freshman linebacker Tate Moore-Jacobs tops the MAC with 123 tackles, including 5.0 tackles for loss and one interception. Senior linebacker Kevin Gerhart follows with 98 tackles with 1.0 tackles for loss and five interceptions.
Senior linebacker Ryan Clifford adds 63 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks, while senior cornerback Greg Nielsen tallies 55 tackles with two interceptions. Junior defensive lineman Harry Reese has posted 48 tackles with 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks for 17 lost yards. Freshman linebacker Rob Houseknecht contributes 38 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, while senior defensive lineman Chris Swinarski posts 37 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss.
MAYOR'S CUP:
The game marks the 15th meeting of the schools for the annual Mayor's Cup. Wilkes holds a 10-4 advantage in the series, which began in 1996. The Colonels took the first four contests from 1996-1999. King's then recorded victories in three straight seasons from 2000-2002. Wilkes would take the next six contests, from 2003-2008, before the Monarchs posted a 33-16 win a year ago at McCarthy Stadium. The last time the Monarchs left Ralston Field with the Mayor's Cup in tow was during the 2001 season with a 28-12 victory.
King's vs. Wilkes (Wilkes leads 18-6)
Year - Result
1946 - Wilkes 7 - King's 0
1947 - Wilkes 12 - King's 6
1948 - Wilkes 26 - King's 0
1949 - Wilkes 47 - King's 7
1950 - Wilkes 14 - King's 12
1951 - King's 27 - Wilkes 7
1952 - King's 34 - Wilkes 13
1993 - Wilkes 41 - King's 14*
1994 - Wilkes 26 - King's 7
1995 - Wilkes 29 - King's 15
Mayor's Cup Games
1996 - Wilkes 13 - King's 0
1997 - Wilkes 23 - King's 0
1998 - Wilkes 31 - King's 21
1999 - Wilkes 30 - King's 6
2000 - King's 20 - Wilkes 0
2001 - King's 28 - Wilkes 12
2002 - King's 34 - Wilkes 7
2003 - Wilkes 37 - King's 0
2004 - Wilkes 12 - King's 6
2005 - Wilkes 36 - King's 13
2006 - Wilkes 28 - King's 7
2007 - Wilkes 35 - King's 0
2008 - Wilkes 21 - King's 3
2009 - King's 33 - Wilkes -16
*King's did not field varsity football from 1963-1992
