WILKES-BARRE, PA (September 2, 2021) -- The King's College football team lifts the lid on its 2021 season, it's 28th year since the revival of King's varsity pigskin at the College in 1993. The Monarchs have not taken to the field in an official contest since November 16, 2019, a span of 658 days, when King's dropped a heartbreaking 24-14 decision to rival Wilkes University in the Mayor's Cup game. The Monarchs and Greyhounds meet for the second straight season in Wilkes-Barre, as King's knocked off Moravian 23-20 in the season opener in 2019. This is the first time these two teams have met in back-to-back seasons in Wilkes-Barre, as the two teams have alternated wins in the last four games dating back to 2016.
Event Details
Opponent: vs. Moravian University (0-0, 0-0 Centennial)
Date: Saturday, September 4, 2021
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA – McCarthy Stadium (
Directions)
Tickets: Adults - $5, Seniors & Non-King's Students - $2, King's Students & Children 6 and under - Free
Live Coverage: (
Live Video) (
Live Stats)
Things To Know:
King's vs. Moravian Game Notes
King's vs. Albright Flip Card
Tailgating Policy
Pet Policy
Spectator Policy
The Coaches: Jeff Knarr is in his 12th season (11th with a season) with the Monarchs, as he is only the second coach of King's College football since 1991. Knarr took over for Rich Mannello, who was the head coach since football was reinstated at King's in 1993. Today is the 101st game that Knarr has been the head coach of the Monarchs. Jeff Pukszyn is entering his 11th season at the helm of the Greyhounds, posting a 35-56 record at his alma mater. He took over the position on July 1, 2011 after ten years as assistant head coach. In his first ten years, Pukszyn coached one All-American, 47 All-Centennial Conference players and a Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year.
Looking at Moravian: The Greyhounds were one of many schools that had their entire 2020 season canceled due to CoVID-19, and haven't played since September 16, 2019 when Moravian fell to NCAA Final Four participant Muhlenberg College 52-7. Before that game though, the Greyhounds had been playing their best football of the season in 2019 with three straight wins while winning four of six to end the campaign. The Greyhounds had seven All-Centennial Conference honorees in 2019, and return a pair to the team in 2021 as Nick Petros (WR) and Cory Little (WR) are both back as pass catching options for returning starting quarterback Christopher Mills. The starting five up front for the 'Hounds are all seniors, while a longer look at the two-deep show that 18 of the 22 starting positions for Moravian are held by seniors. Today is the only non-conference game for Moravian, getting into Centennial Conference next week at Gettysburg College.
Red on Gold: King's will be in gold pants with red jerseys and gold helmets for against Moravian Saturday.
Single Digit Tough: The Monarchs award single digits based on merit, leadership and are retained throughout their time at King's, and the squad recently named two more as Single Digit players. With those two including the players named in previous years and over the off-season, King's now has seven Single Digit Tough players:
Gabe Boccella (2),
Brendan Mozeleski (3),
Charles McCall (4),
Myles Shelton (5),
Elijah Demosthene (6),
Tommy Gilmore (7), and Timmy Costantino.
Captains This Weekend: The Monarchs will send out seniors
Elijah Demosthene,
Gabe Boccella,
Myles Shelton and
Charles McCall for the coin toss against Moravian.
A Look At The Monarchs:
- The Monarchs have their largest senior class in program history this year, which is to be expected with the NCAA waiver that is allowing all student-athletes another year of elgibility after last year's missed CoVID-19 season.
- King's currently has 22 seniors on the roster, and of those 22 players a total of 18 are listed on the team's two-deep including 13 starters.
- The Monarchs bring back five All-MAC performers from 2019, including All-MAC first-team defensive back Elijah Demosthene and Second Teamers Gabe Boccella, Charles McCall and Myles Shelton.
- King's comes into this year's season with a total of 11 coaches on staff, and of that group four are King's graduates (Ben Bakanas, Joe Damiano, Tyler Hartranft, Andrew Zub).
- King's was picked to finish sixth in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, right behind Lycoming College and ahead of Lebanon Valley College. Delaware Valley was selected to win the poll with 99 points and nine first-place votes.
- The Monarchs have 117 players on their roster coming into the season, and of that group 76 have either never competed in a game at King's or seen action in a contest they were dressed.
- King's has 70 players from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, while also bringing in 34 from the Garden State. The Monarchs also have the states of Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Florida and Georgia represented on their roster.
- The Monarchs will have a new top running back in 2021, as this will be the first time since 2017 that Jordan Downes hasn't led the team in rushing. Senior Quincy Clark is the top back on the depth chart, having a total of 179 yards rushing in his career.
- King's returns a strong defense from 2019, as King's ranked third in the MAC in scoring defense at 24.8, while allowing only 319.4 total yards.
- KC was one of just two teams in 2019 that held opposition to under 100 yards on average on the ground. The Monarchs surrendered 97.2 yards per game, a 3.3 yard average.
- The Monarchs have not one but two women on their roster in 2021, as Alyssa Accordino and Delaney Hilferty are listed as kickers on the roster. Hilferty is listed as the back-up placekicker coming into the game.
- The two women are the first in program history for King's, and only four women have scored a point in NCAA history (Ashley Martin, Jacksonville State; Liz Heaston, Willamette; Brittany Ryan, Lebanon Valley; Sarah Fuller, Vanderbilt)
- Last season, Tyler Moore was the only player to complete a pass for King's, which was the first quarterback to accomplish that feat since Chris Barnic in 2004.
- King's was strong on fourth downs in 2021, as they were second in the MAC in converting 60 percent of their attempts (12-20).
- The Monarchs had the fewest penalty yards in the conference in 2019, being flagged for only 478 all season. In contrast, King's opponents received the most penalty yardage of any school in the MAC in 2019.
- King's was 4-1 in 2019 at home, but three of the four wins came by one score. The only double-digit win at home that year was against Albright, a 36-16 win on November 2, 2019.
Up Next: King's will have their bye week in Week 2 before hosting Lycoming College in Week 3 for Homecoming, September 18 in McCarthy Stadium at 1 p.m.
--MONARCHS--
