Reading, Pa. (Nov. 9, 2023) - Alvernia Football is set to conclude its 2023 season on the road on Saturday as the Golden Wolves will travel to Wilkes-Barre to take on King's College in the 2023 season finale.
Alvernia is looking to make it two straight after picking up a 28-16 win at home against Albright College last Saturday. The Monarchs are playing for a home MAC-Centennial Bowl slot and are coming off a 16-8 win at Stevenson on Saturday.
King's is led by Head Coach Skyler Fultz. Fultz, who was a long-time assistant for the Monarchs, was named the Head Coach in April of 2023. He is 7-2 in his first season at the helm.
Inside the Series:
Alvernia is 0-4 all-time against King's College. The Golden Wolves lost to King's, 41-14, last season at home. Two of the four games against the Monarchs have been decided by a touchdown or less. Alvernia narrowly lost to King's, 10-7, in 2021, and fell 35-28 in 2019. Both one-score decisions have been at King's.
Scouting the Golden Wolves:
Alvernia is coming off its first win of the season last week and will look to build some momentum as it moves into the off-season. Alvernia has found an offensive rhythm the last two weeks as well, amassing over 350 yards of total offense against both Lebanon Valley and Albright. Alvernia had its best offensive output two weeks ago against the Dutchmen with 439 yards of total offense.
Alvernia averages 15.4 points per game and its 28 points last week was the most points scored in a game dating back to a week two win in 2022. Alvernia's defense allows 35.7 points per game and 4.6 touchdowns per game.
Alvernia's offense ranks seventh in the MAC with 277.2 yards of total offense per game, while its defense allows 370.6 yards per game. Alvernia's passing game is second in the MAC with 240.3 yards of passing per game and is second only to Widener.
Alvernia Keys to the Game:
Flip the Field: King's boast one of the most high-powered offenses in the league. Alvernia will need to give the Monarchs a long field to work against, something Alvernia has done well if they are able to hold off the block attempt from the opposing defense. Alvernia will not be able to afford giving the Monarchs short fields to work with.
Get the Ball Out: While Alvernia's offensive line has settled in well the last couple of weeks, the Monarchs will pressure. King's has 21 sacks, 64 tackles for a loss, and 20 quarterback hurries. Alvernia will need to find quick targets and let the passing game develop on yards after the catch.
Convert on Third Down: Alvernia has struggled to convert on third down situations this season and has been held below a .500 conversion rating each game this season. Alvernia will need to stay on schedule and convert on third down to keep drives rolling.
Limit the Penalties: Penalties have been one of Alvernia's biggest problems all season. Alvernia cannot afford to give the Monarchs free yards and will need to once again work on limiting its penalty yardage.
Alvernia Players to Watch
Colin Payne - Payne is the leading passer in the MAC and surpassed the 2,000 yard mark on the season last week. Alvernia has relied heavily on its passing game this season, and Payne will look to end the 2023 season on a high note for the Golden Wolves.
Joseph Perkins - Perkins' Alvernia career will come to a close on Saturday. The senior is having a career year for Alvernia and needs just 14 more yards to surpass the 1,000 yard receiving mark. Perkins has 38 receptions for 563 yards and four touchdowns this season. He tends to be a quick target for Payne when he is under pressure.
Zach Ayers - Ayers has turned into a utility man for Alvernia in the final stretch of the season. Like Perkins, the first year has become a quick target for Payne in the slot. He is also a quick burst kick returner, and even kicked off for a touchback last week.
Jamel Fleming - Fleming has three takeaways on the year in the secondary and has six pass breakups. He is also Alvernia's second-leading tackler with 61 on the year.
Elijah Carr - Carr broke Alvernia's single-season tackle record last week and enters the final week with 94 tackles on the season. King's has a fairly balanced offense and Carr is primed to defend both.
Scouting the Monarchs
King's has won four of its last five since the bye week, including a 16-8 win over Stevenson last week to secure a bowl spot. The Monarchs have not lost at home this season.
The Monarchs average 26.1 points per game and allow just 17 points per game.
The Monarchs average over 330 yards of offense per game and had 440 yards of total offense last week - 217 yards on the ground and 223 yards passing. King's also has a very balanced offensive production.
The Monarchs have rushed for 1,425 yards this season and have passed for 1,561 yards. Their defense allows a second-best 233.8 yards per game. Their passing defense allows just 127.4 yards per game and is the second-best passing defense in the MAC. The Monarchs also do a solid job stopping the run and allow 106.3 rushing yards per game.
King's Players to Watch
Rushell Minor-Shaw - Minor-Shaw is the definition of a dual threat quarterback. He has passed for 1,546 yards and 14 touchdowns and is also the leading rusher for King's with 692 yards on the season for 10 touchdowns. Minor-Shaw - a two-time MAC Offensive Player of the Week - is coming off a career-performance last week where he threw for 223 yards and rushed for 169.
Mike DiGregorio - Minor-Shaw spreads the wealth well amongst his wide receivers, but DiGregorio leads the pack. He has 426 yards on the season with four touchdowns and averages 47.33 receiving yards a game.
Joe Carchio - A blitzing safety, Carchio enters Saturday with 74 tackles - including 14.5 for a loss with three sacks. He also has an interception and six pass-breakups on the season along with three forced fumbles.
Dallas Solomon - A 6-4, 250 lb defensive end, Solomon leads the Monarchs with 4.5 sacks on the season. He also has three quarterback hurries and a pass break-up along with 43 total tackles on the season.
Game Information:
Kick-off is set for 1:00 PM at McCarthy Stadium Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for seniors and non-King's students. Live options are available at auwolves.com/live
