NOVEMBER 9, 2013

KING'S FOOTBALL FALLS TO WIDENER, 52-20

CHESTER -- The host Widener University football team exploded for 21 first-quarter points and used its quick-strike, no-huddle offense to amass 536 total yards as the Pride posted a 52-20 victory over visiting King's College in a Middle Atlantic Conference matchup Saturday at Leslie C. Quick Stadium in Chester.

With the win, Widener improved to 6-3 overall and 6-2 in the MAC while the Monarchs saw its five-game win streak come to and end in falling to 5-4 and 5-3 in the MAC. The loss also officially eliminated King's from the MAC title picture as the Monarchs entered the game tied for second with Widener and Lycoming.

Widener's fast-pace tempo was immediately effective right from the start of the game. The Pride struck first on the opening possession of the contest, putting together a 15-play, 65-yard drive, capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Chris Wickes. Ryan O'Hara made good on the point after to give the Pride a 7-0 lead with 11:48 left in the first period.

After a King's punt, Widener assumed possession at its own four. On second down Couve LaFate broke free down the right sideline for a 91-yard touchdown run, the longest play from scrimmage the Monarchs surrendered this season. O'Hara was good on the extra-point as the Pride lead grew to 14-0 with 5:54 left in the opening quarter.

King's would assume possession following the ensuing kickoff at its own 28 and used a nine-yard run by Tom Hehre followed by a nine-yard run by Kyle McGrath to the King's 47. Two plays later Hartranft hit Kempa for a 29-yard gain to the Widener 24. On the next play the Pride were flagged for defensive holding penalty, moving the ball to the Widener 14. From there, Hartranft found Josh Sanders on a slant play at the 10 but the Monarch receiver was stripped of the ball at the five. King's teammate Justin Burke would scoop up the loose ball at the goal line and fell into the end zone for a King's score.  Kevin Mulvihill made good on the point after as King's cut the lead to 14-7 with 2:33 left in the opening quarter.

Widener, however, wasted little time in finding the end zone again as Christopher Wickes hauled in a quick catch-and-run pass from Seth Klein for 51 yards to the Monarch 18. Three plays later Wickes would score from one-yard out to extend the Price lead. O'Hara added the point-after as Widener pushed the score to 21-7 with 1:06 to go in the first quarter.

In the second quarter Widener took over at the King's 45 following a short Monarch punt. An 18-yard pass to Kyle Shostek  was followed by a 20-yard completion to Richard Brown. On the next play Klein hit Anthony Davis for a 20-yard touchdown. O'Hara's conversion pushed the Pride lead to 28-7 with 8:45 left in the second quarter.

Widener would close out the half with an 18-yard field goal with 0:01 on the clock as the Pride took a 31-7 lead at the halftime break. 

Things would continue to go South for the Monarchs in the second half. After receiving the third quarter kickoff the Monarchs fumbled and Widener would recover at the 27.

After the Pride was flagged fro an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Klein found Jermaine Quattelebaum for 39 yards to the King's three. On the next play La Fate scored on a run up the middle to stretch the advantage to 38-7 with 13:29 left in the third quarter.

King's would look to answer after the ensuing kickoff when Hartranft found Dan Kempa for 40 yards to the Pride 20. A 10-yard completion to Sanders, followed by a personal foul call on Widener gave the Monarchs  first-and-goal at the five. But the drive would stall and on a fourth-and-goal from the five, Hartranft was flushed form the pocket and a pass to Sanders in the end zone fell incomplete as the score remained the same with 10:46 remaining in the third quarter.

Later in the quarter following a King's punt Widener would score again, marching 72 yards on 10 plays, capped by a 28-yard pass from Klein to Connor Schlegel with 2:22 left in the third quarter to push the lead to 45-7.

King's then went on a six-play, 65-yard drive, capped by a 61-yard touchdown pass from Hartranft to Dan Kempa. But the extra-point kick was blocked as the Monarchs trailed 45-13 with 14:50 left in the contest.

But Widener again swiftly answered with a 22-yard kickoff return to midfield. After a King's personal foul penalty, Colby McMaster raced 35-yard for a touchdown to up the Pride lead to 52-13 with 14:33 to play.

King's added a late score when Hehre found the end zone on a six-yard quarterback draw with 2:24 to go. Mulvihill's conversion brought the score to 52-20.

Widener outgained King's 537-354 in total yards while holding a 314-130 lead in rushing yards. The Pride's quick-strike attack was so effective there was no ill-effects of the Monarchs owning a 35:21-to-24:39 advantage in time of possession.

LaFate rushed for 174 yards on 19 carries with  two touchdowns while Wickes added 80 yards on 12 attempts with two scores. Klein completed 15-of-27 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Quattlebaum had five receptions for 80 yards while Davis tallied six catches for 66 yards and one touchdown.

For King's, Hartranft completed 15-of-31  passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Kempa caught seven passes for 156 yards and one touchdown and broke King's single-season receiving yards record of 993 established by Blake Letchford in 2005. Kempa now has 1,044 yards on the year. He is also just two catches shy of breaking the Monarchs' single-season mark of 57 receptions set by Mike Verbitski in 2009. Kempa will enter the final game of the season with 56 receptions.

King's will close out the season Saturday with the annual Mayor's Cup Game against Wilkes. Both teams will enter the contest coming off losses as the Colonels fell to Delaware Valley 31-27 in their final home game at the Ralston Complex.