WIKES-BARRE, PA (November 13, 2021) -- The coveted Mayor's Cup returns to King's College, as the Monarchs football team defeated cross-town rival Wilkes University, 34-7, on Saturday afternoon in McCarthy Stadium in the 25th annual Mayor's Cup. The Monarchs also honored its 16 seniors prior to the game this afternoon. King's improves to 5-5 overall, while Wilkes falls to 6-4 for the 2021 season.

The Monarchs scored on their opening drive as Brennan Robinson carried the ball into the end zone from six-yards out, and a Kyle Prescavage point-after attempt was good to give King's the early 7-0 lead. Neither team could find a rhythm for the remainder of the quarter as King's led, 7-0, after one quarter of play.

The Colonels took advantage of a Dante Gazzola interception with 10:31 left in the half and strung together a six play, 41-yard drive to tie the game on an 11-yard Jose Tabora run. The final three possessions of the half saw three consecutive turnovers, beginning with a forced fumble as Charles McCall knocked the ball lose on a Tabora run, and Brendan Mozeleski recovered the ball with 1:14 to go in the half. Then, Oyame Adoga intercepted the ball with 35 seconds to go before Tabora threw an interception to Joseph Carchio who returned it for 27 yards with 10 seconds left on the clock. Tyler Moore took a knee to run out the final seconds, as the Monarchs entered the halftime break tied, 7-7.

The second half was dominated by the Monarchs, outscoring the Colonels, 27-0. Shemar Ellis had his first touchdown run of the game, taking the ball in for a six-yard run with 11:50 to go. Prescavage's kick attempt was successful to put King's up, 14-7.

Back-to-back three-and-outs saw Wilkes with possession with 7:50 to go in the third before Colin Halzeton intercepted a Tabora pass at the King's 46. The Monarchs could not capitalize, but on the next Colonels drive, Carchio forced a fumble from Malachi Clore that was recovered by McCall with 5:21. The Monarchs got their second touchdown of the quarter with 3:00 to play on a 12-yard Ellis run, leading 21-7.

An empty Wilkes possession gave the Monarchs the ball to start the fourth, and they finished a three-play, 58-yard drive as Tekoah Guedes found Joseph Herman for a 51-yard touchdown reception, and Prescavage connected for his fourth extra-point attempt of the afternoon to put King's up, 28-7.

Wilkes turned the ball over on downs on their next possession and set King's up for a seven-play, 51-yard drive that saw Guedes find a wide open Brandon Cohen in the end zone for a five-yard touchdown catch, putting the final tallies on the board, leading 34-7 with 6:54 to play.

The Colonels had one final opportunity to score in the game, but a broke up pass from Amir Gibson and pressure on the quarterback from Dallas Solomon and Mozeleski put an end to the drive, giving King's the ball with the final 5:23 to play as they iced the win, 34-7, in the 25th annual Mayor's Cup.

Carchio earned King's College MVP of the Mayor's Cup game as he totaled nine tackles, including five solo, with 2.5 tackles for a loss of eight yards, a forced fumble, and an interception with a 27-yard return. Wilkes University's Mayor's Cup MVP award went to Cole Jesmer with a game-high 12 tackles, adding 0.5 sacks.

Guedes went 4-for-7 for 75 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 78 yards on 13 carries. Ellis led the Monarchs run game, totaling 102 yards and two touchdowns on 19 attempts. Herman led the King's receivers with 63 yards on two catches with a touchdown. Mozeleski recorded six tackles with a forced fumble and quarterback hurry, while McCall, Hazleton, and Dylan White added five tackles each.

Wilkes was led by Tabora who went 5-for-14 for 41 yards with two interceptions. Malachi Clore rushed for 26 yards on nine attempts, while Jason Schweizerrhof posted 23 yards on two catches.

As a team, the Monarchs recorded 20 first downs, totaling 343 yards of offense, including 343 rushing yards. King's also went a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth down conversions and was a solid 4-for-5 in the red zone this afternoon.