Reading, Pa. (Sept. 29, 2018) - Wilkes University (2-3, 1-2) scored on a 26-yard touchdown run on its first possession of the second half and outscored Alvernia University 20-0 after the break in a 34-14 win Saturday afternoon in a MAC football game at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The game was played as part of the Gridiron Classic series hosted by the Reading Fightin Phils.  The first seven games of the series--played over the last three weeks---were all high school games as is the final one next Friday night.

The first seven drives of the game failed to result in points, and the first turnover of the day set up Wilkes for the first score.

Junior Zachary Weber picked off a Jake Dilcher pass in front of the home bench and returned it eight yards to set up the Colonels offense at the Alvernia 31.  Four plays later Wilkes faced a 4th and 9 and decided against the long field goal. Junior quarterback Jose Tabora was flushed out of the pocket to his right and he connected with Nick Yanik down to the 1-yard line.  Tabora called his own number and pushed his way in for the 7-0 lead.

After a pair of 3-and-outs, Alvernia put together a 14-play, 78-yard drive that ended in a 16-yard TD run from freshman Malcolm Carey, his team-leading fourth of the season.  The drive was aided by a 15-yard roughing the kicker penalty on Wilkes that gave Alvernia the ball at midfield.

The Golden Wolves ran six straight plays that didn't pick up more than five yards each before Dilcher fit a ball in to Jordan Day two plays before the Carey rumble.

Wilkes was setup for success on the next drive by a 25-yard return that moved the ball out to the 45.  Six plays later the ball was inside the 10 and Tabora's number was called again on a designed keeper from the 6 that put Wilkes up 14-7 with 1:57 left on the clock.

This time Alvernia posted an immediate answer with Daniel Scott fielding the ensuing kickoff at the 15-yard line, finding a seam up the middle, and making one move to beat the kicker before scampering into the end zone with a game-tying touchdown.

Alvernia earned one more chance to score in the half when Moses Ulysse picked off a Tabora pass over-the-shoulder at the 5-yard line and returned it to midfield, but the best they could do was a last-second attempt from Dilcher to Neeko Scurlock from the 37.

Wilkes started its first drive of the second half at the 20 yard line after the kick returner caught the kickoff as he ran out of bounds.  The first pass from Tabora appeared to be picked by Ulysse on the Wilkes sideline, but a flag was throw for defensive pass interference. The Colonels moved the ball into Alvernia territory and the Wolves defense had another chance to make a play on a pass near the goal line, but the ball fell to the turf and on the next play Tabora broke contain to his right and ran down the sideline for his third score of the day putting the guests up 21-14.

Alvernia followed with six more drives in the second half, but couldn't sustain a threat against the Wilkes defense, and the Colonels got a pair of field goals and a touchdown on a short field to close the scoring.

Dilcher finished the day 15-of-32 for 99 yards and Carey ran for 52 yards.  Scurlock led the receivers with 56 yards on six catches.

Alvernia continues the season next Saturday with a road trip to Misericordia University.

Wilkes 34, Alvernia 14