Reading, Pa. (October 24, 2026) - Alvernia University (4-3, 4-2) took down the defending MAC champions Eastern University (5-2, 5-1), 22-21, Saturday afternoon in a MAC football clash at Alvernia University.
The Eagles held a 7-0 lead heading into the first half before the Golden Wolves tied the game up in the third quarter at seven apiece. Eastern then grabbed the 14-7 advantage early in the fourth quarter but Alvernia responded two minutes later to tie the game back up at 14. The Eagles would go ahead in the final two minutes of the game and took a 21-14 lead but the Golden Wolves responded again and went 75 yards on nine plays before Sawyer Esbenshade connected with Yon Anderson in the back of the endzone for a second time in the game and pulled Alvernia within one, 21-20.
Alvernia head coach Steve Devlin did not hesitate and elected to go for two and the win and the Golden Wolves pulled through. Esbenshade rolled to his right and fired a pass in between multiple Eastern defenders to Zakai Smullen to convert the two point conversion attempt and secure the 22-21 victory over the Eagles.
The victory comes as the first in program history over the Eagles. Alvernia also handed the Eagles their first loss in the MAC since September 20th, 2025 when they fell to Lebanon Valley.
The Golden Wolves held the Eagles to just 144 yards rushing, the second lowest total of the season and the Golden Wolves threw for 307 yards in the air and two touchdowns including 147 yards from Yon Anderson.
How it Happened
- Eastern won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff and after the Golden Wolves held the Eagles on fourth down and turned the ball over on downs to start the game.
- Alvernia got the ball and went 16 plays, 52 yards on the ensuing drive and got down inside of the Eastern 16 yard line and sent the field goal unit out but the Eagles blocked the kick and returned the ball to the Alvernia 43 yard line to set up the next drive.
- Eastern needed just three plays to go 57 yards and grabbed the 7-0 lead over the Golden Wolves at the end of the first quarter.
- After an Alvernia drive resulted in a punt, the Eagles got the ball back but were also unable to move the ball and the Golden Wolves forced a three and out to force an Eastern punt.
- The Golden Wolves got the ball back on their own 45 yard line and tallied a nine play drive that only went 34 yards but put them in field goal range but Alvernia's Kevin Carotenuto pulled the kick wide left as the Eagles still held a 7-0 advantage over the Golden Wolves with four minutes to play in the first half.
- The Eagles would get the ball back on their own 21 yard line and ripped off a 12 play 72 yard drive that got them down to the Alvernia seven yard line. Eastern's Brett Nabb looked to the air and threw a jump ball into the back corner of the Alvernia endzone but Alvernia's Jimmy Zamena had other plans and intercepted Nabb to stall the drive, keep the Eagles out of the endzone and hold the Eastern lead to just seven heading into the halftime break.
- The Golden Wolves came out of the halftime break flying and went right down the field after receiving the second half kickoff and tallied a 13 play, 75 yard scoring drive to tie the game at seven. Sawyer Esbenshade converted an early third down with a completion to Yon Anderson for 23 yards and connected with Zakai Smullen on a 4th and 9 conversion to set the Golden Wolves up inside the Eastern 20 yard line. James Bermudez capped off the drive with a three yard rush to put the Golden Wolves on the board and tie the game at seven.
- Alvernia forced a three and out on the ensuing Eastern drive but stalled out themselves after getting the ball back at the end of the third quarter as the game headed to the final stanza tied at seven.
- Both teams punted the ball back to end the third quarter and start the fourth quarter before the Eagles pulled ahead and grabbed the 14-7 lead over the Golden Wolves when Nabb connected with Jeremiah Avirilen for a 39 yard touchdown pass to put the Eagles up seven.
- Eastern's lead did not last long as the Golden Wolves got the ball back and found their way back in the endzone just two minutes later. After moving the chains on second down, the Golden Wolves were on their own 42 yard line, Esbenshade dropped back to pass and saw a streaking Anderson on a deep post down the middle of the field. Esbenshade hit Anderson in stride as he split the Eastern defensive backs for a 58 yard pitch and catch that tied the game up at 14 with just under eight minutes to go in the game.
- The Eagles punched back right away on the ensuing drive and rattled off an eight play, 70 yard drive and punched the ball into the endzone to take a 21-14 lead with just under two minutes to go in the game.
- The Golden Wolves took over on their own 25 yard line with 1:53 to go in the game as they looked to go 75 yards to win the game and they did just that. Esbenshade hit Smullen on back to back plays for chunk yardage and got the Golden Wolves around midfield. After a sack and a scramble rush, the Golden Wolves burnt both of their final timeouts and with 53 seconds to go still had 48 yards to get into the endzone. The Golden Wolves moved the chains on fourth down after the Eagles committed a pass interference call on the Alvernia sideline that gave the Golden Wolves a fresh set of downs on the Eastern 28 yard line with 36 seconds to go. Esbenshade fired a laser across the middle to Smullen for 17 yards and put the Golden Wolves on the Eastern 11 yard line with a fresh set of downs. After an incompletion after the Golden Wolves spiked the ball to stop the clock, Alvernia was faced with another third down with 15 seconds to go. Alvernia's offensive coordinator Mike Tufaro and head coach Steve Devlin elected to keep the ball in Esbenshade's hands and he delivered. Esbenshade dropped back and dropped an absolute dot into the back corner of the endzone to Anderson, who made a strong catch over the Eastern defensive back and pulled the Golden Wolves within one, 21-20.
- Devlin did not think twice and kept the offense on the field for the two point conversion and to win the game. Alvernia called on Esbenshade yet again and as he rolled to his right, he fired a dart in between two Eastern defenders to Smullen to convert the two point conversion and give Alvernia the 22-21 lead.
- The Eagles attempted a hook and ladder on the final play of the game but the Golden Wolves sniffed it out to secure the 22-21 victory over the Eagles to improve to 4-2 in MAC play.
Inside the Box Score
- Sawyer Esbenshade completed 28 of 38 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns including a 58 yarder to Yon Anderson. Esbenshade's 300 yard performance is the third this season and it is also the third game where he has thrown for multiple touchdowns.
- Yon Anderson posted a monster game for the Golden Wolves. Anderson hauled in eight catches for 147 yards and capped his career day with two touchdowns.
- Zakai Smullen wasn't far behind Anderson and posted a team high nine receptions for 114 yards receiving including the game winning two point conversion.
- Kashantis Anderson led the Alvernia defense with ten tackles including seven solo tackles and also recorded a tackle for a loss.
- Jakob Keglovits led the Golden Wolves with 12 tackles and also recorded seven solo tackles and half a tackle for a loss.
- A'myre Stewart-Caceres recorded a tackle for a loss, Christian Medina added the other half of Keglovits's tackle for a loss and Jimmy Zamena recorded a massive interception at the end of the first half that kept Eastern out of the endzone and kept the deficit at seven heading into the halftime break.
Up Next
- The Golden Wolves are back in action next Saturday when they host FDU-Florham in their final home game of the year at 12:00 PM. Alvernia kicks off a Halloween triple header on the turf with Men's and Women's Soccer to follow.
